Solar Panel Cost in 2026
Written by HyreSolar Research Desk Price compilation from published, dated sources
The short answer
Solar panel cost for a typical US home runs about $2.58/W–$3.36/W per watt installed before incentives, and this hub breaks that down by size, equipment and roof. That range is the median published low to the median published high across 21 dated sources retrieved October 21, 2026.
No 30% federal credit applies to a system a homeowner buys: Section 25D ended for expenditures after December 31, 2025 (what changed).
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Keep learningInstalled price range (21 quotes, dated)
Installed price per watt: $2.58/W–$3.36/W, the median low to the median high across the 21 comparable published figures below. The full spread runs from $2.20/W to $4.00/W.
| Source | Published figure | Basis | Source date | Retrieved |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EnergySage | $2.60/W | EnergySage marketplace quotes, before incentives | 2026-06-30 (state table 2026-10-16) | 2026-10-21 |
| Fixr | $3.04/W | national average | 2026-01-30 | 2026-10-21 |
| SunHub | $2.50/W to $3.30/W | residential, before incentives | 2026-06-04 | 2026-10-21 |
| SolarSavingsHub | $2.85/W to $3.25/W | national average installed, gross | 2026-10-04 | 2026-10-21 |
| GreenEnergyCalc | $3.50/W | LBNL Tracking the Sun 2024 median, cash purchases (cited by page; also cites EnergySage $2.60) | 2026-10-02 | 2026-10-21 |
| Nedes | $2.20/W to $3.66/W | installed 2026, before incentives | 2026-08-27 | 2026-10-21 |
| ProHouseMaintenance | $2.58/W | citing EnergySage, before incentives | 2026-06-01 | 2026-10-21 |
| SolarReviews | $3.03/W | 7.2 kW cash, before incentives | 2026-10 | 2026-10-21 |
| EcoWatch | $3.33/W | EcoWatch analysis, appears pre-credit (page dating inconsistent) | not stated | 2026-10-21 |
| Arka360 | $2.59/W to $2.86/W | residential average; basis not stated | 2026-06-05 | 2026-10-21 |
| Portlandia Electric Supply | $2.50/W to $3.50/W | before incentives | 2026-06-06 (updated 2026-09) | 2026-10-21 |
| The Green Watt | $2.50/W to $3.20/W | installed, gross | 2026-04-15 | 2026-10-21 |
| NRG Clean Power | $2.58/W to $2.75/W | marketplace quotes (page also cites LBNL cash ~$3.50) | 2026-07-25 | 2026-10-21 |
| Solar Powered Tech | $4.00/W | LBNL 2024 median all purchases, before incentives (cash median $3.50) | 2026-09-24 | 2026-10-21 |
| RenCalc | $2.40/W to $3.70/W | before incentives | 2026-09-04 | 2026-10-21 |
| SolarWattCalc | $2.50/W to $3.50/W | US | not stated | 2026-10-21 |
| pv magazine USA (via Now.Solar), citing Wood Mackenzie/SEIA | $3.36/W | Wood Mackenzie/SEIA Q2 2026 turnkey residential | 2026-09-24 | 2026-10-21 |
| Jouleio | $2.50/W to $3.50/W | citing SEIA 2025 | 2026-05-18 | 2026-10-21 |
| SurgePV | $2.50/W to $3.39/W | before incentives | 2026-07-19 | 2026-10-21 |
| solar.com | $3.36/W | national benchmark per SEIA/Wood Mackenzie | not stated | 2026-10-21 |
| This Old House | $2.29/W to $3.66/W | state range, 10-kW system before tax credit (no national average given) | 2026-06-12 | 2026-10-21 |
Each row is a figure as the source states it, gross of incentives, not adjusted by us. The headline range is a HyreSolar calculation over these rows. No 30% federal credit is subtracted: Section 25D ended for expenditures after December 31, 2025.
