Solar Photovoltaic Installers vs Welders
Welders earns $610 more at the middle. Every figure is US government data you can check.
| Solar Photovoltaic Installers | Welders | |
|---|---|---|
| Pay in the middle median annual wage, May 2025 | $53,140 | $53,750 |
| Pay range 10th to 90th percentile | $41,600 to $79,970 | $39,240 to $77,530 |
| Years of school you pay for our own estimate from published entry requirements, not a BLS figure | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| Typical entry education | High school diploma or equivalent | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Jobs opening up each year | 4,200 | 40,300 |
| Growth by 2035 | 36.5% | 2.4% |
| People doing it now | 31,100 | 437,700 |
| Where the pay is highest and lowest state medians, not adjusted for cost of living or taxes | $78,950 in New Jersey down to $42,380 in South Dakota | $80,840 in Alaska down to $47,970 in Arkansas |
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Jobs that use what you already know
Same skills, same knowledge, same daily tasks. Most of these are not on this site.
Solar Photovoltaic Installers
- Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians
- Solar Energy Installation Managers
- Wind Turbine Service Technicians
- Hydroelectric Plant Technicians
- Lighting Technicians
- Electricians
What these usually take: High school, then a few months to a year of on-the-job training.
Welders
- Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters
- Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers
- Engine and Other Machine Assemblers
- Boilermakers
- Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers
What these usually take: High school, then a few months to a year of on-the-job training.
O*NET 30.3 Database, U.S. Department of Labor. These are jobs that use similar skills, knowledge and daily tasks. It is a measure of how alike two jobs are — not a record of people moving between them.
Jobs that take more training than this one
A job zone is the U.S. Department of Labor’s published measure of how much preparation a job takes. It says nothing about pay.
Solar Photovoltaic Installers
- Solar Thermal Installers and TechniciansA trade school course, an associate's degree, or one to two years on the job.
- Solar Energy Installation ManagersA trade school course, an associate's degree, or one to two years on the job.
- Wind Turbine Service TechniciansA trade school course, an associate's degree, or one to two years on the job.
- Hydroelectric Plant TechniciansA trade school course, an associate's degree, or one to two years on the job.
- Lighting TechniciansA trade school course, an associate's degree, or one to two years on the job.
- ElectriciansA trade school course, an associate's degree, or one to two years on the job. +$10,490 a year more at the middle.
- Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation EquipmentA trade school course, an associate's degree, or one to two years on the job.
- Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentA trade school course, an associate's degree, or one to two years on the job.
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralA trade school course, an associate's degree, or one to two years on the job.
Welders
- Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related RepairersA trade school course, an associate's degree, or one to two years on the job.
- Tool and Die MakersA trade school course, an associate's degree, or one to two years on the job.
O*NET 30.3 Database and O*NET Job Zones, U.S. Department of Labor. A job zone is a published measure of how much preparation an occupation takes, not a measure of pay or of whether a job is better. Pay differences are BLS median annual wages, May 2025, and are shown only where both jobs are on this site.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational employment and wage data, May 2025, and employment projections 2025-35. Years of school is our own estimate from published entry requirements, not a BLS figure. State medians are not adjusted for cost of living or taxes, and that difference could be large either way. No advice, just data.