Solar System Prices in the United States

How much do solar panels cost?

If you just need a few panels for a small do-it-yourself solar project, expect to pay around $200 to $350 per panel (between $0.80 and $1.40 per watt). Note: The table below doesn’t include the cost of a solar storage battery, which can add anywhere from $7,000 to $18,000 to your total system costs. Average solar panel system cost by system size

What is the cost of a commercial solar PV system?

The total installed price for a benchmark 2010 commercial PV system is $4.59/ W P DC. Figure 3 shows the price breakdown by element.

How much does a solar system cost per watt?

A solar installation's “cost per watt” is a little like the “price per square foot” when you buy a house. It helps compare the value of solar energy systems in different sizes. Expect the cost per watt to be between $2 to $3. As of publishing, the average cost per watt is $2.84. Solar panels typically pay for themselves within 5 to 15 years.

How much does a solar system cost in 2025?

Solar panels generate “free” electricity, but installing a system still costs money. A typical American household needs a 10-kilowatt (kW) system to adequately power their home, which costs $28,241 in 2025. That price effectively drops to $19,873 after considering the full federal solar tax credit.

How much does a solar PV system cost in 2020?

The cost of a 187.5 MW P DC fixed-axis utility-scale ground mount solar PV system is $1.91/W P DC, while the cost of a 187.5 MW P DC one-axis utility-scale ground mount system is $1.20/W P DC. These results indicate that the evolutionary estimates for U.S. PV system prices fall short of the 2020 SunShot targets.

How has the price of photovoltaic systems changed in the US?

The cost to the system owner of photovoltaic (PV) systems in the US has dropped precipitously in recent years, according to Alan Goodrich, Ted James, and Michael Woodhouse from NREL. This drop is primarily due to significant reductions in global PV module prices.