Solar Cost per Watt Calculator
Estimate what a home solar system costs from your electricity use, your bill or a system size, using current installed prices.
Your result
Enter your numbers and press the button. Your result appears here.
Cost per watt is the price divided by the system's DC size in watts. It is the fairest way to compare quotes for different system sizes.
How it works
Size (kW) = monthly kWh × 12 × share covered ÷ yearly kWh per kW. Cost = size in watts × price per watt + batteries − rebates.
Example: 8.0 kW (20 × 400 W) at $2.60 per watt costs about $20,800 and makes about 10,936 kWh a year.
At a glance
Same settings as the calculator, changing only the price per watt.
| Price per watt | Size | Cost | kWh a year | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2.00 | 8.0 kW | $16,000 | 10,936 | 8.0 yrs |
| $2.25 | 8.0 kW | $18,000 | 10,936 | 9.0 yrs |
| $2.50 | 8.0 kW | $20,000 | 10,936 | 10.1 yrs |
| $2.75 | 8.0 kW | $22,000 | 10,936 | 11.1 yrs |
| $3.00 | 8.0 kW | $24,000 | 10,936 | 12.1 yrs |
| $3.50 | 8.0 kW | $28,000 | 10,936 | 14.1 yrs |
Solar by state
An 8 kW system at each state's average price per watt, electricity price and output. Payback in years, before incentives.
| State | Per watt | Electricity | kWh per kW | 8 kW cost | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $3.72 | 16.51¢ | 1,367 | $29,760 | 17.2 |
| Alaska | $2.60* | 27.32¢ | 922 | $20,800 | 10.6 |
| Arizona | $2.25 | 15.36¢ | 1,755 | $18,000 | 8.5 |
| Arkansas | $2.37 | 13.74¢ | 1,373 | $18,960 | 12.9 |
| California | $2.52 | 32.58¢ | 1,677 | $20,160 | 4.7 |
| Colorado | $2.63 | 16.80¢ | 1,595 | $21,040 | 10.0 |
| Connecticut | $2.67 | 27.47¢ | 1,291 | $21,360 | 7.7 |
| Delaware | $2.63 | 17.98¢ | 1,364 | $21,040 | 11.0 |
| District of Columbia | $3.20 | 24.86¢ | 1,391 | $25,600 | 9.5 |
| Florida | $2.12 | 15.32¢ | 1,455 | $16,960 | 9.7 |
| Georgia | $2.50 | 15.48¢ | 1,420 | $20,000 | 11.7 |
| Hawaii | $3.44 | 46.41¢ | 1,622 | $27,520 | 4.6 |
| Idaho | $2.95 | 13.02¢ | 1,468 | $23,600 | 16.0 |
| Illinois | $2.92 | 19.23¢ | 1,308 | $23,360 | 11.9 |
| Indiana | $2.59 | 17.04¢ | 1,332 | $20,720 | 11.7 |
| Iowa | $3.26 | 14.55¢ | 1,367 | $26,080 | 17.1 |
| Kansas | $2.66 | 15.26¢ | 1,526 | $21,280 | 11.7 |
| Kentucky | $2.48 | 14.20¢ | 1,343 | $19,840 | 13.4 |
| Louisiana | $2.31 | 13.27¢ | 1,479 | $18,480 | 12.1 |
| Maine | $2.91 | 30.23¢ | 1,319 | $23,280 | 7.4 |
| Maryland | $2.55 | 21.31¢ | 1,392 | $20,400 | 8.8 |
| Massachusetts | $2.90 | 30.19¢ | 1,302 | $23,200 | 7.5 |
| Michigan | $2.86 | 21.73¢ | 1,291 | $22,880 | 10.4 |
| Minnesota | $3.23 | 16.44¢ | 1,333 | $25,840 | 15.3 |
| Mississippi | $2.29 | 15.06¢ | 1,414 | $18,320 | 11.0 |
| Missouri | $2.49 | 14.28¢ | 1,433 | $19,920 | 12.5 |
| Montana | $2.54 | 14.13¢ | 1,344 | $20,320 | 13.8 |
| Nebraska | $2.60* | 12.92¢ | 1,423 | $20,800 | 14.6 |
