Solar jobs in California top 47,200 in 2013, may grow by 9,000 in 2014

Feb 11, 2014 - The number of solar jobs in California reached 47,223 in 2013, up by 3,500 from 2012, while the solar energy industry in the state is projected to add some 9,000 more workers in the next 12 months.

According to the California Solar Jobs Census by The Solar Foundation (TSF) and BW Research Partnership, the installation segment holds more than 50% of all solar jobs in California. The average installer wage is estimated at USD 24.26 (EUR 17.74) per hour, which is USD 0.63 above the national average for solar installation firms.

The job statistics released today show that the there were 21,653 solar workers in the greater San Francisco Bay area. More than 10,000 of the state’s solar employees are located in Southern California, Los Angeles and San Diego included. A Further 4,285 are employed in the Inland Empire.

Overall, the solar sector provided employment to 142,700 people in the US at the end of 2013, up 20% year-on-year. California accounts for nearly a third of the national total.

The organisations behind the California Solar Jobs Census have polled nearly 4,000 California employers.

(USD 1 = EUR 0.731)

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