Solar installer demographics and statistics in the US
Solar installer demographics research summary. Zippia estimates solar installer demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our solar installer estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about solar installers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 12,945 solar installers currently employed in the United States.
- 5.5% of all solar installers are women, while 94.5% are men.
- The average solar installer age is 29 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of solar installers is Hispanic or Latino (36.3%), followed by White (35.3%), Black or African American (15.8%) and Unknown (6.3%).
- In 2022, women earned 93% of what men earned.
- 8% of all solar installers are LGBT.
- Solar installers are 83% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Solar installer demographics by:
Solar installer gender statistics
5.5% of solar installers are women and 94.5% of solar installers are men.
- Male, 94.5%
- Female, 5.5%
Solar installer gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 94.5% |
| Female | 5.5% |
Solar installer gender pay gap
Women earn 93¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$37,922
Female income
$35,366
Solar installer gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in solar installer positions over time. Currently, 5.5% of solar installers are female.
Solar installer gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 93.69% | 6.31% |
| 2011 | 93.24% | 6.76% |
| 2012 | 97.58% | 2.42% |
| 2013 | 98.82% | 1.18% |
| 2014 | 96.69% | 3.31% |
| 2015 | 96.87% | 3.13% |
| 2016 | 98.83% | 1.17% |
| 2017 | 97.76% | 2.24% |
| 2018 | 86.60% | 13.40% |
| 2019 | 94.53% | 5.47% |
| 2020 | 85.63% | 14.37% |
| 2021 | 94.53% | 5.47% |
Solar installer related jobs gender ratio
We compared solar installers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, water softener installer and insulation worker have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Composition Floor Setter | 34% | 66% |
| Solar Installer | 95% | 5% |
| Gas Fitter | 97% | 3% |
| Insulation Worker | 97% | 2% |
| Water Softener Installer | 97% | 3% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Solar installer demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among solar installers is Hispanic or Latino, which makes up 36.3% of all solar installers. Comparatively, 35.3% of solar installers are White and 15.8% of solar installers are Black or African American.
- Hispanic or Latino, 36.3%
- White, 35.3%
- Black or African American, 15.8%
- Unknown, 6.3%
- Asian, 5.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
Solar installer race
| Solar installer race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hispanic or Latino | 36.3% |
| White | 35.3% |
| Black or African American | 15.8% |
| Unknown | 6.3% |
| Asian | 5.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.5% |
Solar installer race and ethnicity over time
See how solar installer racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Solar installer race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 70.30% | 8.05% | 1.17% | 18.29% |
| 2011 | 68.68% | 8.17% | 0.76% | 17.55% |
| 2012 | 63.23% | 10.25% | 1.09% | 23.41% |
| 2013 | 61.69% | 10.13% | 0.89% | 24.89% |
| 2014 | 61.95% | 8.91% | 1.00% | 25.01% |
| 2015 | 62.75% | 9.58% | 0.72% | 24.55% |
| 2016 | 62.15% | 7.12% | 0.43% | 26.99% |
| 2017 | 61.20% | 9.79% | 1.13% | 25.06% |
| 2018 | 50.28% | 7.91% | 3.95% | 35.03% |
| 2019 | 59.29% | 11.43% | 0.71% | 25.00% |
| 2020 | 51.20% | 12.00% | 1.60% | 30.40% |
| 2021 | 35.26% | 15.79% | 5.79% | 36.32% |
Solar installer wage gap by race
According to our data, unknown solar installers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american solar installers have the lowest average salary at $35,767.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $39,158 |
| White | $38,599 |
| Black or African American | $35,767 |
| Asian | $37,421 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $38,769 |
Average solar installer age
See how the average age of solar installers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Solar installer age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| White | 27 | |
| Black or African American | 29 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 24 |
Solar installer age breakdown
The average age of solar installers is 20-30 years years old, representing 58% of the solar installer population.
Solar installer age breakdown
| Solar Installer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 13% |
| 30-40 years | 25% |
| 20-30 years | 58% |
Solar installer educational attainment
The most common degree for solar installers is high school diploma, with 40% of solar installers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 20% and bachelor's degree degree at 18%.
- High School Diploma, 40%
- Bachelor's, 20%
- Associate, 18%
- Diploma, 13%
- Other Degrees, 9%
Solar installers by degree level
| Solar installer degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 40% |
| Bachelor's | 20% |
| Associate | 18% |
| Diploma | 13% |
| Other Degrees | 9% |
Solar installer jobs you might like
Solar installer wage gap by degree level
According to the data, solar installers with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $39,597 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, solar installers earn a median annual income of $38,141 compared to $36,875 for solar installers with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $36,875 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $38,141 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $39,597 |
Solar installer employment statistics
Most solar installers work for a private in the energy industry.
Company size where solar installers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where solar installers work.
Solar installer jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 11% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 22% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 31% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 11% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 19% |
| > 10,000 employees | 7% |
Solar installer jobs by company type
Employees with the solar installer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most solar installers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Solar installer jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 15% |
| Private | 83% |
| Government | 1% |
Solar installer jobs by industry
The most common industries for solar installers are energy, construction and professional.
Solar installer industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Energy | 20% |
| Construction | 17% |
| Professional | 13% |
| Technology | 8% |
| Manufacturing | 7% |
| Finance | 5% |
| Start-up | 5% |
| Media | 3% |
| Utilities | 3% |
| Hospitality | 3% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Telecommunication | 2% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Government | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Solar installer turnover and employment statistics
Solar installer unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for solar installers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Solar installer unemployment rate by year
| Year | Solar installer unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 16.57% |
| 2011 | 14.50% |
| 2012 | 19.94% |
| 2013 | 15.90% |
| 2014 | 13.10% |
| 2015 | 10.72% |
| 2016 | 8.92% |
| 2017 | 7.10% |
| 2018 | 11.56% |
| 2019 | 8.55% |
| 2020 | 17.82% |
| 2021 | 11.52% |
Average solar installer tenure
The average solar installer stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 2,533 solar installers resumes in Zippia's database.
Solar installer tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 49% |
| 1-2 years | 25% |
| 3-4 years | 9% |
| 5-7 years | 12% |
| 8-10 years | 2% |
| 11+ years | 1% |
Solar installer LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of solar installers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Coke Oven Patcher | 1.40% | 90 |
| Acoustical Ceiling Mechanic | 1.75% | 33,392 |
| Mill Helper | 2.24% | 14,073 |
| Traffic Signal Mechanic | 2.76% | 36,005 |
| Junior Construction Worker | 3.39% | 57,217 |
| Sheet Metal Worker Supervisor | 4.07% | 22,935 |
| Solar Installer | 8.12% | - |
Similar solar installer jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Coke Oven Patcher | 1.40% | 90 |
| Acoustical Ceiling Mechanic | 1.75% | 33,392 |
| Mill Helper | 2.24% | 14,073 |
| Traffic Signal Mechanic | 2.76% | 36,005 |
| Junior Construction Worker | 3.39% | 57,217 |
| Sheet Metal Worker Supervisor | 4.07% | 22,935 |
Foreign languages spoken by solar installers
The most common foreign language among solar installers is Spanish at 94.2%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is German at 3.8% and Russian is the third-most popular at 1.9%.
- Spanish, 94.2%
- German, 3.8%
- Russian, 1.9%
Solar installer languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 94.2% |
| German | 3.8% |
| Russian | 1.9% |
