The cost of solar panels in Colorado (2024)

Updated Feb 22, 2024

  • You'll pay an average of $16,283 to install a 5 kilowatt solar panel system in Colorado, before incentives.

  • The federal investment tax credit (ITC) lowers that price by 30% of all your solar equipment and installation costs.

  • With EnergySage's competitive marketplace, you can expect to see prices up to 20% lower than if you work with a single company.

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Written by: Emily Walker

As of February 2024, the average solar panel system costs $3.26/W including installation in Colorado. For a 5 kW installation, this comes out to about $16,283 before incentives, though prices range from $13,841 to $18,725. After the federal tax credit, the average price drops by 30%.

Average price of a 5 kW solar panel installation in Colorado

Good Price
$13,841 or less
Market Average
$16,283
High Price
$18,725 or more

You'll probably pay even less than what we show here. It doesn't include the federal ITC or Colorado state incentives, which will lower this price by at least a few thousand dollars.

Your solar panel cost depends on your system's size

It may seem obvious but larger solar panel systems cost more money. We use cost per watt ($/W) so you can easily compare quotes, controlling for slight variations in system size.

While a 5 kW system will only cost you $16,283 in Colorado, doubling the system size effectively doubles the price, so you'll pay about twice that for a 10 kW system. The higher the price tag, though, the more you'll get back as a credit towards your federal tax bill.

Average solar cost by system size in Colorado

System Size
System Cost
System Cost (after ITC)
3 kW$9,770$6,839
4 kW$13,027$9,119
5 kW$16,283$11,398
6 kW$19,540$13,678
7 kW$22,797$15,958
8 kW$26,053$18,237
9 kW$29,310$20,517
10 kW$32,567$22,797

Are solar panels worth it in Colorado?

Solar panels are worth it in most areas, including Colorado. Certain factors, including the cost of electricity, incentives, climate, and the angle at which the sun hits your roof impact how quickly you break even on your investment relative to other areas around the U.S. 

If you pay for your system with cash, you'll save about $23,491 over 20 years on electricity costs with a 5 kW system in Colorado. We generate this estimate based on real solar quote data from our Marketplace. It considers your system's cost, the federal tax credit, and inflation rates.

Payback Period
10.53 Years
20-Year Savings
$23,491
Cost-per-Watt
$3.26

If you can't shell out $16,283 in cash to pay for solar, don't sweat it. You can choose to finance your system with a loan instead. Some companies even offer $0-down loans so you can start saving on day one if your loan payments are less than your current electric bills. Just keep in mind that your long-term savings will be lower with a loan due to interest rates.

Find out what solar panels cost in your area in 2024
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The numbers we're showing are averages. The price you'll pay for solar depends on many factors unique to you and your home:

If you're looking for solar companies in CO, here are some popular suggestions:

  • Solar Wave
    Denver, CO
    Established 2018
    Elite Installer
    Solar Wave was founded with the goal of making solar energy more accessible and affordable for Colorado homeowner...
    Elite Installer
    Screened & Verified
    5.0 /5.0
    24 Reviews

    Solar Wave was founded with the goal of making solar energy more accessible and affordable for Colorado homeowner...
  • Solar Side Up
    Denver, CO
    Established 2011
    Elite Installer
    Your trusted Colorado Front Range solar provider since 2011.

    Check our solar installs in you
    Elite Installer
    Screened & Verified
    5.0 /5.0
    47 Reviews

    Your trusted Colorado Front Range solar provider since 2011.

    Check our solar installs in you
  • Solar Power Pros
    Centennial, CO
    Established 2013
    Elite Installer
    We perform high quality solar installations. Our installers are full-time employees. We use premium, U.S. made ...
    Elite Installer
    Screened & Verified
    5.0 /5.0
    25 Reviews

    We perform high quality solar installations. Our installers are full-time employees. We use premium, U.S. made ...
  • Proud American Electrical and Solar
    Colorado Springs, CO
    Established 2015
    Elite Installer
    We are a full service electrical and solar installation company headquartered in Colorado Springs CO. We speciali...
    Elite Installer
    Screened & Verified
    5.0 /5.0
    18 Reviews

    We are a full service electrical and solar installation company headquartered in Colorado Springs CO. We speciali...
  • Sunshine Saves Inc.
    Denver, CO
    Established 2012
    Elite Installer
    Our main focus is always on quality, both with equipment used and the installation performed. We offer the best w...
    Elite Installer
    Screened & Verified
    5.0 /5.0
    15 Reviews

    Our main focus is always on quality, both with equipment used and the installation performed. We offer the best w...

Solar is a major purchase, but you can get the price tag to come down a bit by being an educated shopper. Taking advantage of incentives and rebates and shopping around for quotes can bring down your cost of solar in Colorado.

Take advantage of federal and local solar incentives

As long as your federal tax bill is high enough, you can take advantage of the federal tax credit in Colorado. This incentive allows you to apply 30% of your solar installation and equipment costs toward your federal tax bill. If the amount exceeds your tax bill, you can roll over the remaining credit to the following year. Many states also offer great local incentives and rebates.

Get quotes from multiple installers

Comparing multiple solar quotes can save you money through competition and transparency. Each additional quote you receive for solar will help you find the right solar panel system at the right price.

This is where EnergySage can help. With funding from the Department of Energy’s SunShot Prize, EnergySage opened the country’s first (and now the largest) marketplace for home solar panel installations. We gather custom solar quotes from local installers on your behalf and put them in an easy-to-compare format. When you compare quotes for solar panels on the EnergySage Marketplace, you can expect to see prices up to 20% lower than if you work with a single solar company.

Why shop with EnergySage?

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