Solar panels cost $3.00 to $4.50 per watt installed on average, with homeowners spending about $3.75 per watt before factoring in available solar incentives. A 6- to 10-kW solar panel installation costs $12,600 to $31,500 after the 30% federal tax credit.. IRENA presents solar photovoltaic module prices for a number of different technologies. Here we use the average yearly price for technologies 'Thin film a-Si/u-Si or Global Price Index (from Q4 2013)'. This data is expressed in US dollars per watt, adjusted for inflation. IRENA (2025); Nemet. . Switch to solar with a system built for you. Solar panels generate “free” electricity, but installing a system still costs money. A typical American household needs a 10-kilowatt (kW) system to adequately power their home, which costs $28,241 in 2025. That price effectively drops to $19,873 after. . With utility rates rising at a rapid pace, going solar is a way to take control of your electricity costs and hedge against energy inflation. So, what's standing in the way of American homeowners and solar panels? Solar panel prices depend on the size.
