Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians
Install or repair solar energy systems designed to collect, store, and circulate solar-heated water for residential, commercial or industrial use.
$63,800 a year (for the broader BLS group this job sits in).
of the working time. Estimate.
- 17%
- 0%
- 83%
Measured, from Anthropic's usage data (2025). Counts help on part of a task.
On the chosen pace and reliability. Estimate.
Share of the working time within reach, now to 2030
What each choice means: , , , , . Every pace starts from .
At this date and pace, models finish tasks up to 4.4 h long four times in five.
How far this has come
With GPT-4, measured in March 2023, 0% of this job's working time was within reach at . With Claude 3.7 Sonnet, measured in February 2025, 0%. With Claude Mythos Preview (early), measured in April 2026, 0%. Today's estimate: 2%.
A backcast: today's task data with the best model METR had measured by each date. It shows how fast the models have moved, not what anyone forecast at the time.
The tasks
Sorted by . 21 tasks from .
| Task | Kind | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design active direct or indirect, passive direct or indirect, or pool solar systems.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 17% | 6.7 h3.3 h to 1.7 work days | 10%Half by Apr 2027 | |
| Install copper or plastic plumbing using pipes, fittings, pipe cutters, acetylene torches, solder, wire brushes, sand cloths, flux, plastic pipe cleaners, or plastic glue.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 9% | 2.1 h50 min to 4.2 h | Stays with people | |
| Install solar collector mounting devices on tile, asphalt, shingle, or built-up gravel roofs, using appropriate materials and penetration methods.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 9% | 3.3 h1.7 h to 5 h | Stays with people | |
| Perform routine maintenance or repairs to restore solar thermal systems to baseline operating conditions.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 7% | 1.7 h50 min to 3.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Determine locations for installing solar subsystem components, including piping, water heaters, valves, and ancillary equipment.Done daily by most who do it. | 6% | 1.7 h25 min to 3.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Install flat-plat, evacuated glass, or concentrating solar collectors on mounting devices, using brackets or struts.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 6% | 2.5 h1.3 h to 4.2 h | Stays with people | |
| Assess collector sites to ensure structural integrity of potential mounting surfaces or the best orientation and tilt for solar collectors.Done daily by most who do it. | 6% | 1.7 h50 min to 3.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Install plumbing, such as dip tubes, port fittings, drain tank valves, pressure temperature relief valves, or tanks, according to manufacturer specifications and building codes.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 4% | 1.7 h50 min to 3.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Install circulating pumps using pipe, fittings, soldering equipment, electrical supplies, and hand tools.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 4% | 1.7 h50 min to 2.5 h | Stays with people | |
| Cut, miter, and glue piping insulation to insulate plumbing pipes and fittings.Done daily by most who do it. | 4% | 1.3 h25 min to 2.5 h | Stays with people | |
| Connect water heaters and storage tanks to power and water sources.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 4% | 1.7 h50 min to 3.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Apply weather seal, such as pipe flashings and sealants, to roof penetrations and structural devices.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 3% | 1.1 h25 min to 2.5 h | Stays with people |
Within reach, per task: the share of the task's time whose instances are short enough for a model to finish at the chosen date, pace and reliability. Half by: the date half of that time comes within reach.
Jobs that share skills with this one
From O*NET's related occupations. Within reach now and by the end of 2028, long-run pace, four in five.
- Solar Photovoltaic Installers19% now, 27% by 2028
- Solar Energy Systems Engineers13% now, 87% by 2028
- Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers7% now, 7% by 2028
- Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall2% now, 2% by 2028
- Solar Energy Installation Managers18% now, 61% by 2028
- Insulation Workers, Mechanical17% now, 19% by 2028
Where this job works
The industry groups that employ the most of it (BLS, May 2025). Counts are for the broader BLS group this job sits in.
Where the most of these jobs are
The metro areas with the most people in it (BLS, May 2025). Counts are for the broader BLS group this job sits in.