National Solar Jobs Census 2022
The U.S. solar industry employs 263,883 solar workers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico as of 2022. This represents an increase of 8,846 jobs, or 3.5% growth since 2021, according to the 13th annual National Solar Jobs Census.
This annual report tracks solar jobs data nationwide and in all 50 states. It features in-depth analysis on jobs by market segment, demographics, and workforce development trends.
The National Solar Jobs Census was first published in 2010 by The Solar Foundation, which has now merged with IREC. Browse the full report by clicking the link below.
Key Findings
A Year of Transition
Nationwide, the utility-scale solar market lost about 6,000 jobs in 2022, as policy challenges delayed large-scale installations. In contrast, residential solar jobs grew by 11%, or about 9,500 jobs.
Most Jobs at Installation Firms
About two-thirds of solar jobs are at installation and project development firms. Others are in manufacturing, wholesale trade and distribution, and operations and maintenance.
Hiring Challenges
44% of solar industry employers said it was “very difficult” to find qualified applicants—the highest such percentage ever recorded in the Solar Jobs Census.
A Future of Growth
The Inflation Reduction Act will have a transformative impact on the solar industry in the future, likely bringing significant job growth.
By the Numbers
263,883
Solar Workers in 2022
8,846
Jobs Added, 2021-2022
42
States With Solar Job Growth, 2022
Solar Jobs By State
Click on any state and scroll down to find job growth over time, job growth by sector, and state policies that impact solar energy growth. Each state also links to its own state fact sheet, including data on jobs in storage, wind, other clean energy industries.
You can also access fact sheets on jobs in the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
Spotlight: Manufacturing
Total solar manufacturing jobs increased only slightly from 2021. However, the U.S. solar manufacturing industry is poised for a sea change. Since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, there have been a flurry of announcements for new domestic manufacturing facilities, which if built could substantially increase manufacturing employment in 2023 and beyond.
Demographics and Diversity
The Solar Jobs Census tracks U.S. solar workforce demographics including gender, ethnicity, race, veteran status, and other characteristics. While the solar industry is growing more diverse, there is still a need for concerted action to ensure there are equitable opportunities for everyone to work in solar.
Workforce Development
It will be no easy task to train, recruit, and retain the qualified women and men who will be needed to work in the solar industry. Clean energy companies will need to adopt conscious and directed workforce development strategies to develop a pipeline of highly skilled candidates and employees. For job seekers, clean energy offers attractive career options and competitive wages for people across all skill levels and educational backgrounds.
Jobs in Other Clean Energy Industries
Solar is part of a national and global trend toward the growth of clean and renewable energy technologies. There were 85,858 workers employed in clean storage jobs in 2022, a 4.6% increase from 2021 and a 28% increase from 2017. There were 125,580 wind energy jobs in 2022, a 4.5% increase from 120,164 jobs in 2021. In all, there were 546,630 workers in renewable energy generation industries.
Thanks to Our Sponsors
We thank all organizations that sponsored the National Solar Jobs Census 2022. For complete list of Sponsors, see the Executive Summary and Acknowledgements page.
"The solar industry has grown by leaps and bounds over the past decade, overcoming one challenge after the next to provide a quarter million jobs for Americans of all educational levels and backgrounds. With the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, we can look forward to transformational jobs growth in solar, batteries, and other clean energy industries in the years ahead."
Larry Sherwood, President and CEO at IREC
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