Solar Photovoltaic Installers pay range in Modesto
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $47,850 a year or less, while the top 10% make $75,410 or more. The middle half of solar photovoltaic installers in Modesto earn between $50,850 and $66,060.
- $48K10th
- $51K25th
- $60KMedian
- $66K75th
- $75K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $61,440 | $5,120 | $29.54 |
| Median | $59,920 | $4,993 | $28.81 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $50,850 | $4,238 | $24.45 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $66,060 | $5,505 | $31.76 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Solar Photovoltaic Installers pay in Modesto vs. California and the U.S.
Solar photovoltaic installers in Modesto earn about the same as the California average ($63,280) and 6% more than the U.S. average ($57,900). At the median the gap is +13% against the U.S. median of $53,140.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modesto | $61,440 | $59,920 | $47,850 | $75,410 | 50 |
| California | $63,280 | $60,600 | $47,070 | $83,770 | 6,830 |
| United States | $57,900 | $53,140 | $41,600 | $79,970 | 31,350 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Solar Photovoltaic Installers salary after taxes in Modesto
On the average salary of $61,440, a single filer in Modesto takes home about $49,668 a year, or $4,139 a month and $1,910 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Modesto a good place for solar photovoltaic installers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Modesto area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 104.1), so the average $61,440 buys what about $59,016 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Modesto ($50,610). A typical home costs $468,302, or 7.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Solar Photovoltaic Installers salary in other California cities
Modesto ranks 11th of 16 California metro areas for this job; Santa Cruz pays the most ($74,210).
- Santa Cruz$74,210
- San Francisco$72,470
- San Jose$72,270
- Santa Rosa$66,410
- Salinas$65,860
- Santa Maria$64,690
- San Diego$63,340
- San Luis Obispo$62,120
- Stockton$61,900
- Modesto$61,440
Highest-paying cities for solar photovoltaic installers
Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($77,060).
- Kahului, HI$77,060
- New York, NY$74,770
- Santa Cruz, CA$74,210
- Portland, OR$72,710
- San Francisco, CA$72,470
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Solar Photovoltaic Installers salary in Modesto: questions
How much do solar photovoltaic installers make an hour in Modesto?
$29.54 an hour on average, and $28.81 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level solar photovoltaic installers salary in Modesto?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $47,850 a year and the 25th percentile is $50,850, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the solar photovoltaic installers take-home pay in Modesto?
About $49,668 a year ($4,139 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $61,440. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do solar photovoltaic installers earn more in Modesto than elsewhere?
The average here is 6% more than the U.S. average for this job ($57,900).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 47-2231; area Modesto, CA (33700). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.8%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.39, this job is 1.4 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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