Solar Cost Per Watt by State
Average solar installation cost per watt across all 50 states + DC. Updated for 2026. Click any state for a detailed cost breakdown by system size, payback period, and local incentives.
National Avg
$3.05/W
Range
$2.60–$4.20/W
1.60 spread
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All 50 States + DC
Click a state for cost-per-watt by system size, payback period, and local incentives.
| State | Avg $/W | vs National | Sun Hrs/Day | 8kW Cost | Payback (yrs) | Incentives |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas AR | $2.60 | -0.45 | 5.0 | $20,800 | 12.6 | none |
| Louisiana LA | $2.60 | -0.45 | 5.5 | $20,800 | 10.6 | PROP |
| Mississippi MS | $2.60 | -0.45 | 5.4 | $20,800 | 13.1 | none |
| Oklahoma OK | $2.60 | -0.45 | 5.0 | $20,800 | 13.4 | PROP |
| Alabama AL | $2.70 | -0.35 | 5.2 | $21,600 | 12.9 | none |
| Arizona AZ | $2.70 | -0.35 | 5.2 | $21,600 | 12.8 | STATE TC PROP |
| Kansas KS | $2.70 | -0.35 | 4.6 | $21,600 | 12.7 | PROP |
| Kentucky KY | $2.70 | -0.35 | 4.7 | $21,600 | 12.5 | none |
| Missouri MO | $2.70 | -0.35 | 4.6 | $21,600 | 12.5 | NEM PROP |
| Tennessee TN | $2.70 | -0.35 | 4.9 | $21,600 | 13.7 | none |
| Florida FL | $2.80 | -0.25 | 5.8 | $22,400 | 11.8 | NEM PROP SALES |
| Indiana IN | $2.80 | -0.25 | 4.5 | $22,400 | 12.5 | PROP |
| Nebraska NE | $2.80 | -0.25 | 4.4 | $22,400 | 13.1 | NEM |
| Nevada NV | $2.80 | -0.25 | 4.9 | $22,400 | 14.0 | PROP |
| North Carolina NC | $2.80 | -0.25 | 4.9 | $22,400 | 14.5 | NEM PROP |
| North Dakota ND | $2.80 | -0.25 | 3.8 | $22,400 | 13.0 | none |
| South Carolina SC | $2.80 | -0.25 | 5.1 | $22,400 | 13.1 | STATE TC PROP SALES |
| South Dakota SD | $2.80 | -0.25 | 4.1 | $22,400 | 12.1 | none |
| Utah UT | $2.80 | -0.25 | 4.4 | $22,400 | 13.8 | PROP |
| West Virginia WV | $2.80 | -0.25 | 4.7 | $22,400 | 12.2 | none |
| Georgia GA | $2.90 | -0.15 | 5.1 | $23,200 | 14.0 | none |
| Idaho ID | $2.90 | -0.15 | 4.1 | $23,200 | 12.5 | NEM |
| Iowa IA | $2.90 | -0.15 | 4.3 | $23,200 | 13.4 | NEM PROP |
| New Mexico NM | $2.90 | -0.15 | 5.0 | $23,200 | 15.0 | NEM STATE TC PROP |
| Ohio OH | $2.90 | -0.15 | 4.5 | $23,200 | 13.0 | NEM PROP |
| Texas TX | $2.90 | -0.15 | 5.4 | $23,200 | 12.5 | PROP |
| Wyoming WY | $2.90 | -0.15 | 4.3 | $23,200 | 13.4 | none |
| Michigan MI | $3.00 | -0.05 | 4.3 | $24,000 | 12.9 | PROP |
| Montana MT | $3.00 | -0.05 | 3.9 | $24,000 | 15.3 | NEM |
| Wisconsin WI | $3.00 | -0.05 | 4.2 | $24,000 | 12.6 | NEM |
| Illinois IL | $3.10 | +0.05 | 4.3 | $24,800 | 14.4 | NEM PROP |
| Minnesota MN | $3.10 | +0.05 | 4.0 | $24,800 | 12.3 | NEM PROP |
| Oregon OR | $3.10 | +0.05 | 4.0 | $24,800 | 14.9 | NEM STATE TC PROP |
| Virginia VA | $3.10 | +0.05 | 4.7 | $24,800 | 14.6 | NEM PROP |
| Washington WA | $3.10 | +0.05 | 3.7 | $24,800 | 14.2 | NEM SALES |
| Colorado CO | $3.20 | +0.15 | 4.5 | $25,600 | 14.7 | NEM PROP |
| Delaware DE | $3.20 | +0.15 | 4.5 | $25,600 | 14.5 | NEM PROP |
| Pennsylvania PA | $3.20 | +0.15 | 4.5 | $25,600 | 14.3 | NEM |
| Maine ME | $3.30 | +0.25 | 4.1 | $26,400 | 14.2 | NEM PROP SALES |
| Maryland MD | $3.30 | +0.25 | 4.6 | $26,400 | 15.2 | NEM STATE TC PROP |
