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The differences between solar engineers and solar installers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a solar engineer, becoming a solar installer takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a solar engineer has an average salary of $77,229, which is higher than the $37,239 average annual salary of a solar installer.
The top three skills for a solar engineer include renewable energy, system design and solar pv. The most important skills for a solar installer are renewable energy, ladders, and hand tools.
| Solar Engineer | Solar Installer | |
| Yearly salary | $77,229 | $37,239 |
| Hourly rate | $37.13 | $17.90 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 27% |
| Number of jobs | 40,951 | 17,367 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | High School Diploma, 40% |
| Average age | 45 | 29 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
Solar engineers and solar installers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Solar Engineer | Solar Installer | |
| Average salary | $77,229 | $37,239 |
| Salary range | Between $53,000 And $111,000 | Between $29,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Springfield, MA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Alaska |
| Best paying company | WEC Energy Group | Black & Veatch |
| Best paying industry | Utilities | Technology |
There are a few differences between a solar engineer and a solar installer in terms of educational background:
| Solar Engineer | Solar Installer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | High School Diploma, 40% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering Technology |
| Most common college | Cornell University | - |
Here are the differences between solar engineers' and solar installers' demographics:
| Solar Engineer | Solar Installer | |
| Average age | 45 | 29 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.9% Female, 10.1% | Male, 94.5% Female, 5.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 15.3% White, 63.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 15.8% Unknown, 6.3% Hispanic or Latino, 36.3% Asian, 5.8% White, 35.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 8% |