Compare A Master Electrician ↔ B Solar Energy Installation Manager

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Your route

3 moves

No pay difference shown for this route: electrical Apprentice: All Electricians (47-2111) at every experience level, the occupation apprentices are counted in (SOC Classification Principle 7). Mostly journeyman-level workers, so it is not apprentice pay and is never subtracted.

Gates on this route

Move 1, to Electrical Apprentice: Electrical Apprentice (TDLR) license.
Move 2, 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 3, 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
Master Electrician to Electrical Apprentice
- O*NET lists Helpers--Electricians as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.65 (same lateral rule, started from this rung; target is the related occupation's role nearest this rung's level band).
- Gates: Electrical Apprentice (TDLR) license.
Move 2 Transfer move to the side
Electrical Apprentice to Solar PV Installer
- Skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.89 (one of the 3 most similar occupations, r >= 0.6).
- 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 3 Transfer move to the side
Solar PV Installer to Solar Energy Installation Manager
- 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, $15,950 more a year than all Electricians ($58,570), every experience level.

Solar Energy Installation Manager: 62% work more than 40 hours a week, about 1.8 times the share for Master Electrician (35%).

This level's pay

A $32.23 to $40.29/h City of Austin (incl. Austin Energy) pay range, 2025

B No headline record for this level

No published schedule lists both jobs, so no level-specific difference is shown.

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

$58,570+$15,950$74,520

Gates on the route: Electrical Apprentice: Electrical Apprentice (TDLR) license; 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 +14.4% Texas, 8,100 openings a year

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

Over 40 h a week

35%+27 pts62%

Physical load our index from O*NET, 1 to 5; A B; largest differences first

4.1 / 5-0.83.3 / 5

Bending or twisting-1.78Bending or twisting: A 4.68, B 2.9
Keeping balance-1.52Keeping balance: A 3.85, B 2.33
Cramped space-1.49Cramped space: A 4.4, B 2.91
Climbing ladders-1.41Climbing ladders: A 4.2, B 2.79
Walking or running-1.05Walking or running: A 4.23, B 3.18

Degree

A Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 1% do).

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

License

A Texas: Master Electrician license (TDLR): 2 years as a licensed Journeyman, 12,000 hours under a Texas Master Electrician, and a TDLR exam.

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 Most common related work experience: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year (O*NET: 28%).

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: 6

Speaking
Active Listening
Critical Thinking
Judgment and Decision Making
Complex Problem Solving
Quality Control Analysis

To build: 6

Management of Personnel Resources +0.87
Negotiation +0.87
Time Management +0.75
Coordination +0.63
Monitoring +0.63
Reading Comprehension +0.50

Make this your goal

Save Master Electrician 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 and the 6 skills to build as a checklist. Free with an account.