Compare A Lighting Technician ↔ B Solar Energy Installation Manager

Compare with

Your route

2 moves · +$21,370 a year, Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels

Gates on this route

Move 1, to Solar PV Installer: license depends on the work (Texas: wiring a PV system on a building or premises is electrical work needing a TDLR electrician license (Apprentice or higher); TDLR lists no solar exemption. Mounting without wiring: not addressed).
Move 2, to Solar Energy Installation Manager: no degree, license or hours gate found (O*NET 31.0 and the licensing agencies checked for this job).

Move 1 Transfer move to the side
Lighting Technician to Solar PV Installer -$4,910 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Solar Photovoltaic Installers as a related occupation (Supplemental) (O*NET related occupation beyond the 6 drawn laterals).
- Gates: license depends on the work (Texas: wiring a PV system on a building or premises is electrical work needing a TDLR electrician license (Apprentice or higher); TDLR lists no solar exemption. Mounting without wiring: not addressed).
Move 2 Transfer move to the side
Solar PV Installer to Solar Energy Installation Manager +$26,280 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Solar Energy Installation Managers as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.76.
- Gates checked: no degree, license or hours gate found (O*NET 31.0 and the licensing agencies checked for this job).
- Skills to build: Management of Personnel Resources, Negotiation, Instructing

Side by side

All Solar Energy Installation Managers: Texas median $74,520, $21,370 more a year than all Lighting Technicians ($53,150), every experience level.

Occupation-wide pay all experience levels, not this level's pay; Texas median, base pay, $0 to $300k

$53,150+$21,370$74,520

Gates on the route: Solar PV Installer: license depends on the work (Texas: wiring a PV system on a building or premises is electrical work needing a TDLR electrician license (Apprentice or higher); TDLR lists no solar exemption. Mounting without wiring: not addressed).

Outlook 2024 to 2034 whole occupation

A +2.2% Texas, 20 openings a year

B +10.0% Texas, 8,780 openings a year

Degree

A Degree data UNAVAILABLE in O*NET.

B Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 6% do).

License

A No license for this job title at the 8 Texas and federal licensing agencies read on 2026-10-03 (TDLR, TSBPE, TCEQ, TCFP, TEA, TBPELS, NRC and EPA).

B No license for this solar supervision title at TDLR; the installing company needs a TDLR Electrical Contractor license, and anyone doing the PV wiring needs a TDLR electrician license.

Experience

A Experience data UNAVAILABLE in O*NET.

B Most common related work experience: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year (O*NET: 26%).

Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5

You likely have: 0

To build: 0

Make this your goal

Save Lighting Technician to Solar Energy Installation Manager as your goal. Each step then shows the hours you have logged toward it, your exam practice and your license, with the one thing to do next. Free with an account.