| Nevada | $2.35 | 13.36¢ | 1,753 | $18,800 | 10.3 |
| New Hampshire | $2.88 | 26.91¢ | 1,258 | $23,040 | 8.7 |
| New Jersey | $2.60 | 24.09¢ | 1,305 | $20,800 | 8.4 |
| New Mexico | $2.49 | 15.34¢ | 1,779 | $19,920 | 9.3 |
| New York | $2.77 | 29.26¢ | 1,291 | $22,160 | 7.5 |
| North Carolina | $2.44 | 14.94¢ | 1,416 | $19,520 | 11.9 |
| North Dakota | $2.60* | 12.46¢ | 1,294 | $20,800 | 16.8 |
| Ohio | $2.56 | 18.81¢ | 1,296 | $20,480 | 10.8 |
| Oklahoma | $2.57 | 13.81¢ | 1,542 | $20,560 | 12.4 |
| Oregon | $2.40 | 15.46¢ | 1,121 | $19,200 | 14.3 |
| Pennsylvania | $2.60 | 21.13¢ | 1,356 | $20,800 | 9.3 |
| Rhode Island | $2.80 | 29.05¢ | 1,294 | $22,400 | 7.6 |
| South Carolina | $2.57 | 15.90¢ | 1,454 | $20,560 | 11.4 |
| South Dakota | $2.60* | 14.58¢ | 1,409 | $20,800 | 13.0 |
| Tennessee | $3.48 | 13.80¢ | 1,338 | $27,840 | 19.7 |
| Texas | $2.26 | 16.03¢ | 1,421 | $18,080 | 10.2 |
| Utah | $2.60* | 13.19¢ | 1,484 | $20,800 | 13.7 |
| Vermont | $2.78 | 23.93¢ | 1,222 | $22,240 | 9.7 |
| Virginia | $2.56 | 16.95¢ | 1,427 | $20,480 | 10.8 |
| Washington | $2.47 | 14.42¢ | 1,088 | $19,760 | 16.4 |
| West Virginia | $2.60* | 15.58¢ | 1,219 | $20,800 | 14.1 |
| Wisconsin | $3.03 | 19.05¢ | 1,334 | $24,240 | 12.3 |
| Wyoming | $2.60* | 14.01¢ | 1,533 | $20,800 | 12.5 |
* No EnergySage state average published; national $2.60 per watt used.
Common questions
How much do solar panels cost in 2026?
EnergySage marketplace quotes average $2.60 per watt nationally, or about $20,800 for an 8 kW system, before incentives. State averages run from $2.12 in Florida to $3.72 in Alabama.
What size solar system do I need?
Divide your yearly use in kWh by the yearly output of 1 kW of panels where you live. The average U.S. home used 865 kWh a month in 2024, which takes about 7.6 kW at the national average output.
Is there still a federal solar tax credit?
Not for homeowners who buy their system. The 30% Residential Clean Energy Credit ended for systems installed after December 31, 2025. Leased systems and PPAs can still carry a business credit (48E) that the installer claims.
Why do solar quotes vary so much?
Equipment is only about a third of the price. Sales, marketing, overhead and profit make up about 40% in EnergySage's breakdown, so installers' prices differ widely.
Sources
- EnergySage, Solar panel cost by state (updated November 6, 2026): https://www.energysage.com/local-data/solar-panel-cost/
- U.S. EIA, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.B (residential price, Jan–Aug 2026): https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.php?t=epmt_5_6_b
- NREL PVWatts v8 (20° tilt, south-facing, 14% losses), state results compiled by TheGreenWatt: https://thegreenwatt.com/average-peak-sun-hours-by-state/
- EnergySage, Solar battery backup cost (H1 2026): https://www.energysage.com/energy-storage/solar-battery-backup/