Solar installed-price trends
Median $/W (pre-incentive, nominal) across 2,679,562 priced systems — the reference series for what US homeowners actually paid.
Dataset updated . Sources: LBNL Tracking the Sun + city permit records + state programs + USGS/EIA utility-scale.
All-time median
$4.15/W
2026 median
$2.00/W
Cheapest state (median)
Georgia
$1.51/W
Priced systems
2,679,562
National series
Median installed price by year
| Year | Installs | Median $/W | Median system | Median price | Capacity added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 220 | $8.49/W | 2.46 kW | $20,023 | 977 kW |
| 2001 | 1,234 | $8.32/W | 2.84 kW | $23,531 | 12.3 MW |
| 2002 | 2,473 | $8.44/W | 3 kW | $26,397 | 38.6 MW |
| 2003 | 3,359 | $7.81/W | 3.3 kW | $27,380 | 50.3 MW |
| 2004 | 5,754 | $7.45/W | 3.67 kW | $27,071 | 57.6 MW |
| 2005 | 6,002 | $7.30/W | 4.2 kW | $28,442 | 66.4 MW |
| 2006 | 9,261 | $7.64/W | 4.54 kW | $32,403 | 117.1 MW |
| 2007 | 14,356 | $8.04/W | 4.54 kW | $34,920 | 226.2 MW |
| 2008 | 17,825 | $7.97/W | 4.56 kW | $34,960 | 375.9 MW |
| 2009 | 30,753 | $7.61/W | 4.94 kW | $36,226 | 528.9 MW |
| 2010 | 45,057 | $6.54/W | 5.52 kW | $34,554 | 1.1 GW |
| 2011 | 58,561 | $6.11/W | 5.64 kW | $32,967 | 2.4 GW |
| 2012 | 80,425 | $5.19/W | 5.76 kW | $28,372 | 3.1 GW |
| 2013 | 121,766 | $4.90/W | 5.87 kW | $26,777 | 4.4 GW |
| 2014 | 175,007 | $4.70/W | 6 kW | $27,000 | 5.2 GW |
| 2015 | 273,268 | $4.50/W | 6.05 kW | $26,241 | 6.8 GW |
| 2016 | 318,589 | $4.35/W | 6.27 kW | $25,000 | 9.8 GW |
| 2017 | 253,363 | $4.00/W | 6.56 kW | $24,000 | 13.1 GW |
| 2018 | 264,296 | $3.87/W | 6.6 kW | $23,504 | 10.3 GW |
| 2019 | 291,546 | $3.81/W | 6.67 kW | $23,250 | 10.6 GW |
| 2020 | 303,956 | $3.83/W | 6.84 kW | $23,960 | 13.4 GW |
| 2021 | 386,148 | $3.86/W | 7.15 kW | $25,174 | 15.5 GW |
| 2022 | 497,816 | $4.05/W | 7.31 kW | $27,250 | 14.7 GW |
| 2023 | 529,731 | $4.12/W | 7.38 kW | $28,422 | 18.0 GW |
| 2024 | 68,045 | $2.40/W | 8.4 kW | $19,342 | 13.3 GW |
| 2025 | 52,422 | $2.00/W | 9 kW | $13,338 | 7.8 GW |
| 2026 | 5,216 | $2.00/W | 18.96 kW | $14,248 | 6.4 GW |
By state
Median $/W by state (all years)
| State | Median $/W | Installs | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | $1.51/W | 681 | 2.6 GW |
| Ohio | $2.00/W | 4,576 | 1.2 GW |
| Michigan | $2.00/W | 801 | 1.2 GW |
| Tennessee | $2.00/W | 509 | 689.8 MW |
| North Carolina | $2.02/W | 16,195 | 12.8 GW |
| Arkansas | $2.02/W | 2,375 | 411.9 MW |
| Illinois | $2.21/W | 74,860 | 6.2 GW |
| Louisiana | $2.50/W | 41,418 | 866.6 MW |
| Missouri | $2.50/W | 4,428 | 465.0 MW |
| Hawaii | $2.50/W | 3,070 | 1.4 GW |
| Kentucky | $2.50/W | 959 | 460.8 MW |
| Nevada | $2.56/W | 31,593 | 2.2 GW |
| Indiana | $2.71/W | 240 | 849.0 MW |
| Oregon | $3.14/W | 16,453 | 1.6 GW |
| Washington | $3.26/W | 8,324 | 358.0 MW |
| New Hampshire | $3.44/W | 10,028 | 210.5 MW |
| Wisconsin | $3.52/W | 17,434 | 1.4 GW |
| Maryland | $3.60/W | 79,228 | 1.9 GW |
| Florida | $3.66/W | 26,158 | 15.4 GW |
| Minnesota | $3.70/W | 23,799 | 7.4 GW |
| Maine | $3.71/W | 13,671 | 2.5 GW |
| Connecticut | $3.78/W | 55,073 | 1.6 GW |
| Rhode Island | $3.83/W | 4,769 | 927.6 MW |
| Texas | $3.84/W | 244,796 | 6.7 GW |
| New Jersey | $4.05/W | 193,866 | 6.7 GW |
| Arizona | $4.06/W | 311,449 | 6.0 GW |
| Utah | $4.09/W | 47,715 | 2.3 GW |
| Massachusetts | $4.16/W | 158,257 | 8.4 GW |
| New York | $4.20/W | 198,404 | 22.4 GW |
| California | $4.24/W | 2,070,309 | 36.4 GW |
| Colorado | $4.35/W | 116,390 | 2.9 GW |
| New Mexico | $4.52/W | 54,473 | 2.2 GW |
| Delaware | $4.58/W | 7,905 | 241.1 MW |
| Vermont | $4.85/W | 27,944 | 1.2 GW |
| Pennsylvania | $5.75/W | 24,332 | 2.5 GW |
Medians are computed within the 0.3–25 $/W sanity band; third-party appraised values inflate some program prices — see methodology.
Frequently asked questions
How much does solar cost per watt right now?
In 2026, the median recorded installed price was $2.00/W pre-incentive (median system 18.96 kW ≈ $37,920). State medians range from $1.51/W (Georgia) to $5.75/W (Pennsylvania).
Have solar prices gone down?
Yes — the recorded median peaked at $8.49/W in 2000 and stands at $2.00/W in 2026. Note these are nominal, pre-incentive prices as reported to state programs.