AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 47-2152.04
Will AI replace Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians?
Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians: AI can already handle 2 of 21 tasks; the work mostly needs a standard-tier model.
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Every task, scored
The 21 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians, from most to least exposed. 2 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.
| Task | AI exposure | Evidence | Model tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apply operation or identification tags or labels to system components, as required. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Assess collector sites to ensure structural integrity of potential mounting surfaces or the best orientation and tilt for solar collectors. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Design active direct or indirect, passive direct or indirect, or pool solar systems. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Install monitoring system components, such as flow meters, temperature gauges, and pressure gauges, according to system design and manufacturer specifications. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Install solar collector mounting devices on tile, asphalt, shingle, or built-up gravel roofs, using appropriate materials and penetration methods. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Install copper or plastic plumbing using pipes, fittings, pipe cutters, acetylene torches, solder, wire brushes, sand cloths, flux, plastic pipe cleaners, or plastic glue. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Identify plumbing, electrical, environmental, or safety hazards associated with solar thermal installations. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Install circulating pumps using pipe, fittings, soldering equipment, electrical supplies, and hand tools. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Install flat-plat, evacuated glass, or concentrating solar collectors on mounting devices, using brackets or struts. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Install solar thermal system controllers and sensors. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Determine locations for installing solar subsystem components, including piping, water heaters, valves, and ancillary equipment. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Perform routine maintenance or repairs to restore solar thermal systems to baseline operating conditions. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Install heat exchangers and heat exchanger fluids according to installation manuals and schematics. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Install plumbing, such as dip tubes, port fittings, drain tank valves, pressure temperature relief valves, or tanks, according to manufacturer specifications and building codes. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Test operation or functionality of mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and control systems. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Apply weather seal, such as pipe flashings and sealants, to roof penetrations and structural devices. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Demonstrate start-up, shut-down, maintenance, diagnostic, and safety procedures to thermal system owners. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Fill water tanks and check tanks, pipes, and fittings for leaks. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Connect water heaters and storage tanks to power and water sources. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Cut, miter, and glue piping insulation to insulate plumbing pipes and fittings. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Apply ultraviolet radiation protection to prevent degradation of plumbing. | Estimated | No tier |
Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 0 of 21 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 21 of 21. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.
The model tier this role needs
A standard-tier model or lower covers 67% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 67% of the work is something AI can address at some tier, and 34% is hands-on.
Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.
Wages, employment and outlook
- US employment
- 465,840
- Median annual wage
- $63,800
- Middle half of earners
- $50,190 to $85,110
- Projected change, 2024 to 2034
- +4.5%
Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034. BLS publishes these figures by SOC code, so O*NET occupations that share a SOC code show the same figures.
Adjacent roles
The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.
- Solar Photovoltaic Installers 79% skill overlap, about 8 months to move Exposure29
- Solar Energy Systems Engineers 73% skill overlap, about 10 months to move Exposure58
- Geothermal Technicians 70% skill overlap, about 11 months to move Exposure35
- Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers 70% skill overlap, about 11 months to move Exposure27
- Solar Energy Installation Managers 69% skill overlap, about 11 months to move Exposure35
Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.
Questions about Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians and AI
Will AI replace Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians?
AI already handles 2 of the 21 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 27 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears. BLS projects employment to change by +4.5% from 2024 to 2034.
What is the AI exposure of Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians?
27 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 0 of the 21 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 21 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.
Which Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians tasks can AI already do?
The tasks with the highest exposure are: Apply operation or identification tags or labels to system components, as required; Assess collector sites to ensure structural integrity of potential mounting surfaces or the best orientation and tilt for solar collectors. They are the tasks that reach 60 or more.
What AI model tier does this role need?
A standard-tier model or lower covers 67% of the role's importance-weighted task work, and 34% is hands-on work that no model tier covers. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.
How many people work as Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians, and what do they earn?
465,840 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $63,800 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +4.5% from 2024 to 2034.
How to cite
Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.
JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/solar-thermal-installers-and-technicians
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