Cost guides
More
Get a fair quoteBy Our research team · Last verified · 10 jobs priced · Methodology
A home solar system costs about $13,050 for 4 kW, $22,400 for 8 kW, $27,200 for 10 kW and $39,050 for 15 kW at typical 2026 US prices, installed with standard panels and no federal credit. The normal range for 8 kW is $18,350–$28,900.
Prices verified November 2026 · Cross-referenced against 42+ American pricing sources · See methodology
Installed prices with standard panels, before incentives. Daily output assumes the US average of about 5 peak sun hours and normal losses.
| Job | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 kW system (about 16 kWh a day)installed | $10,700 | $13,050 | $16,850 |
| 6 kW system (about 24 kWh a day)installed | $14,450 | $17,600 | $22,700 |
| 8 kW system (about 32 kWh a day)installed | $18,350 | $22,400 | $28,900 |
| 10 kW system (about 40 kWh a day)installed | $22,300 | $27,200 | $35,100 |
| 12 kW system (about 48 kWh a day)installed | $26,550 | $32,400 | $41,800 |
| 15 kW system (about 60 kWh a day)installed | $32,050 | $39,050 | $50,400 |
| 8 kW system, premium panelsinstalled | $20,200 | $25,750 | $36,150 |
| Price per kW at 8 kW, standard panelsper kW | $2,300 | $2,800 | $3,600 |
| Ground mount instead of roof mount (8 kW)extra | $4,000 | $6,500 | $10,000 |
| Clay or concrete tile roofextra | $1,000 | $1,750 | $2,500 |
US prices, November 2026. Low is a simple job in a low-cost area; high is a bigger job or a high-cost city.
Yes. The same job costs more where labor and rent cost more. Here's how solar panel prices in the biggest US metros compare with the US typical of $22400.
Labor, rent and demand move every job on this page in the same direction. Open your city's guide for its full local price list.
Start with 12 months of bills and add up the kWh. Divide the yearly total by about 1,450 (what 1 kW makes in a year at average US sun) to get the size in kW. A home using 970 kWh a month needs about 8 kW.
Sun matters. The same 8 kW makes about 42 kWh a day in Phoenix (about 6.5 peak sun hours in NREL data) but about 25 kWh in Seattle (about 4). In a cloudy state you need more kW for the same bill.
Permits, design, the sales visit, the inverter and the crew's trip cost about the same for a small job as a big one. Spread over more panels, the price per kW drops: about $3,250 at 4 kW, $2,800 at 8 kW and $2,600 at 15 kW.
That does not mean bigger is always better. If your utility credits exports at a low rate, extra panels you do not use pay back slowly.
Premium-efficiency panels cost up to 25% more than standard ones. On 8 kW that is $20,200–$36,150 instead of $18,350–$28,900.
They make more power per square foot, so they earn their price on small, oddly shaped or partly shaded roofs. On a big open roof, standard panels usually give the better return.
A pitched shingle roof is the cheapest to work on. Clay or concrete tile adds $1,000–$2,500, flat roofs need tilt racking, and a ground mount adds $4,000–$10,000 for posts, racking and trenching.
If the roof has less than about 10 years of life left, replace it first. Taking panels off and putting them back later costs $3,500–$8,000.
Home solar needs a building or electrical permit, an inspection and the utility's approval to connect in nearly every US city. Use a licensed installer and let them file everything. California caps the city permit fee at $450 for home rooftop systems up to 15 kW.
Use this to match a size to your bills. Output uses about 1,450 kWh a year per kW, the US average. Panel counts assume 400-watt panels.
| System size | About how many panels | Power made in a year | Fits a home using about | Typical price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 kW | 10 | 5,800 kWh | 485 kWh a month | $13,050 |
| 6 kW | 15 | 8,700 kWh | 725 kWh a month | $17,600 |
| 8 kW | 20 | 11,600 kWh | 970 kWh a month | $22,400 |
| 10 kW | 25 | 14,500 kWh | 1,210 kWh a month | $27,200 |
| 12 kW | 30 | 17,400 kWh | 1,450 kWh a month | $32,400 |
| 15 kW | 37–38 | 21,750 kWh | 1,810 kWh a month | $39,050 |
Sunny states make more per kW and cloudy states less. Get the number for your own address from NREL's free PVWatts tool.
You need about 15 minutes and your last 12 power bills.
One home with a tile roof and an old 100-amp electrical panel. Typical US prices, no federal credit.
Many homes need none of the extras and pay the base price only. Ask for each extra as its own line so you can see it.
Divide the total price by the system size in kW. Then compare it with typical 2026 prices for standard panels.
| Your price per kW | What it means |
|---|---|
| Under $2,300 | Low. Check the panel and inverter brands, the warranty and what is left out. |
| $2,300–$2,800 | A good price for a simple roof. |
| $2,800–$3,600 | Normal. Expect the high end for small systems, premium panels or a hard roof. |
| Over $3,600 | High. Ask why. Common reasons are a battery, a ground mount, tile, or loan fees built into the price. |
Small systems cost more per kW because permits, design and the crew's trip cost about the same at any size.
Walk away or ask hard questions if you see any of these.
Each kW of panels covers about 120 kWh of use a month at average US sun. Divide your average monthly kWh by 120 to get a first guess at your size, then check it in PVWatts.
Type the price or upload up to 3 quotes. Free, no sign-up.
Free · No obligation · About a minute
What do you need a price on?
Tap one to start.
What's your rough budget?
A ballpark is fine. It helps the solar installers who reply.
Where should they text you?
By continuing, you agree to our Terms and to up to 2 solar installers contacting you by phone or text.
Check your phone
About $27,200 installed with standard panels, within $22,300–$35,100, before incentives. Premium panels put it at $24,550–$43,900.
About $17,600, within $14,450–$22,700. It makes about 24 kWh on an average US day.
About 20 panels of 400 watts each, or 18–22 depending on the panel. Higher-wattage panels mean fewer of them on the roof.
Most US homes land between 6 and 12 kW; Berkeley Lab puts the 2025 median at 7.7 kW. Size yours on your own bills: yearly kWh divided by about 1,450.
For a big all-electric home or two EVs, it can be. At about $39,050 typical, it costs less per kW than a small system, but only pays off if you use the power or your utility credits exports well.
About halfway between a 4 kW system at $13,050 and a 6 kW system at $17,600, installed with standard panels and no federal credit. It makes about 7,250 kWh a year at average US sun.
About $32,400 installed with standard panels, within $26,550–$41,800. It makes about 17,400 kWh a year at average US sun and needs about 30 panels of 400 watts.
The average US home buys about 900 kWh a month, per the EIA. That takes about 7.5 kW, or about 19 panels of 400 watts, at average US sun. Your own bills and your roof's sun set the real number.
Floor area does not set the size; your power use does. Two homes of the same size can differ by double. Most US systems land between about 5 and 12 kW, per Berkeley Lab. Use your yearly kWh divided by about 1,450.
Yes, if you will buy it in the next few years. Adding panels later means a second permit and crew visit, which costs more per kW. A car driven 12,000 miles a year at 30 kWh per 100 miles adds about 2.5 kW.