Skilled Wages

Solar installer salary in Wisconsin

Median $23.93 an hour for 90 solar photovoltaic installers, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 2024.

$23.93/hrMedian hourly wageWisconsin, May data
$49,770/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$21.59 – $41.1810th to 90th percentilehourly range
90Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Solar installer pay in Wisconsin: the full range

Wage percentiles, WisconsinMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50/hrWisconsin: 10th $21.59 · 25th $23.02 · median $23.93 · 75th $31.41 · 90th $41.18Wisconsin$23.93$21.59$41.18United 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: Wisconsin vs United States, May 2025.

Wisconsin ranks 19th of 32 states for median solar installer pay, and 15th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $25.43). 90 solar photovoltaic installers work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$21.59 – $23.02$44,910 – $47,880roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$23.02 – $31.41$47,880 – $65,340the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$31.41 – $41.18$65,340 – $85,650the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Union scale and prevailing wage for solar installers in Wisconsin

On federally funded construction in Wisconsin, contractors must pay solar installers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 72 of the 72 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $70.47 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $23.93.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, WIAdams: $70.47 (union)Ashland: $70.47 (union)Barron: $70.47 (union)Bayfield: $70.47 (union)Brown: $65.93 (union)Buffalo: $70.47 (union)Burnett: $70.47 (union)Calumet: $70.47 (union)Chippewa: $69.50 (union)Clark: $70.47 (union)Columbia: $70.47 (union)Crawford: $70.47 (union)Dane: $74.46 (union)Dodge: $70.47 (union)Door: $70.47 (union)Douglas: $80.80 (union)Dunn: $70.47 (union)Eau Claire: $69.50 (union)Florence: $70.47 (union)Fond du Lac: $70.47 (union)Forest: $70.47 (union)Grant: $70.47 (union)Green: $70.47 (union)Green Lake: $70.47 (union)Iowa: $70.47 (union)Iron: $70.47 (union)Jackson: $70.47 (union)Jefferson: $70.47 (union)Juneau: $70.47 (union)Kenosha: $78.41 (union)Kewaunee: $70.47 (union)La Crosse: $69.50 (union)Lafayette: $70.47 (union)Langlade: $70.47 (union)Lincoln: $70.47 (union)Manitowoc: $70.47 (union)Marathon: $63.09 (union)Marinette: $70.47 (union)Marquette: $70.47 (union)Menominee: $70.47 (union)Milwaukee: $79.12 (union)Monroe: $70.47 (union)Oconto: $70.47 (union)Oneida: $70.47 (union)Outagamie: $70.47 (union)Ozaukee: $79.12 (union)Pepin: $70.47 (union)Pierce: $69.50 (union)Polk: $70.47 (union)Portage: $70.47 (union)Price: $70.47 (union)Racine: $67.24 (union)Richland: $70.47 (union)Rock: $67.24 (union)Rusk: $70.47 (union)St. Croix: $69.50 (union)Sauk: $70.47 (union)Sawyer: $70.47 (union)Shawano: $70.47 (union)Sheboygan: $70.47 (union)Taylor: $70.47 (union)Trempealeau: $70.47 (union)Vernon: $70.47 (union)Vilas: $70.47 (union)Walworth: $70.47 (union)Washburn: $70.47 (union)Washington: $79.12 (union)Waukesha: $79.12 (union)Waupaca: $70.47 (union)Waushara: $70.47 (union)Winnebago: $70.47 (union)Wood: $70.47 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$70.47
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for solar installers by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
DouglasUnion ELEC0242-001 2025-06-01$47.46$33.34$80.80WI20260007
MilwaukeeUnion ELEC0494-001 2025-06-01$50.86$28.26$79.12WI20260001
OzaukeeUnion ELEC0494-001 2025-06-01$50.86$28.26$79.12WI20260001
WashingtonUnion ELEC0494-001 2025-06-01$50.86$28.26$79.12WI20260001
WaukeshaUnion ELEC0494-001 2025-06-01$50.86$28.26$79.12WI20260001
KenoshaUnion ELEC0127-001 2025-06-01$50.01$28.40$78.41WI20260004
DaneUnion ELEC0159-002 2024-05-26$48.55$25.91$74.46WI20260005
AdamsUnion ELEC0494-010 2025-06-01$45.20$25.27$70.47WI20260011
AshlandUnion ELEC0494-010 2025-06-01$45.20$25.27$70.47WI20260011
BarronUnion ELEC0494-010 2025-06-01$45.20$25.27$70.47WI20260011
BayfieldUnion ELEC0494-010 2025-06-01$45.20$25.27$70.47WI20260011
BuffaloUnion ELEC0494-010 2025-06-01$45.20$25.27$70.47WI20260011
BurnettUnion ELEC0494-010 2025-06-01$45.20$25.27$70.47WI20260011
CalumetUnion ELEC0494-012 2025-06-01$45.20$25.27$70.47WI20260016
ClarkUnion ELEC0494-010 2025-06-01$45.20$25.27$70.47WI20260011

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

Is construction work growing in Wisconsin?

167.3kConstruction jobsWisconsin, 2026-08
+7.5%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202650k100k150k200k19901995200020052010201520202025167kAug 2026
Construction employment in Wisconsin (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
Winnebago County1,192$110,044$2,116
Racine County597$96,795$1,861
Brown County1,262$94,661$1,820
Dane County2,365$94,413$1,816
Marathon County603$92,563$1,780
Waukesha County4,204$92,404$1,777
Sheboygan County649$91,077$1,751
Milwaukee County1,584$86,189$1,657
Outagamie County1,321$82,768$1,592
St. Croix County432$80,346$1,545
Jefferson County149$80,180$1,542
La Crosse County372$77,302$1,487

Keep comparing

Solar installer pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Wisconsin

Questions this page answers

How much do solar installers make in Wisconsin?

The median solar installer in Wisconsin earned $23.93 an hour ($49,770 a year) in May 2025, 6% below the national median of $25.55. The middle half earn $23.02–$31.41; the top 10% earn more than $41.18.

Where does Wisconsin rank for solar installer pay?

Wisconsin ranks 19th of 32 states for solar installer pay, with a median of $23.93 an hour, and 15th after adjusting for Wisconsin's cost of living (BEA price parity 94.1, US = 100).

What is the union solar installer rate in Wisconsin?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for solar installers in 72 counties, with a typical package of $70.47 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many solar installers work in Wisconsin?

BLS counted 90 solar photovoltaic installers in Wisconsin in May 2025, 0.0 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.15; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Wisconsin 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.