JobAfterNext

Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians

Install or repair solar energy systems designed to collect, store, and circulate solar-heated water for residential, commercial or industrial use.

Wages

BLS doesn't publish wages for Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians separately. These are the figures for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (47-2152), its parent occupation.

Median annual wage, U.S.$63,800
Employment, U.S.465,840
Median hourly wage$30.67
Annual wage percentiles, U.S., May 2025
10th25thMedian75th90th
$44,150$50,190$63,800$85,110$108,420
By state (51)
StateEmploymentMedian annualLocation quotient
Alabama6,950$58,6701.10
Alaska1,200$93,9201.23
Arizona11,810$62,0701.22
Arkansas3,370$48,6600.86
California47,660$72,8300.87
Colorado10,080$63,2401.17
Connecticut5,410$77,2801.07
Delaware1,590$64,7201.10
District of Columbia1,010$101,0200.48
Florida29,260$52,9100.98
Georgia8,930$57,2000.61
Hawaii2,500$78,0601.33
Idaho3,090$52,3801.20
Illinois16,750$99,9500.92
Indiana11,280$76,3201.18
Iowa5,730$63,8901.23
Kansas4,590$65,2201.06
Kentucky6,360$64,1601.06
Louisiana8,360$63,6801.44
Maine2,710$64,0001.41
Maryland11,420$65,4001.38
Massachusetts13,460$93,8801.24
Michigan14,120$80,1901.07
Minnesota10,720$94,4101.21
Mississippi3,360$55,4800.96
Missouri8,310$66,7900.95
Montana1,860$79,9601.22
Nebraska4,110$60,9701.34
Nevada5,370$61,6101.15
New Hampshire1,950$66,8100.95
New Jersey8,750$78,2400.68
New Mexico2,830$61,4401.09
New York23,210$77,4900.80
North Carolina14,510$57,0800.98
North Dakota1,620$63,5601.26
Ohio16,390$63,3300.99
Oklahoma6,050$57,9701.18
Oregon5,370$97,0500.91
Pennsylvania13,620$68,0800.75
Rhode Island1,820$76,4701.21
South Carolina5,770$53,9400.84
South Dakota1,760$51,6201.28
Tennessee9,270$58,6000.94
Texas44,090$59,8401.05
Utah7,030$61,9001.35
Vermont980$62,1701.08
Virginia13,780$60,4701.12
Washington12,470$81,0301.17
West Virginia1,830$56,9800.87
Wisconsin10,210$81,2101.16
Wyoming1,140$62,4101.35

Similar occupations

Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.

#OccupationJob ZoneSimilarity
1Solar Photovoltaic Installers1-20.970
2Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers30.963
3Weatherization Installers and Technicians1-20.960
4Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers30.952
5Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door30.950
6Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers1-20.950
7Hydroelectric Plant Technicians30.947
8Millwrights1-20.946
9Helpers--Electricians1-20.946
10Mechanical Door Repairers1-20.944

One skill away

Among the 50 occupations most similar to Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.

OccupationSkill to buildLevel gapSimilarity
Elevator and Escalator Installers and RepairersRepairing0.880.952
Recreational Vehicle Service TechniciansRepairing0.880.940
Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and RelayRepairing0.880.930
Wind Turbine Service TechniciansRepairing0.760.928
CarpentersCoordination1.000.928
Geothermal TechniciansOperation and Control0.870.925
Non-Destructive Testing SpecialistsScience3.000.922
Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralRepairing0.760.919
Rail Car RepairersRepairing0.880.912
Motorboat Mechanics and Service TechniciansRepairing0.880.911

All 13

Software to learn next

Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians, excluding software Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.

SoftwareSimilar jobs using itLift
Atlas Construction Business Forms3 of 2046.2x
Computerized maintenance management system CMMS4 of 206.2x
Microsoft Windows8 of 201.5x
Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software3 of 202.2x
Database software3 of 200.8x
SAP software5 of 200.8x
Email software3 of 200.5x
Web browser software6 of 200.6x

Skills

From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.

