Skilled Wages

Solar installer salary in Washington

Median $29.63 an hour for — solar photovoltaic installers, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 2019.

$29.63/hrMedian hourly wageWashington, May data
$61,630/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$24.25 – $29.6410th to 90th percentilehourly range
—Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-09-28

Solar installer pay in Washington: the full range

Wage percentiles, WashingtonMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40/hrWashington: 10th $24.25 · 25th $24.26 · median $29.63 · 75th $29.63 · 90th $29.64Washington$29.63$24.25$29.64United States: 10th $20.00 · 25th $22.45 · median $25.55 · 75th $30.23 · 90th $38.45United States$25.55
Hourly wage percentiles for solar photovoltaic installers: Washington vs United States, May 2025.

Washington ranks 6th of 32 states for median solar installer pay, and 9th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $27.69). — solar photovoltaic installers work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$24.25 – $24.26$50,440 – $50,450roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$24.26 – $29.63$50,450 – $61,630the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$29.63 – $29.64$61,630 – $61,640the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Solar installer pay by metro in Washington

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrPortland: $31.88Portland$31.88Seattle: $29.63Seattle$29.63
Median hourly wage for solar photovoltaic installers by metro area in Washington, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Portland$27.15$31.88$42.002108% above
Seattle$24.25$29.63$29.64—about the same as

Union scale and prevailing wage for solar installers in Washington

On federally funded construction in Washington, contractors must pay solar installers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 38 of the 39 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $87.78 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $84.62). The market median for the state is $29.63.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, WAAdams: $68.64 (union)Asotin: $68.64 (union)Benton: $87.78 (union)Chelan: $82.35 (union)Clallam: $109.44 (union)Clark: $93.23 (union)Columbia: $87.78 (union)Cowlitz: $84.62 (survey)Douglas: $82.35 (union)Ferry: $68.64 (union)Franklin: $87.78 (union)Garfield: $87.78 (union)Grant: $72.25 (union)Grays Harbor: $91.70 (union)Island: $80.71 (union)Jefferson: $109.44 (union)King: $109.44 (union)Kitsap: $109.44 (union)Kittitas: $87.78 (union)Klickitat: $93.23 (union)Lewis: $91.70 (union)Lincoln: $68.64 (union)Mason: $91.70 (union)Okanogan: $72.25 (union)Pacific: $91.70 (union)Pend Oreille: $68.64 (union)Pierce: $91.70 (union)San Juan: $80.71 (union)Skagit: $84.21 (union)Skamania: $93.23 (union)Snohomish: $84.21 (union)Spokane: $68.64 (union)Stevens: $68.64 (union)Thurston: $91.70 (union)Wahkiakum: $93.23 (union)Walla Walla: $87.78 (union)Whatcom: $84.21 (union)Whitman: $68.64 (union)Yakima: $87.78 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$70.81$84.21$87.78$92.31survey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for solar installers by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
Market median vs prevailing wage by countyMarket medianPrevailing (union)$0$25$50$75$100$125/hrKing (Seattle): market median $29.63, prevailing (union) $109.44, gap +$79.81King (Seattle)+$79.81Kitsap (Washington): market median $29.63, prevailing (union) $109.44, gap +$79.81Kitsap (Washington)+$79.81Clark (Portland): market median $31.88, prevailing (union) $93.23, gap +$61.35Clark (Portland)+$61.35
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for solar installers, metro counties in Washington.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
ClallamUnion ELEC0046-006 2025-08-04$75.96$33.48$109.44WA20260022
JeffersonUnion ELEC0046-006 2025-08-04$75.96$33.48$109.44WA20260029
KingUnion ELEC0046-003 2025-08-04$75.96$33.48$109.44WA20260108
KitsapUnion ELEC0046-003 2025-08-04$75.96$33.48$109.44WA20260109
ClarkUnion ELEC0048-030 2025-01-01$63.50$29.73$93.23WA20260120
KlickitatUnion ELEC0048-004 2025-01-01$63.50$29.73$93.23WA20260031
SkamaniaUnion ELEC0048-030 2025-01-01$63.50$29.73$93.23WA20260120
WahkiakumUnion ELEC0048-032 2025-01-01$63.50$29.73$93.23WA20260040
Grays HarborUnion ELEC0076-005 2025-08-31$65.14$26.56$91.70WA20260027
LewisUnion ELEC0076-005 2025-08-31$65.14$26.56$91.70WA20260032
MasonUnion ELEC0076-005 2025-08-31$65.14$26.56$91.70WA20260034
PacificUnion ELEC0076-005 2025-08-31$65.14$26.56$91.70WA20260036
PierceUnion ELEC0076-003 2025-08-31$65.14$26.56$91.70WA20260111
ThurstonUnion ELEC0076-003 2025-08-31$65.14$26.56$91.70WA20260116
BentonUnion ELEC0112-012 2025-06-01$60.00$27.78$87.78WA20260102

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Washington prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Washington?

223.8kConstruction jobsWashington, 2026-08
-0.2%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202650k100k150k200k250k300k19901995200020052010201520202025224kAug 2026
Construction employment in Washington (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Contractor pay by county

Average pay at electrical contractors establishments by county (all employees, not just solar installers), from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.

CountyEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Skagit County976$123,679$2,378
Franklin County423$123,342$2,372
King County9,492$119,001$2,288
Grant County268$102,178$1,965
Asotin County186$100,673$1,936
Whitman County103$99,613$1,916
Clallam County206$97,975$1,884
Thurston County796$96,920$1,864
Cowlitz County382$96,341$1,853
Clark County2,260$88,691$1,706
Grays Harbor County272$87,569$1,684
Snohomish County2,384$86,915$1,671

Keep comparing

Solar installer pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Washington

Questions this page answers

How much do solar installers make in Washington?

The median solar installer in Washington earned $29.63 an hour ($61,630 a year) in May 2025, 16% above the national median of $25.55. The middle half earn $24.26–$29.63; the top 10% earn more than $29.64.

Where does Washington rank for solar installer pay?

Washington ranks 6th of 32 states for solar installer pay, with a median of $29.63 an hour, and 9th after adjusting for Washington's cost of living (BEA price parity 107.0, US = 100).

What is the union solar installer rate in Washington?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for solar installers in 38 counties, with a typical package of $87.78 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many solar installers work in Washington?

BLS counted — solar photovoltaic installers in Washington in May 2025, 0.0 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.00; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Washington and metro areas, SOC 47-2231.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-08.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Not the official determination.