Compare A Plumber ↔ B Solar Energy Installation Manager

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Your route

2 moves

No pay difference shown for this route: no single published pay schedule names every stop, and the occupation medians are not like for like on every move.

Gates on this route

Move 1, to Solar Thermal Installer: license depends on the work (Texas: piping that supplies or circulates a building's water is plumbing under Occ. Code 1301.002(7) and needs a TSBPE license; TSBPE pages read do not name solar water heating).
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
Plumber to Solar Thermal Installer
- O*NET lists Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians as a related occupation (Primary-Long); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.83 (O*NET related occupation beyond the 6 drawn laterals).
- Gates: license depends on the work (Texas: piping that supplies or circulates a building's water is plumbing under Occ. Code 1301.002(7) and needs a TSBPE license; TSBPE pages read do not name solar water heating).
Move 2 Transfer move to the side
Solar Thermal 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 = 0.72.
- 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, Coordination, Persuasion

Side by side

All Solar Energy Installation Managers: Texas median $74,520, $14,680 more a year than all Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters ($59,840), every experience level.

Solar Energy Installation Manager: 62% work more than 40 hours a week, about 2.3 times the share for Plumber (27%).

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

$59,840+$14,680$74,520

Gates on the route: Solar Thermal Installer: license depends on the work (Texas: piping that supplies or circulates a building's water is plumbing under Occ. Code 1301.002(7) and needs a TSBPE license; TSBPE pages read do not name solar water heating).

Outlook 2024 to 2034 whole occupation

A +8.9% Texas, 4,220 openings a year

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

Over 40 h a week

27%+35 pts62%

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

3.7 / 5-0.43.3 / 5

Climbing ladders-0.96Climbing ladders: A 3.75, B 2.79
Bending or twisting-0.93Bending or twisting: A 3.83, B 2.9
Cramped space-0.89Cramped space: A 3.8, B 2.91
Standing-0.77Standing: A 4.69, B 3.92
Protective gear-0.73Protective gear: A 3.55, B 2.82

Degree

A Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 0% do).

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

License

A Texas: Journeyman Plumber license (TSBPE): 8,000 hours as a registered apprentice, a 48-hour course or DOL apprenticeship, and an exam. Tradesman Plumber-Limited (4,000 hours) covers 1-2 family homes.

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 4 years, up to and including 6 years (O*NET: 57%).

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

Critical Thinking
Judgment and Decision Making
Complex Problem Solving
Operations Monitoring
Systems Analysis
Systems Evaluation

To build: 6

Management of Personnel Resources +1.25
Persuasion +1.13
Negotiation +1.12
Instructing +0.76
Coordination +0.75
Time Management +0.75

Make this your goal

Save Plumber 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.