How much does solar installation cost?

Installed home solar systems ran about $2.50 to $3.50 per watt across the U.S. before incentives in early 2026, according to EnergySage marketplace data reported by Earth911. Your price depends on your state, roof, equipment and installer.

What does an installed solar price include?

A complete quote usually covers equipment, system design, permits and inspections, labor, utility interconnection paperwork, and the installer's overhead and margin. Roof repairs, electrical panel upgrades and trenching are sometimes left out, so ask installers to list them separately.

How do I compare solar installation quotes?

Divide each quote's total price by the system size in watts to get the price per watt, check that every quote includes the same items, and compare the equipment and warranties named in each one.

Solar Installation Cost in 2026: What You Pay For

Last reviewed: October 20, 2026. Prices and rules change. Every figure below links to its source.

Installer fitting a black solar panel on a shingled roof

Solar installation cost is quoted by the watt. Across the U.S., installed home systems ran about $2.50 to $3.50 per watt before incentives in early 2026 (Earth911, citing EnergySage). Homeowners who buy a system in 2026 get no federal tax credit, so that price is close to what you actually pay.

Is solar worth it for your home?

Works for any U.S. ZIP code. Get a cost, payback and 25-year savings estimate in under a minute. No email or phone number needed.

ZIP code

State

Average monthly electric bill ($)

Your electricity rate (¢/kWh) Filled in with your state’s average. Use the rate on your bill if you know it.

About your home

These do not change the numbers, but they change what we should tell you next.

Do you own this home?

Property type

Interested in a battery?

How long do you expect to stay in this home?

More options (roof, financing, a quote you already have)

Monthly use (kWh), if you know it

Fixed monthly charges on your bill ($)

Main roof direction

Shade on the roof

Installed price ($ per watt)

Yearly electricity price increase (%)

Loan interest rate (APR %)

Loan term (years)

Lease payment you were quoted ($/month)

PPA price you were quoted (¢/kWh)

Share of your solar you expect to send to the grid (%) An example assumption, not a measured figure; change it if you know yours. It only changes the estimate in states where we have a sourced value for exported solar.

Solar installation cost by state

Florida: $2.12 per watt (EnergySage Florida cost data (average, before incentives), September 2026). See our Florida solar cost guide.
Connecticut: $2.74 per watt (EnergySage Connecticut cost data (average, before incentives), August 2026). See our Connecticut solar cost guide.

For other states, the calculator uses the national range until we publish a sourced state figure.

What an installed price includes

An installed price is everything needed to get a working, permitted system on your roof. Equipment is only part of it. A complete quote usually covers:

Equipment: panels, inverters or microinverters, racking, wiring and monitoring.
Design and permits: the system design, building and electrical permits, and inspections.
Labor: installation and electrical work.
Utility interconnection: the paperwork to connect to the grid and get credit for exported power.
The installer’s overhead and margin: sales, warranties and profit.

Some quotes leave out items that can add real cost, such as roof repairs, an electrical panel upgrade or trenching for a ground mount. Ask every installer to list these separately.

Why the 2026 price feels higher

Until the end of 2025, homeowners who bought solar could subtract a 30% federal tax credit. That credit (Section 25D) ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025 (Solar.com). Companies that own the panels on your roof under a lease can still claim a business credit, which can make lease prices lower than buying. See our solar lease vs buy guide.

How to compare installation quotes

Divide each quote’s total price by the system size in watts to get the price per watt.
Check that every quote includes the same items: permits, monitoring, roof work, electrical upgrades.
Compare the panels, inverters and warranty terms named in each quote.
Ask how each installer estimated your production and how they accounted for shade.
Enter each quote’s price per watt in our calculator under “More options” to see payback with your own numbers.

Replace your roof first?

Panels usually stay on a roof for decades. If your roof is near the end of its life, price a re-roof before installing solar, because removing and reinstalling panels later adds cost.

Solar installation cost questions

How much does solar installation cost?: Installed home solar systems ran about $2.50 to $3.50 per watt across the U.S. before incentives in early 2026, according to EnergySage marketplace data reported by Earth911. Your price depends on your state, roof, equipment and installer. Earth911, citing EnergySage
What does an installed solar price include?: A complete quote usually covers equipment, system design, permits and inspections, labor, utility interconnection paperwork, and the installer's overhead and margin. Roof repairs, electrical panel upgrades and trenching are sometimes left out, so ask installers to list them separately.
Is there a federal tax credit for solar installation in 2026?: Not for homeowners who buy a system. The 30% federal credit under Section 25D ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025. Companies that own a system on your roof under a lease can still claim a business credit. Solar.com
How do I compare solar installation quotes?: Divide each quote's total price by the system size in watts to get the price per watt, check that every quote includes the same items, and compare the equipment and warranties named in each one.

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