Solar · Virginia
Virginia Solar jobs: 6,005 employed (2024)
Solar Jobs in Virginia (2024)
6,005
Rank #17 of 51
1.62% of U.S.
Virginia-adjusted median
$58,427
Across 2 tracked solar roles, BEA RPP × 1.03.
Where Virginia’s clean-energy jobs sit across 8 sectors
| Sector | Jobs (2024) | National rank |
|---|---|---|
| Energy Efficiency | 79,241 | #9 |
| Solar | 6,005 | #17 |
| Wind | 2,527 | #14 |
| Electric Vehicles | 2,509 | #16 |
| Nuclear | 2,426 | #10 |
| Storage & Grid | 1,486 | #20 |
| Hydropower | 823 | #15 |
| Clean Fuels | 327 | #17 |
Virginia vs. the solar leader, median, and bottom
1st · California
116,380
17. Virginia
6,005
25th · Hawaii
4,083
51st · Alaska
163
Solar roles and pay in Virginia
| Role | SOC | National median | Virginia-adjusted | Job Zone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrician | 47-2111.00 | $61,590 | $63,438 | 3 |
| Solar Photovoltaic Installer | 47-2231.00 | $51,860 | $53,416 | 2 |
Employer-reported hiring difficulty in Virginia
Did not hire
47.0%
Somewhat difficult hiring
26.7%
Very difficult hiring
19.4%
Not at all difficult hiring
6.9%
NAICS industry mix for Virginia clean-energy jobs
Construction
66,425
Professional Services
39,112
Other Services
30,402
Manufacturing
21,369
Trade
17,717
Utilities
10,936
Pipeline Transport & Commodity Flows
6,442
Mining and Extraction
3,026
Agriculture and Forestry
588
Virginia’s electric-power generation workforce by fuel type
Solar
6,005
Wind
2,527
Nuclear electricity
2,426
Natural gas electricity
1,913
Bioenergy/Combined heat and power
1,877
Other electricity
1,297
Traditional hydropower
823
Coal electricity
771
Low impact hydropower, marine, and hydrokinetics
412
Geothermal electricity
267
Oil and other fossil fuel electricity
254
Full USEER workbook line items for Virginia
Fuels
| Fuels total | 14,526 |
| Oil (petroleum and other fossil fuels) | 5,891 |
| Coal fuels | 3,373 |
| Natural gas fuels | 2,047 |
| Woody biomass | 1,364 |
| Other fuels | 820 |
| Nuclear fuels | 345 |
| Other biofuels | 327 |
| Other ethanol and non-woody biomass | 184 |
| Corn ethanol | 175 |
Electric Power Generation
| Electric power generation total | 18,571 |
| Solar | 6,005 |
| Wind | 2,527 |
| Nuclear electricity | 2,426 |
| Natural gas electricity | 1,913 |
| Bioenergy/Combined heat and power | 1,877 |
| Other electricity | 1,297 |
| Traditional hydropower | 823 |
| Coal electricity | 771 |
| Low impact hydropower, marine, and hydrokinetics | 412 |
| Geothermal electricity | 267 |
| Oil and other fossil fuel electricity | 254 |
Transmission, Distribution & Storage
| Transmission, distribution, and storage total | 32,729 |
| Traditional transmission and distribution | 20,092 |
| Other (including commodity flows) | 9,337 |
| Storage | 1,486 |
| Micro grid | 637 |
| Other grid modernization | 607 |
| Smart grid | 570 |
Energy Efficiency
| Energy efficiency total | 79,241 |
| Certified and efficient lighting | 19,933 |
| Traditional HVAC with an efficiency component | 18,485 |
| Other | 14,863 |
| High efficiency HVAC and renewable heating and cooling | 14,826 |
| Advanced materials | 11,135 |
Motor Vehicles
| Motor vehicle total | 50,949 |
| Gasoline and diesel vehicles | 39,117 |
| Hybrid electric vehicles | 3,835 |
| Battery electric vehicles | 2,509 |
| Motor vehicle commodity flows | 1,882 |
| Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles | 1,731 |
| Other vehicles | 1,056 |
| Hydrogen/fuel cell vehicles | 434 |
| Natural gas vehicles | 385 |
By NAICS Industry
| Construction | 66,425 |
| Professional Services | 39,112 |
| Other Services | 30,402 |
| Manufacturing | 21,369 |
| Trade | 17,717 |
| Utilities | 10,936 |
| Pipeline Transport & Commodity Flows | 6,442 |
| Mining and Extraction | 3,026 |
| Agriculture and Forestry | 588 |
Skill profile for solar roles
Top skills
Troubleshooting3.50
Critical Thinking3.32
Installation3.32
Active Listening3.25
Judgment and Decision Making3.19
Quality Control Analysis3.19
Speaking3.13
Active Learning3.13
Knowledge
Building and Construction4.24
Mechanical3.86
Administration and Management3.85
Design3.72
Mathematics3.68
Customer and Personal Service3.58
Public Safety and Security3.32
Engineering and Technology3.23
Core abilities
Near Vision3.88
Problem Sensitivity3.88
Deductive Reasoning3.57
Information Ordering3.57
Finger Dexterity3.50
Oral Comprehension3.50
Visualization3.50
Inductive Reasoning3.44
Representative tasks for solar workers
- Visually inspect and test photovoltaic (PV) modules or systems. (Core)
- Apply weather sealing to array, building, or support mechanisms. (Core)
- Install required labels on solar system components and hardware. (Core)
- Assemble solar modules, panels, or support structures, as specified. (Core)
- Connect wires to circuit breakers, transformers, or other components. (Core)
- Provide preliminary sketches or cost estimates for materials or services. (Core)
- Install ground leads and connect power cables to equipment, such as motors. (Core)
- Construct or fabricate parts, using hand tools, according to specifications. (Core)
- Compile or maintain records of system operation, performance, and maintenance. (Core)
- Advise management on whether continued operation of equipment could be hazardous. (Core)
- Repair or replace wiring, equipment, or fixtures, using hand tools or power tools. (Core)
- Fasten small metal or plastic boxes to walls to house electrical switches or outlets. (Core)
Software and tools used in solar roles
Microsoft Outlook 🔥
Microsoft Word 🔥
Microsoft Excel 🔥
Microsoft Office software 🔥
Microsoft Windows 🔥
Salesforce software 🔥
SAP software 🔥
Extensible markup language XML 🔥
Adobe Acrobat 🔥
Autodesk AutoCAD 🔥
Computer aided design CAD software
Turtle Creek Software Goldenseal
Word processing software
Construction Master Pro
Work scheduling software
Cost estimating software
One Mile Up Panel Planner
Craftsman CD Estimator
Programmable logic controller PLC software
Database software
Project management software
Electrosoft FlashWorks
Resolve Systems Service Management
Elite Software E-Coord
Education & training paths into solar
IM
Apprenticeship3.2%
Job-Related Professional Certification2.6%
OJ
On-the-Job Training13.3%
PT
On-Site or In-Plant Training13.3%
Required Level of Education
Required Level of Education16.7%
Related Work Experience (Years)
Related Work Experience15.4%