What solar panels cost, in dollars
A typical 7 kW home system costs $17,500 to $26,250 before incentives, or $2.50 to $3.75 per watt. How you pay moves the price more than anything else: in the latest national data, cash buyers paid a median $3.00 per watt and loan buyers $4.50.
Why two quotes for the same house differ by $10,000
How you pay. Low-rate solar loans often carry a hidden dealer fee added to the price. Always ask for the cash price too.
How many quotes you get. Prices on a competitive marketplace sit well below prices paid on average. Three quotes is the minimum.
Your roof and your electrical panel. Steep, tiled or complicated roofs cost more to work on. An old 100-amp electrical panel may need a $2,000–$4,000 upgrade.
Equipment. Premium panels and microinverters cost more per watt and usually carry longer warranties.
The federal credit is gone. The 30% credit no longer applies to systems homeowners buy, so a quote that still subtracts it is wrong. Four states still offer a credit: NY, SC, AZ, MA.
Typical system cost by state
| State | Typical size | Price range | State credit | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 10.1 kW | $25k–$38k | — | 13.1 yrs |
| Alaska | 8.0 kW | $20k–$30k | — | 12.3 yrs |
| Arizona | 7.6 kW | $19k–$29k | −$1,000 | 17.3 yrs |
| Arkansas | 9.2 kW | $23k–$35k | — | 15.5 yrs |
| California | 3.8 kW | $9,500–$14k | — | 9.0 yrs |
| Colorado | 5.5 kW | $14k–$21k | — | 11.1 yrs |
| Connecticut | 6.7 kW | $17k–$25k | — | 8.4 yrs |
| Delaware | 8.4 kW | $21k–$32k | — | 12.7 yrs |
| District of Columbia | 5.9 kW | $15k–$22k | — | 9.2 yrs |
| Florida | 9.2 kW | $23k–$35k | — | 13.0 yrs |
| Georgia | 9.7 kW | $24k–$36k | — | 14.0 yrs |
| Hawaii | 3.8 kW | $9,500–$14k | — | 6.6 yrs |
| Idaho | 8.0 kW | $20k–$30k | — | 24.8 yrs |
| Illinois | 6.7 kW | $17k–$25k | — | 20.0 yrs |
| Indiana | 8.8 kW | $22k–$33k | — | 13.5 yrs |
| Iowa | 7.6 kW | $19k–$29k | — | 15.2 yrs |
| Kansas | 7.6 kW | $19k–$29k | — | 13.7 yrs |
| Kentucky | 10.1 kW | $25k–$38k | — | 15.9 yrs |
| Louisiana | 10.5 kW | $26k–$39k | — | 15.5 yrs |
| Maine | 5.5 kW | $14k–$21k | — | 7.8 yrs |
| Maryland | 8.8 kW | $22k–$33k | — | 10.7 yrs |
| Massachusetts | 5.5 kW | $14k–$21k | −$1,000 | 7.4 yrs |
| Michigan | 6.3 kW | $16k–$24k | — | 11.1 yrs |
| Minnesota | 6.7 kW | $17k–$25k | — | 13.8 yrs |
| Mississippi | 10.1 kW | $25k–$38k | — | 13.9 yrs |
| Missouri | 8.8 kW | $22k–$33k | — | 15.2 yrs |
| Montana | 7.6 kW | $19k–$29k | — | 15.4 yrs |
| Nebraska | 8.4 kW | $21k–$32k | — | 16.1 yrs |
| Nevada | 6.7 kW | $17k–$25k | — | 13.0 yrs |
| New Hampshire | 6.3 kW | $16k–$24k | — | 9.0 yrs |
| New Jersey | 6.3 kW | $16k–$24k | — | 9.7 yrs |
| New Mexico | 4.6 kW | $12k–$17k | — | 10.9 yrs |
| New York | 5.9 kW | $15k–$22k | −$4,400 | 6.5 yrs |
| North Carolina | 8.8 kW | $22k–$33k | — | 22.6 yrs |
| North Dakota | 9.2 kW | $23k–$35k | — | 17.4 yrs |
| Ohio | 8.4 kW | $21k–$32k | — | 12.9 yrs |
| Oklahoma | 8.8 kW | $22k–$33k | — | 14.3 yrs |
| Oregon | 8.8 kW | $22k–$33k | — | 15.7 yrs |
| Pennsylvania | 8.4 kW | $21k–$32k | — | 11.5 yrs |
| Rhode Island | 5.5 kW | $14k–$21k | — | 7.8 yrs |
| South Carolina | 8.8 kW | $22k–$33k | −$6,600 | 9.8 yrs |
| South Dakota | 8.8 kW | $22k–$33k | — | 14.4 yrs |
| Tennessee | 10.5 kW | $26k–$39k | — | 15.8 yrs |
| Texas | 9.2 kW | $23k–$35k | — | 12.5 yrs |
| Utah | 6.3 kW | $16k–$24k | — | 14.3 yrs |
| Vermont | 6.3 kW | $16k–$24k | — | 10.8 yrs |
| Virginia | 9.2 kW | $23k–$35k | — | 12.7 yrs |
| Washington | 10.1 kW | $25k–$38k | — | 17.7 yrs |
| West Virginia | 10.1 kW | $25k–$38k | — | 15.4 yrs |
| Wisconsin | 6.3 kW | $16k–$24k | — | 12.2 yrs |
| Wyoming | 6.7 kW | $17k–$25k | — | 13.7 yrs |
Size covers the state-average home (EIA 2024). Payback uses each state's likely export rule at $3.00/W, cash, no federal credit. U.S. average electricity: 18.2¢/kWh.
