USA solar guide
Solar panel cost calculator USA
Estimate US solar panel system cost, solar output, electricity bill savings, net metering or export value, payback period and panel count.
Use the calculator with US inputs: dollars, your local utility electricity rate, your net metering or export credit value, and your installed cost after any tax credits or incentives you want included. Open the solar panel cost calculator first, then refine the assumptions below.
Open the solar panel cost calculatorUS assumptions to check
- Electricity price: use your utility import rate per kWh, ideally from a recent bill.
- Export value: enter the value your utility gives exported solar power, which may differ from the retail rate.
- Installed cost: enter the final installed cost after any incentives you want reflected in the payback calculation.
- Peak sun hours: use a value appropriate for your state, roof direction and shading.
- Battery storage: include battery cost only if you are comparing a solar-plus-storage system.
How to use the calculator in the USA
US solar calculations are utility-specific. Two homes with the same system size can have different payback periods because of different retail rates, net metering rules, export credits, fixed charges, taxes, local incentives and sunlight. Use the solar panel output calculator to adjust production assumptions, then use the solar savings calculator to separate self-used solar from exported solar.
If you want an out-of-pocket payback estimate, enter the installed cost after federal, state, local or utility incentives only if those incentives apply to your situation. If you want a before-incentive comparison, enter the gross installed cost instead. The calculator does not automatically verify eligibility.
Why US solar payback varies
Solar payback in the United States varies by state, utility tariff, system price, roof conditions, local solar resource, incentives and net metering rules. A home in a high-electricity-price state with good sun exposure can have a very different payback period from a similar system in another utility territory.
Self-consumption is also important. If exported solar receives a lower credit than grid electricity costs, using more solar on site can improve the economics. EV charging, daytime appliance use, heat pumps and batteries can all change the result. For the underlying formulas, read the methodology page.
USA solar calculator FAQs
Should I enter the cost before or after incentives?
Use the after-incentive installed cost if you want payback based on your expected out-of-pocket cost. Use the gross installed cost if you want to compare the project before incentives.
Does the calculator know my utility net metering rules?
No. Enter your own export credit, net metering value or net billing rate based on your utility plan.
What electricity price should I enter?
Use the per-kWh import rate you actually pay. If your tariff has time-of-use pricing, use a realistic blended value or test several scenarios.
Are batteries included?
Only if you include battery cost and adjust self-consumption. A battery may improve self-use but can lengthen payback if the extra savings are small.