Solar Photovoltaic Installers pay in California
$63,280avg. a year
$30.42 an hour · 6,830 employed
Solar Photovoltaic Installers in California earn an average of $63,280 a year. That is $5,380 (9%) more than the U.S. average of $57,900. The best-paying metro area is Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA at $74,210.
$60,600Median pay
$30.42Average hourly
+27%Avg. pay since 2020
#6Of 32 states
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for solar photovoltaic installers by metro area. Swipe to see all 16.
140 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$74,210
$35.68 an hour
2710 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$72,470
$34.84 an hour
3280 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$72,270
$34.74 an hour
4100 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$66,410
$31.93 an hour
5
Salinas, CA
$65,860
$31.67 an hour
6100 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$64,690
$31.10 an hour
7550 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$63,340
$30.45 an hour
8100 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$62,120
$29.86 an hour
9120 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$61,900
$29.76 an hour
101,930 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$61,500
$29.57 an hour
1150 jobs
Modesto, CA
$61,440
$29.54 an hour
12
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$60,970
$29.31 an hour
13790 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$60,510
$29.09 an hour
14700 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$60,500
$29.09 an hour
15210 jobs
Fresno, CA
$60,170
$28.93 an hour
16370 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$59,300
$28.51 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Solar Photovoltaic Installers pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California solar photovoltaic installers work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $52k$52k–$55k$55k–$62k$62k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $57,900 | $27.84 |
| California | $63,280 | $30.42 |
| Oregon | $71,390 | $34.32 |
| Nevada | $70,830 | $34.05 |
| Arizona | $54,170 | $26.05 |
Related jobs in California
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do solar photovoltaic installers make in California?
The average is $63,280 a year, and the median is $60,600. That is $5,380 (9%) more than the U.S. average of $57,900.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$30.42 an hour on average; the median is $29.14.
Where in California do they earn the most?
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($74,210), followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($72,470). The lowest average among 16 metro areas with data is Bakersfield-Delano, CA ($59,300).
How does California rank?
California ranks #6 of 32 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 47-2231. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national solar photovoltaic installers page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.