The price of every system size
Before incentives. Find your size across and your quote’s price per watt down; the typical cash price is highlighted. Output is for a median-sun U.S. city (Lincoln, 1,459 kWh per kW a year).
| System | Panels | Makes a month | $2.50/W | $3.00/W | $3.50/W | $4.00/W | $4.50/W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 kW | 7 | 365 kWh | $7,500 | $9,000 | $10,500 | $12,000 | $13,500 |
| 4 kW | 10 | 486 kWh | $10,000 | $12,000 | $14,000 | $16,000 | $18,000 |
| 5 kW | 12 | 608 kWh | $12,500 | $15,000 | $17,500 | $20,000 | $22,500 |
| 6 kW | 14 | 730 kWh | $15,000 | $18,000 | $21,000 | $24,000 | $27,000 |
| 7 kW | 17 | 851 kWh | $17,500 | $21,000 | $24,500 | $28,000 | $31,500 |
| 8 kW | 19 | 973 kWh | $20,000 | $24,000 | $28,000 | $32,000 | $36,000 |
| 10 kW | 24 | 1,216 kWh | $25,000 | $30,000 | $35,000 | $40,000 | $45,000 |
| 12 kW | 29 | 1,459 kWh | $30,000 | $36,000 | $42,000 | $48,000 | $54,000 |
| 15 kW | 36 | 1,824 kWh | $37,500 | $45,000 | $52,500 | $60,000 | $67,500 |
What your budget buys
At the typical cash price of $3.00 a watt, in a median-sun city, with electricity at the U.S. average of 18.2¢ per kWh and full net metering.
| Budget | System | Panels | Covers | Saves in year one |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10k | 3.3 kW | 8 | 47% of a home | $885 |
| $15k | 5.0 kW | 12 | 70% of a home | $1,327 |
| $20k | 6.7 kW | 16 | 94% of a home | $1,769 |
| $25k | 8.3 kW | 20 | 117% of a home | $2,212 |
| $30k | 10.0 kW | 24 | 140% of a home | $2,654 |
| $40k | 13.3 kW | 32 | 187% of a home | $3,539 |
| $50k | 16.7 kW | 40 | 234% of a home | $4,423 |
“A home” = 10,400 kWh a year, the U.S. average (EIA). Under net billing, year-one savings are roughly 30–50% lower.
Add-ons and surprises, in dollars
About $1,100 per kWh of storage installed. A Powerwall 3 is typically $13,000–$17,000.
Usually a little cheaper than the first: the wiring and permit are already done.
Needed on many 100-amp or full panels. Ask every installer whether it is included.
Prices vary widely. If your roof has under ten years left, replace it first.
The 30% homeowner credit has ended. Leases and PPAs are different; see below.
NY: 25% up to $5,000 · SC: 25% (up to $3,500 a year, carried forward) · AZ: 25% up to $1,000 · MA: 15% up to $1,000.
Every way to pay for a 7.0 kW system
The same $21,000 system in Lincoln, NE, paid for five ways. Same panels, same sunshine. Very different money.
| Way to pay | Terms | Day one | Monthly payment | Monthly net, year 1 | Break-even | Ahead after 25 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pay cash | Full price on install day | $21,000 | $0 | +$140 | year 12 | $34k |
| Credit-union loan | 8% APR, 20 years, no dealer fee | $0 | $176 | −$35 | day one | $13k |
| “1.99%” solar loan | 1.99% APR, 25 years, 25% dealer fee | $0 | $111 | +$29 | day one | $22k |
| Lease | $130/mo, +2.9% a year, 25 years | $0 | $130 | +$25 | day one | $3,300 |
| Power purchase (PPA) | 15.5¢/kWh, +2.9% a year, 25 years | $0 | $132 | +$23 | day one | $6,100 |
Electricity 18.2¢/kWh rising 2.5% a year; net metering; panels lose 0.5% a year; owned systems set aside $25/kW a year for upkeep. The solar loan’s dealer fee here is $5,250. Lease and PPA prices are typical offers, not quotes.