Solar installed-price trends
Median $/W (pre-incentive, nominal) across 2,517,104 priced systems — the reference series for what US homeowners actually paid.
Dataset updated . Refreshed from LBNL's Tracking the Sun public releases.
All-time median
$4.24/W
2024 median
$3.96/W
Cheapest state (median)
New Hampshire
$3.44/W
Priced systems
2,517,104
National series
Median installed price by year
| Year | Installs | Median $/W | Median system | Median price | Capacity added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 206 | $8.66/W | 2.44 kW | $19,966 | 838 kW |
| 2001 | 1,196 | $8.35/W | 2.81 kW | $23,562 | 4.7 MW |
| 2002 | 2,410 | $8.48/W | 3 kW | $26,582 | 18.3 MW |
| 2003 | 3,230 | $7.85/W | 3.2 kW | $27,922 | 37.8 MW |
| 2004 | 5,521 | $7.47/W | 3.38 kW | $27,495 | 43.4 MW |
| 2005 | 5,673 | $7.31/W | 4.08 kW | $28,678 | 53.2 MW |
| 2006 | 8,823 | $7.66/W | 4.42 kW | $32,536 | 92.1 MW |
| 2007 | 13,538 | $8.06/W | 4.5 kW | $35,234 | 148.8 MW |
| 2008 | 16,679 | $8.00/W | 4.46 kW | $35,370 | 248.3 MW |
| 2009 | 29,338 | $7.64/W | 4.93 kW | $36,500 | 333.3 MW |
| 2010 | 42,755 | $6.59/W | 5.52 kW | $35,006 | 578.9 MW |
| 2011 | 55,106 | $6.17/W | 5.59 kW | $33,210 | 1.2 GW |
| 2012 | 73,953 | $5.21/W | 5.64 kW | $28,656 | 1.3 GW |
| 2013 | 110,927 | $4.93/W | 5.76 kW | $27,360 | 1.5 GW |
| 2014 | 162,298 | $4.70/W | 5.89 kW | $27,311 | 2.0 GW |
| 2015 | 255,812 | $4.53/W | 6 kW | $26,400 | 2.5 GW |
| 2016 | 297,522 | $4.35/W | 6.24 kW | $25,012 | 3.7 GW |
| 2017 | 236,474 | $4.00/W | 6.5 kW | $24,050 | 3.8 GW |
| 2018 | 244,128 | $3.89/W | 6.6 kW | $23,839 | 3.5 GW |
| 2019 | 269,067 | $3.83/W | 6.62 kW | $23,587 | 3.8 GW |
| 2020 | 281,782 | $3.86/W | 6.8 kW | $24,319 | 3.9 GW |
| 2021 | 343,393 | $3.97/W | 7.15 kW | $26,250 | 4.8 GW |
| 2022 | 448,420 | $4.14/W | 7.3 kW | $28,160 | 5.8 GW |
| 2023 | 483,584 | $4.18/W | 7.37 kW | $29,074 | 6.1 GW |
| 2024 | 15,138 | $3.96/W | 8.1 kW | $29,768 | 277.8 MW |
By state
Median $/W by state (all years)
| State | Median $/W | Installs | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | $3.44/W | 9,996 | 148.4 MW |
| Washington | $3.48/W | 6,327 | 91.8 MW |
| Wisconsin | $3.52/W | 17,251 | 356.8 MW |
| Maryland | $3.68/W | 27,227 | 293.4 MW |
| Maine | $3.71/W | 12,751 | 841.0 MW |
| Florida | $3.77/W | 12,486 | 164.6 MW |
| Connecticut | $3.78/W | 54,917 | 914.4 MW |
| Rhode Island | $3.84/W | 4,630 | 193.9 MW |
| Texas | $3.87/W | 204,286 | 2.3 GW |
| Minnesota | $3.95/W | 16,804 | 1.5 GW |
| Arizona | $4.07/W | 293,541 | 3.5 GW |
| Utah | $4.09/W | 46,838 | 1.3 GW |
| Massachusetts | $4.17/W | 140,908 | 4.0 GW |
| New York | $4.20/W | 161,816 | 7.8 GW |
| California | $4.25/W | 1,921,220 | 18.0 GW |
| Colorado | $4.35/W | 108,882 | 1.1 GW |
| Oregon | $4.45/W | 7,021 | 158.4 MW |
| Delaware | $4.57/W | 7,866 | 84.5 MW |
| New Mexico | $4.62/W | 53,058 | 433.0 MW |
| Vermont | $4.85/W | 27,681 | 836.9 MW |
| Pennsylvania | $5.95/W | 9,412 | 246.8 MW |
| Arkansas | $6.12/W | 117 | 813 kW |
| Illinois | $6.25/W | 61,031 | 1.3 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 2024, the median recorded installed price was $3.96/W pre-incentive (median system 8.1 kW ≈ $32,076). State medians range from $3.44/W (New Hampshire) to $6.25/W (Illinois).
Have solar prices gone down?
Yes — the recorded median peaked at $8.66/W in 2000 and stands at $3.96/W in 2024. Note these are nominal, pre-incentive prices as reported to state programs.