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The installed price
Start here: the total, the per-watt figure to compare quotes on, and the total at each size.
| Guide | Sourced range | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Installation cost | $22,100–$27,500 | 14 |
| Cost per watt | $2.58/W–$3.36/W | 21 |
| Cost by system size | $20,900–$24,300 | 23 |
By system size
| Guide | Sourced range | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| 5 kW system | $13,900–$15,100 | 14 |
| 6 kW system | $16,800–$19,200 | 22 |
| 8 kW system | $20,900–$24,300 | 23 |
| 10 kW system | $25,800–$30,400 | 25 |
Batteries and backup
| Guide | Sourced range | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Solar battery | $9,000–$18,000 | 17 |
| Tesla Powerwall 3 | $13,000–$16,000 | 17 |
| Whole home backup | $20,900–$30,000 | 14 |
| Add a battery | $10,000–$18,000 | 12 |
| Panels with battery | $28,000–$46,000 | 13 |
Roof type and mounting
| Guide | Sourced range | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Solar shingles | Held: fewer than 12 sourced prices | 11 |
| Tesla Solar Roof | $62,500–$115,500 | 14 |
| Ground mount | Held: fewer than 12 sourced prices | 8 |
| Solar and roof replacement | Held: fewer than 12 sourced prices | 6 |
By system size
Larger systems, each ranged only from sources that price that exact size.
| Guide | Sourced range | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| 12 kW system | $31,100–$36,000 | 14 |
| 15 kW system | Held: fewer than 12 sourced prices | 9 |
| 20 kW system | Held: fewer than 12 sourced prices | 9 |
By home size
Square footage is a rough proxy for usage; your bill sizes the system better.
| Guide | Sourced range | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| 1,500 sq ft house | $13,800–$21,400 | 12 |
| 2,000 sq ft house | $18,000–$24,500 | 13 |
| 3,000 sq ft house | $22,500–$38,000 | 13 |
Batteries by brand
| Guide | Sourced range | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Enphase battery | $7,350–$8,000 | 14 |
| FranklinWH aPower 2 | $15,000–$17,700 | 15 |
| SolarEdge Home Battery | Held: fewer than 12 sourced prices | 11 |
Mounting and roof type
| Guide | Sourced range | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Solar carport | $3.34/W–$4.50/W | 12 |
| Metal roof solar | Held: fewer than 12 sourced prices | 1 |
Electrical and add-ons
| Guide | Sourced range | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Panel upgrade for solar | $1,650–$4,000 | 14 |
| EV charger installation | $800–$2,500 | 13 |
| Solar monitoring | $100–$300 | 13 |
| Solar permit fees | $200–$600 | 13 |
Leasing, financing and quotes
| Guide | Sourced range | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Solar lease | $75/month–$200/month | 15 |
| Lease buyout | $9,000–$25,000 | 14 |
| Dealer fees | 13%–30% | 14 |
| Quote review | $2.58/W–$3.36/W | 21 |
Service, repair and replacement
| Guide | Sourced range | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Removal and reinstall | $225/panel–$375/panel | 12 |
| Solar panel repair | $215–$1,000 | 12 |
| Inverter replacement | $1,200–$2,900 | 12 |
| Microinverter replacement | Held: fewer than 12 sourced prices | 11 |
| Panel replacement | Held: fewer than 12 sourced prices | 8 |
| Removal and disposal | Held: fewer than 12 sourced prices | 5 |
Cleaning and upkeep
| Guide | Sourced range | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Solar panel cleaning | $150–$350 | 12 |
| Solar panel maintenance | $250–$710 | 12 |
| Solar critter guard | $800–$2,000 | 12 |
| Solar panel snow removal | Held: fewer than 12 sourced prices | 2 |
Solar thermal, off-grid and commercial
| Guide | Sourced range | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Solar pool heater | $2,500–$7,400 | 14 |
| Solar water heater | $3,500–$9,000 | 13 |
| Off-grid system | $40,000–$69,500 | 12 |
| Commercial solar | $1.53/W–$2.35/W | 16 |
How HyreSolar compiles these prices
Every range on these pages comes from at least twelve published, dated prices for that exact item: marketplace reports, price surveys, cost guides and installer price pages.
Each page lists every source with its link, the date it states and the date we retrieved it. The range we print is the median published low to the median published high.
We never multiply a national per-watt figure into a size or a city.
A guide with fewer than twelve sourced prices is marked held and kept out of search until the evidence is there. Our methodology covers the rest.
Questions
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Is the 30% solar tax credit still available?
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HyreSolar does not install or finance solar systems. The figures above are other publishers’ published prices, dated and linked; none is a quote for your property. Prices vary with location, roof, equipment, electrical work and financing.