Solar installed-price trends
Median $/W (pre-incentive, nominal) across 2,988,711 priced systems — the reference series for what US homeowners actually paid.
At a glance
The median installed price of a recorded US solar system was $4.33/W in 2025, before incentives — about $33,774 for the median 7.8 kW system. That is 50% below the 2000 peak of $8.66/W. Across all 2,988,711 priced systems the median is $4.23/W.
Dataset updated . Sources: LBNL Tracking the Sun + city permit records + state programs + USGS/EIA utility-scale.
National series
Median installed price by year
| Year | Installs | Median $/W | Median system | Median price | Capacity added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 227 | $8.66/W | 2.45 kW | $19,706 | 1.0 MW |
| 2001 | 1,236 | $8.35/W | 2.84 kW | $23,777 | 8.0 MW |
| 2002 | 2,475 | $8.48/W | 3 kW | $26,683 | 38.5 MW |
| 2003 | 3,379 | $7.85/W | 3.33 kW | $27,995 | 50.8 MW |
| 2004 | 5,793 | $7.46/W | 3.67 kW | $27,542 | 58.3 MW |
| 2005 | 6,043 | $7.31/W | 4.18 kW | $28,795 | 66.6 MW |
| 2006 | 9,373 | $7.65/W | 4.49 kW | $32,460 | 117.2 MW |
| 2007 | 14,600 | $8.06/W | 4.51 kW | $35,098 | 224.5 MW |
| 2008 | 17,988 | $8.00/W | 4.52 kW | $35,112 | 378.7 MW |
| 2009 | 31,258 | $7.62/W | 4.93 kW | $36,455 | 514.1 MW |
| 2010 | 45,961 | $6.59/W | 5.4 kW | $34,864 | 1.1 GW |
| 2011 | 59,414 | $6.16/W | 5.64 kW | $33,167 | 2.4 GW |
| 2012 | 81,954 | $5.21/W | 5.76 kW | $28,656 | 2.9 GW |
| 2013 | 124,677 | $4.90/W | 5.88 kW | $27,393 | 3.7 GW |
| 2014 | 178,725 | $4.68/W | 5.92 kW | $27,315 | 4.7 GW |
| 2015 | 279,573 | $4.50/W | 6.1 kW | $26,408 | 6.4 GW |
| 2016 | 327,245 | $4.34/W | 6.3 kW | $25,133 | 9.2 GW |
| 2017 | 262,415 | $4.00/W | 6.58 kW | $24,180 | 13.0 GW |
| 2018 | 274,255 | $3.88/W | 6.67 kW | $24,000 | 10.4 GW |
| 2019 | 303,360 | $3.83/W | 6.7 kW | $23,800 | 10.7 GW |
| 2020 | 319,079 | $3.87/W | 6.91 kW | $24,500 | 13.6 GW |
| 2021 | 406,023 | $3.98/W | 7.2 kW | $26,520 | 15.7 GW |
| 2022 | 523,933 | $4.12/W | 7.4 kW | $28,500 | 14.9 GW |
| 2023 | 565,200 | $4.19/W | 7.48 kW | $29,731 | 18.4 GW |
| 2024 | 358,912 | $4.27/W | 7.29 kW | $29,582 | 17.6 GW |
| 2025 | 333,171 | $4.33/W | 7.8 kW | $31,500 | 12.3 GW |
Prices are shown only for completed years with at least 100 priced systems; the current year is omitted until it closes. Install counts for the latest years fill in as programs report.
By state
Median $/W by state (all years)
| State | Median $/W | Installs | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | $3.40/W | 11,059 | 248.4 MW |
| Washington | $3.45/W | 9,288 | 367.9 MW |
| Wisconsin | $3.52/W | 22,775 | 1.5 GW |
| Maryland | $3.69/W | 110,800 | 2.2 GW |
| Florida | $3.70/W | 38,726 | 14.0 GW |
| Maine | $3.71/W | 22,412 | 2.8 GW |
| Connecticut | $3.79/W | 63,723 | 1.7 GW |
| Rhode Island | $3.82/W | 5,366 | 917.0 MW |
| Texas | $3.89/W | 350,060 | 7.7 GW |
| Minnesota | $3.95/W | 23,724 | 7.3 GW |
| Utah | $4.10/W | 48,517 | 2.2 GW |
| New York | $4.15/W | 223,104 | 22.2 GW |
| Massachusetts | $4.17/W | 159,700 | 8.6 GW |
| Arizona | $4.20/W | 375,232 | 6.2 GW |
| California | $4.26/W | 2,413,021 | 38.0 GW |
| Colorado | $4.35/W | 116,386 | 2.9 GW |
| Oregon | $4.35/W | 17,012 | 1.6 GW |
| Delaware | $4.38/W | 9,548 | 260.0 MW |
| New Mexico | $4.59/W | 68,499 | 2.1 GW |
| Vermont | $4.85/W | 35,393 | 1.6 GW |
| Arkansas | $5.78/W | 2,427 | 393.0 MW |
| Pennsylvania | $5.95/W | 24,310 | 2.2 GW |
| Illinois | $6.25/W | 115,105 | 6.5 GW |
Medians cover distributed (rooftop and commercial) systems from sources that report an installed price, within the 0.3–25 $/W sanity band; states with fewer than 100 priced systems are not listed. Third-party appraised values inflate some program prices — see methodology.
How have US solar prices changed?
The highest median was $8.66/W in 2000, the first year in the series and the lowest $3.83/W in 2019. Over the last decade the median went from $4.50/W (2015) to $4.33/W (2025), a drop of 4%. The median system grew from 6.1 kW to 7.8 kW over the same years. Figures are nominal dollars as reported to state programs, not adjusted for inflation.
Which states have the lowest solar prices?
Of the 23 states with at least 100 priced systems, the lowest all-years medians are in New Hampshire ($3.40/W), Washington ($3.45/W) and Wisconsin ($3.52/W). The highest is Illinois at $6.25/W, about 48% above the national median. State medians mix every year a state has records for, so a state whose records are mostly older carries a higher median.
Frequently asked questions
How much does solar cost per watt right now?
In 2025, the median recorded installed price was $4.33/W pre-incentive (median system 7.8 kW ≈ $33,774). State medians range from $3.40/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 $4.33/W in 2025. Note these are nominal, pre-incentive prices as reported to state programs.
Which state has the cheapest solar?
New Hampshire, with a median installed price of $3.40/W across all recorded years, among states with at least 100 priced systems. Illinois is the highest at $6.25/W.
What does the installed price include?
The total installed price reported for each system to its state incentive program or permit record, before any tax credit or rebate, divided by its DC capacity. Prices outside a 0.3–25 $/W sanity band are excluded.
State solar prices in detail
- Solar in New Hampshire· $3.40/W median · 11,059 installations
- Solar in Washington· $3.45/W median · 9,288 installations
- Solar in Wisconsin· $3.52/W median · 22,775 installations
- Solar in Maryland· $3.69/W median · 110,800 installations
- Solar in Florida· $3.70/W median · 38,726 installations
- Solar in Maine· $3.71/W median · 22,412 installations
About this data
Source: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's Tracking the Sun, merged with city permit records, state incentive programs and the USGS U.S. Large-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Database / EIA-860 plant registers, as published October 10, 2026 — PanelCensus refreshes it as each source publishes new records. See the methodology for how records are matched, cleaned and scored.
Cite as: PanelCensus, “US solar installed-price trends”, https://panelcensus.com/rankings/price-trends (data as of October 10, 2026).