Solar Energy Jobs Outpace the U.S. Economy

Across the country, there are now nearly one million solar energy projects in operation. The United State’s solar energy capacity has multiplied by 30 since 2008 causing solar to account for over 30 percent of all new electricity generating capacity. Americans are seeing savings of tens of millions of dollars a year due to solar.

These savings are further sweetened by a thriving industry that is providing thousands of people with jobs in solar. In 2015, the solar workforce grew a rate that was 12 times faster than the overall economy. In fact, one out of every 78 new jobs created in the U.S. was created by the solar industry. Even as unemployment levels reached their highest levels in 2009, the solar industry continued to add jobs. Moreover, ten percent of the solar industry workforce is made up by veterans.

Additionally, solar jobs offer competitive wages. On average, solar installation workers earn a median wage of $21 per hour, while solar designers earn $27 per hours, and marketing and sales professionals earn $29 per hour.

What this information shows us is that the solar industry has the potential to power our daily lives. It allows us to harness energy to power our cars and homes, to reduce the cost of electricity and the amount of carbon emissions in the air, all while creating new jobs right here at home.