How Much Do Solar Panels Cost in 2025?
The average 6-kW residential solar panel installation is $17,852 before incentives. Learn about cost factors, financing options, tax breaks and more.
Solar panel installation costs depend on your home's size, energy needs, roof structure, and location. You can estimate around $10 to $15 per square foot of living space for solar panel installation. Keep in mind, this estimate doesn't account for tax credits or local incentives, which can significantly reduce your final cost.
Solar installations aren't cheap, but the actual equipment is a relatively small part of the total cost. It's only 35% of your total installation cost, according to the US Department of Energy. Soft costs, also known as the hidden costs of installing solar, are nonhardware costs, and they make up 65% of your total solar costs, according to the DOE.
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 solar system costs.
Solar panels can help you save money on electricity, but they do cost money to install — about $18,000 to $43,000 in 2025. Financially, whether or not the investment in solar is worth it for you depends on how much you can save on your electricity bill.
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