National and state cost benchmarks in $/watt, what drives the range, and how to spot inflated bids.
The $/watt benchmark
U.S. residential installs are averaging $2.60–$3.30 per watt before the 30% federal credit, depending on state labor cost, permitting friction and utility interconnection complexity.
A typical 10 kW system therefore lands at $26k–$33k gross, or roughly $18k–$23k net after the federal credit.
What drives your price
Roof complexity, panel/inverter tier, whether battery is included, HOA and AHJ friction, and how many quotes you gather. Three vetted bids almost always beats the first door-knock quote.