SOLAR JOBS GREW BY 20 PERCENT IN 2016

Despite adding 1,006 solar jobs in 2016, Colorado’s 20 percent growth in the job sector is still shy of the national average, which saw a 25 percent increase.

Colorado is home to 6,004 solar jobs, according to a report out Tuesday by the Solar Foundation. Denver County holds the highest concentration of jobs locally, followed by Boulder and Jefferson counties.

Roughly half those employed in Colorado’s solar industry are involved with installation, according to the report. The median wage for a solar worker is about $54,080 annually.

Solar jobs across the country have increased by at least 20 percent per year for the past four years. The report speculated that the industry will grow by 10 percent in 2017, increasing to 286,335 workers from 260,077 workers.

California leads the nation with 100,050 jobs, according to the report. Massachusetts and Texas come in at second and third with 14,582 and 9,296 jobs, respectively.