Solar Photovoltaic Installers build installation, judgment and decision making and quality control analysis skills that carry over to other work. Below are 25 careers ranked by how closely their skills match, with pay from BLS May 2025. The closest match is Geothermal Technicians (80%).
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Sorted by skill match.
| # | Career | Skill match | Median pay | Pay change | Extra education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Geothermal Technicians | 80% | $49,230Pay for the broader BLS group “Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other” | Not compared | None |
| 2 | Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers | 80% | $95,320 | +79% | None |
| 3 | Mechanical Door Repairers | 78% | $55,720 | +5% | None |
| 4 | Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers | 77% | $61,010 | +15% | Certificate or associate |
| 5 | Millwrights | 76% | $65,700 | +24% | None |
| 6 | Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment | 76% | $84,890 | +60% | Certificate or associate |
| 7 | Hydroelectric Plant Technicians | 76% | $102,040Pay for the broader BLS group “Power Plant Operators” | Not compared | Certificate or associate |
| 8 | Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers | 76% | $65,380 | +23% | None |
| 9 | Riggers | 76% | $62,640 | +18% | None |
| 10 | Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers | 76% | $74,330 | +40% | None |
Compared with Solar Photovoltaic Installers, median $53,140. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.
How important each skill is in work as solar photovoltaic installers (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).
The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.
Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.
A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.
80% skill match · $49,230 (broader BLS group)
Operation and Control · Operations Monitoring · Troubleshooting
80% skill match · $95,320 · +79% pay
Operation and Control · Repairing · Troubleshooting
78% skill match · $55,720 · +5% pay
Repairing · Operation and Control · Service Orientation
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Geothermal Technicians (80% skill match, median $49,230), Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers (80% skill match, median $95,320) and Mechanical Door Repairers (78% skill match, median $55,720), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
Among the 25 matches, 20 pay more than solar photovoltaic installers at the median. The biggest increases: Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers (+107%, $109,910), Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers (+79%, $95,320) and Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment (+60%, $84,890).
14 of the 25 matches usually need no more education than you have now, based on O*NET Job Zones.
We compare the importance of skills, knowledge, work activities and interests in O*NET 31.0 for your job and every other career, then adjust for extra preparation and big pay drops. The full method is on our Methodology page.