Engineers

How to become a Solar Energy Systems Engineer

Official title: Solar Energy Systems Engineers

Also called: Consulting Engineer, Engineer, Photovoltaic System Designer (PV System Designer), Power Systems Engineer, Project Engineer, Research Engineer, Solar Design Engineer, Solar Designer, Solar Energy Engineer, Solar Engineer

Perform site-specific engineering analysis or evaluation of energy efficiency and solar projects involving residential, commercial, or industrial customers. Design solar domestic hot water and space heating systems for new and existing structures, applying knowledge of structural energy requirements, local climates, solar technology, and thermodynamics.

Main tasks

Conduct engineering site audits to collect structural, electrical, and related site information for use in the design of residential or commercial solar power systems.
Create plans for solar energy system development, monitoring, and evaluation activities.
Design or coordinate design of photovoltaic (PV) or solar thermal systems, including system components, for residential and commercial buildings.
Provide technical direction or support to installation teams during installation, start-up, testing, system commissioning, or performance monitoring.
Create electrical single-line diagrams, panel schedules, or connection diagrams for solar electric systems, using computer-aided design (CAD) software.
Perform computer simulation of solar photovoltaic (PV) generation system performance or energy production to optimize efficiency.
Review specifications and recommend engineering or manufacturing changes to achieve solar design objectives.
Develop design specifications and functional requirements for residential, commercial, or industrial solar energy systems or components.

How to become one

Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree

Ways in

College: Engineering degrees, Offered by 36 universities in the US
Licence: A licence is required in 45 states.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $122,930 a year The middle half earn $90,970 to $158,090.
About 166,700 people work in this job now, and about 173,000 are projected by 2035. (+3.7%)
People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Solar Energy Systems Engineer?

Ways in include: Engineering degrees.

How much does a Solar Energy Systems Engineer earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $122,930 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $90,970 to $158,090.

Is a Solar Energy Systems Engineer a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 4% by 2035, from about 166,700 to about 173,000 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Solar Energy Systems Engineer?

Usually. 84% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Solar Energy Systems Engineer?

People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.