Solar, Wind and Electrical Trades: Compare Growth with Job-Market Size
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Editorial transparency
Published by The Work State Editorial under a collective topic desk, with AI assistance. Source facts, our analysis and illustrative scenarios are distinguished in the article. A desk name does not imply individual professional credentials.
Sources, method and correctionsA fast growth percentage can describe a small occupation. Compare the base, projected additional jobs and replacement openings before deciding what a technology trend means for your search.
Put scale next to growth
BLS projects solar photovoltaic installers to add 11,300 jobs and wind turbine service technicians 3,500 between 2025 and 2035: 14,800 combined. Electricians are projected to add 75,900. This comparison describes the whole occupations, not jobs caused specifically by AI, data centers or one energy source.
| Occupation (SOC) | Employment 2025 | Net change to 2035 | Change | Annual openings | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar photovoltaic installers (47-2231) | 31,100 | 11,300 | 36.5% | 4,200 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Wind turbine service technicians (49-9081) | 11,800 | 3,500 | 29.5% | 1,500 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Electricians (47-2111) | 821,000 | 75,900 | 9.2% | 72,700 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers (49-9021) | 440,900 | 48,200 | 10.9% | 40,600 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Power plant operators (51-8013) | 29,800 | -1,500 | -5.1% | 2,300 | High school diploma or equivalent |
Openings are projected annual averages, including replacement, not current vacancies. Typical education is descriptive and does not replace credential or licensing checks.
Annual openings are not the same as net additional jobs. They include replacement needs. Nor are the national openings current vacancies that a particular applicant can reach. Location, qualifications and the mix of employers still determine a practical search.
Keep occupation and industry apart
An industry employs many occupations, and an occupation can work across industries. Electricians’ projected growth cannot be assigned entirely to the power grid or data centers. A growth statement about utilities does not establish the prospects of every power-related role.
Use the distinction when reading an employer’s description. Identify whether work is manufacturing equipment, installing systems, maintaining buildings, running generation or designing a project. The same trend headline can hide different duties, training and travel.
National wage context, May 2025
| Occupation (SOC) | 10th percentile | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar Photovoltaic Installers (47-2231) | $41,600 | $46,700 | $53,140 | $62,870 | $79,970 |
| Wind Turbine Service Technicians (49-9081) | $49,230 | $58,840 | $64,120 | $78,010 | $92,460 |
| Electricians (47-2111) | $42,640 | $49,430 | $63,190 | $83,940 | $108,510 |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (49-9021) | $40,050 | $48,360 | $61,010 | $77,060 | $95,210 |
| Power Plant Operators (51-8013) | $61,790 | $79,690 | $102,040 | $119,080 | $131,940 |
Percentiles describe the observed wage distribution, not starting salaries, minimums, maximums or years of experience. National data do not price an individual offer.
These wages describe employees in broad national occupations. They do not price a specific apprenticeship, offshore assignment, employer or license. A median is not the pay on the first day of training.
Choose a route you can verify locally
- Find current employers and openings in the area where you can work.
- Check the actual license, training, travel and physical requirements.
- Ask how apprenticeship or other training is structured and documented.
- Compare the paid schedule and costs through qualification, not only the later wage headline.
- Verify what support and supervision exist for the next step.
For a fictional planning comparison, a longer paid training route may be more affordable than a shorter unpaid course once tuition, living costs and foregone earnings are included. Calculate your own periods and amounts; a national growth rate cannot decide the result.
Compare the denominator before buying training
Electricians have 72,700 projected annual openings, compared with 4,200 for solar installers: about 17.3 times as many, despite the lower percentage growth. This is a comparison of national occupational flows, not a measure of your hiring probability. The starting populations are 821,000 and 31,100. A high growth rate can describe a comparatively small market.
Use the Career Comparison Lab to reproduce the comparison and download the source-linked data. Keep training cost and an actual local offer separate from these national estimates.
Sources and method
- BLS May 2025 national OEWS data (original workbook in ZIP)
- BLS Table 1.2: 2025-2035 occupational projections
Tables were assembled from the original BLS national data by the SOC codes shown. OEWS covers employee wages; employment projections have a different scope and include self-employment where applicable. A broad occupation is a comparison, not an official mapping of every commercial title.
Comparison sheets and labelled fictional calculations are our analysis. They are not employer records, individualized advice or a professional eligibility determination. The text was revised with AI assistance. Sources, methodology and corrections.