SkillTypeImportanceLevel
InstallationTransferable skill 4.75 4.12
Quality Control AnalysisTransferable skill 3.38 3.62
Reading ComprehensionEssential skill 3.38 3.25
Critical ThinkingEssential skill 3.25 3.50
Operations MonitoringTransferable skill 3.25 3.38
Active ListeningEssential skill 3.25 3.25
MonitoringEssential skill 3.25 3.25
SpeakingEssential skill 3.25 3.12
TroubleshootingTransferable skill 3.12 3.25
Time ManagementTransferable skill 3.12 3.00
Judgment and Decision MakingTransferable skill 3.12 2.88
Equipment MaintenanceTransferable skill 3.00 3.25
InstructingTransferable skill 3.00 3.25
Active LearningEssential skill 3.00 3.12
Complex Problem SolvingTransferable skill 3.00 3.00
Service OrientationTransferable skill 3.00 3.00
RepairingTransferable skill 2.88 3.12
WritingEssential skill 2.88 3.12
Equipment SelectionTransferable skill 2.88 3.00
CoordinationTransferable skill 2.88 2.88
Operation and ControlTransferable skill 2.88 2.88
Social PerceptivenessTransferable skill 2.88 2.88
Systems EvaluationTransferable skill 2.75 3.12
NegotiationTransferable skill 2.75 2.88
PersuasionTransferable skill 2.75 2.88
Systems AnalysisTransferable skill 2.75 2.75
Learning StrategiesEssential skill 2.50 2.88
MathematicsEssential skill 2.50 2.75
Management of Personnel ResourcesTransferable skill 2.38 2.38
Technology DesignTransferable skill 2.25 1.88
Management of Material ResourcesTransferable skill 1.88 1.38
Management of Financial ResourcesTransferable skill 1.75 1.12
Operations AnalysisTransferable skill 1.75 1.12
ProgrammingTransferable skill 1.62 0.75
ScienceEssential skill 1.50not rated
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
Knowledge
NameImportanceLevel
Mechanical 4.73 5.59
Building and Construction 4.65 5.58
Customer and Personal Service 4.45 5.19
English Language 4.07 4.11
Engineering and Technology 4.01 5.21
Education and Training 3.93 5.18
Design 3.92 4.74
Public Safety and Security 3.78 4.33
Computers and Electronics 3.58 4.15
Production and Processing 3.51 4.19
Administration and Management 3.40 3.10
Mathematics 3.00 3.10
Administrative 2.89 3.21
Sales and Marketing 2.85 2.56
Law and Government 2.73 2.72
Physics 2.72 3.44
Economics and Accounting 2.65 1.89
Transportation 2.65 1.82
Foreign Language 2.59not rated
Personnel and Human Resources 2.30 2.36
Telecommunications 2.06 1.84
Communications and Media 2.00 1.75
Geography 1.83 1.64
Chemistry 1.62 1.78
Psychology 1.38not rated
Biology 1.33not rated
History and Archeology 1.28not rated
Philosophy and Theology 1.19not rated
Sociology and Anthropology 1.18not rated
Therapy and Counseling 1.06not rated
Fine Arts 1.04not rated
Medicine and Dentistry 1.04not rated
Food Production 1.00not rated
Abilities
NameImportanceLevel
Oral Comprehension 3.62 3.62
Near Vision 3.50 3.62
Speech Recognition 3.50 3.25
Oral Expression 3.38 3.50
Extent Flexibility 3.38 3.38
Problem Sensitivity 3.38 3.25
Written Comprehension 3.38 3.25
Arm-Hand Steadiness 3.25 3.38
Flexibility of Closure 3.25 3.25
Information Ordering 3.25 3.25
Visual Color Discrimination 3.25 3.25
Speech Clarity 3.25 3.00
Selective Attention 3.25 2.88
Visualization 3.12 3.62
Far Vision 3.12 3.12
Finger Dexterity 3.12 3.12
Category Flexibility 3.00 3.12
Deductive Reasoning 3.00 3.12
Inductive Reasoning 3.00 3.12
Trunk Strength 3.00 3.12
Written Expression 3.00 3.12
Manual Dexterity 3.00 3.00
Control Precision 2.88 3.25
Perceptual Speed 2.88 3.25
Fluency of Ideas 2.88 3.00
Originality 2.88 3.00
Static Strength 2.88 3.00
Speed of Closure 2.88 2.75
Gross Body Equilibrium 2.88 2.62
Time Sharing 2.75 3.00
Dynamic Strength 2.75 2.75
Gross Body Coordination 2.75 2.62
Multilimb Coordination 2.75 2.62
Number Facility 2.75 2.62
Hearing Sensitivity 2.62 2.62
Depth Perception 2.62 2.50
Mathematical Reasoning 2.62 2.50
Auditory Attention 2.50 2.88
Memorization 2.50 2.62
Reaction Time 2.50 2.62
Stamina 2.50 2.38
Wrist-Finger Speed 2.50 2.25
Explosive Strength 2.38 2.88
Response Orientation 2.25 2.25
Spatial Orientation 2.25 2.25
Glare Sensitivity 2.12 2.12
Rate Control 2.12 2.12
Peripheral Vision 1.88 1.50
Night Vision 1.88 1.38
Sound Localization 1.88 1.38
Speed of Limb Movement 1.88 1.12
Dynamic Flexibility 1.38 0.62

Software used

Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.

Where it concentrates

BLS doesn't publish wages for Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians separately. These are the figures for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (47-2152), its parent occupation.

Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.

Metro areaEmploymentLocation quotientMedian annual
Kokomo, IN4003.77$91,470
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA1,0403.72$82,960
St. Cloud, MN8302.66$90,230
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS1,2402.61$63,040
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX1,2502.55$62,220
Paducah, KY-IL3802.50$82,120
Appleton, WI8902.39$91,750
Kalamazoo-Portage, MI8702.38$90,730
Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT8702.31$76,980
Baton Rouge, LA2,7902.27$74,240

More metros, other thresholds