Solar panel installers attach solar power mirrors onto building rooftops.
Photovoltaic cells are used to convert sunlight into energy to power everything from handheld calculators to entire office buildings. The long-term environmental and financial benefits of solar energy have led to a rising demand for solar energy technicians and installers. Moreover, solar panel installers work with engineers to integrate and install systems and mirrors onto new and old buildings. As of January 2011, these professionals earned an average salary between $29,680 and $45,050 a year, according to the salary survey website PayScale.
Type and Size
According to PayScale, solar energy system installers employed by companies earned average salaries ranging between $33,402 and $50,000 a year. Likewise, in companies that employed up to 50 employees, installers received average salaries ranging between $40,000 and $53,350 a year. The hourly rate for professionals within this category ranged between $12.32 and $19.53. Solar panel installers working for companies with up to 200 employees received an hourly wage of $14.52 to $17.41.
Location
Average wages for solar panel installers differ across U.S. regions. PayScale showed that professionals in California earned average salaries ranging from $29,479 to as high as $50,868 a year. Solar energy system installers working in New York earned slightly less, falling within the salary range of $26,000 to $45,000 annually. Professionals working in Colorado reported hourly wages within the $10.28 to $24.50 range. Solar energy system installers in New Jersey made significantly more at $14.97 to $20.65 per hour.
Benefits
Some of the company benefits and employee perks that solar panel installers received included 401(k) plans, cellular phones, paid holidays and vacation days, and paid sick leave. Workers receiving 401(k) plans reported average salaries falling between $35,000 and $50,868. Solar panel installers with paid sick leave received average earnings between $32,556 and $53,062 per year. Professionals who received company cell phones reported annual wages ranging between $27,000 and $55,929 annually. Installers with paid holidays and vacation days averaged salaries between $32,000 and $54,000 a year.
Industry
Based on the PayScale report, the industry a solar panel installer works in has a slight impact on his salary potential. Solar energy system installers working in the solar and photovoltaics sector reported average wages ranging between $35,608 and $49,132 per year. In comparison, professionals working in the solar power and energy sector received annual wages ranging between $25,500 and $35,000 annually.
Certification
Earning a certification influences wages for solar panel installers. PayScale stated that installers with North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) Solar PV Installer Certification received hourly wages between $11.79 and $19.65. However, installers who possessed a NABCEP Entry Level Certificate of Knowledge reported hourly wages of $13 to $21.
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