| Vermont VT | $3.30 | +0.25 | 4.0 | $26,400 | 13.5 | NEM PROP |
| New Hampshire NH | $3.40 | +0.35 | 4.2 | $27,200 | 14.3 | NEM PROP |
| District of Columbia DC | $3.50 | +0.45 | 4.6 | $28,000 | 16.2 | NEM STATE TC PROP SALES |
| New Jersey NJ | $3.50 | +0.45 | 4.4 | $28,000 | 16.7 | NEM PROP SALES |
| Rhode Island RI | $3.50 | +0.45 | 4.3 | $28,000 | 16.2 | NEM PROP SALES |
| Connecticut CT | $3.60 | +0.55 | 4.4 | $28,800 | 16.7 | NEM PROP SALES |
| New York NY | $3.60 | +0.55 | 4.4 | $28,800 | 17.4 | NEM STATE TC PROP SALES |
| Massachusetts MA | $3.70 | +0.65 | 4.3 | $29,600 | 16.1 | NEM STATE TC PROP SALES |
| Alaska AK | $3.80 | +0.75 | 3.5 | $30,400 | 15.7 | NEM |
| California CA | $3.80 | +0.75 | 5.0 | $30,400 | 18.1 | PROP |
| Hawaii HI | $4.20 | +1.15 | 6.0 | $33,600 | 17.2 | STATE TC PROP |
Cost Per Watt by Region
Northeast
$3.42/W avg
Range: $3.20–$3.70/W • 11 states
Southeast
$2.76/W avg
Range: $2.60–$3.10/W • 12 states
Midwest
$2.88/W avg
Range: $2.70–$3.10/W • 12 states
Southwest
$2.84/W avg
Range: $2.60–$3.20/W • 7 states
What Does "Cost Per Watt" Mean for Solar?
Solar cost per watt ($/W) is the standard metric for comparing solar installation prices. It's calculated by dividing the total installed cost of a solar system by its nameplate capacity in watts. For example, a $24,000 8kW (8,000 watt) system costs $3.00/W.
Cost per watt is the great equalizer — it lets you compare quotes for different system sizes on an apples-to-apples basis. A 10kW system at $30,000 ($3.00/W) is a better deal than a 7kW system at $23,100 ($3.30/W), assuming the equipment quality is similar.
What's Included in Cost Per Watt?
- Solar panels — typically 30–40% of total cost
- Inverter(s) — 10–15% (string) or 20–25% (microinverter/optimizer)
- Racking & mounting — 5–10%
- Wiring, conduit, electrical — 5–10%
- Permitting & inspection — 5–10%
- Installer labor — 15–20%
- Installer overhead & profit — 15–25%
What's NOT Included?
- Federal tax credit (claim separately on taxes)
- State / local incentives (vary by location)
- Tree removal, roof repairs, or panel upgrades (quoted separately)
- Battery storage (typically $8,000–$15,000 additional)
- EV charger installation ($1,000–$3,000 additional)
Note on panel pricing: All cost-per-watt figures above reflect AVL/DomCon-compliant panels that qualify for IRA bonus credits. Non-compliant panels (Mission, JA, Canadian) are available from $0.37/W panel-only but do NOT qualify for the 30% federal tax credit or IRA bonus credits. Learn about panel compliance costs →
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average cost per watt for solar panels in the US?
Why do solar costs vary by state?
What's a good price per watt for solar in 2026?
How can I get the lowest cost per watt on my solar installation?
Does cost per watt include installation?
Related Tools
State cost-per-watt averages derived from 256 ZIP code samples across all 50 states + DC. Production estimates use NREL PVWatts V8 (azimuth 180°, tilt 30°, array_type 1, module_type 1, losses 14%). The federal Section 25D residential solar tax credit expired December 31, 2025.