Electricians Salary in the U.S

According to 2020 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), electricians earned more on average than construction trades workers, carpenters, roofers, or plumbers.

Electricians work in commercial and industrial construction and in people's homes, installing or repairing anything connected to the electrical grid. They fix problems and prevent hazards in electrical systems, from home wiring to wind turbines

How Much Does an Electrician Make?

According to the BLS, electricians earned an average salary of $61,550 in 2020. That's higher than the average salary for all jobs, at $56,310.

Above-average pay isn't the only draw to this trade. As an aspiring electrician, you may be motivated by the craft and attention to detail required for the job — or by its many opportunities to apply technical knowledge and reasoning to complex problem-solving.

Electrician Salary Per State

Salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

Salary Changes Per Type of Electrician Career

As an electrician, your salary depends on your level of experience and your field of specialization.

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Specializations and Pay Potential

As early as apprenticeship, electricians have opportunities to specialize. The Electrical Training Alliance lists four specialties:

• Outdoor linework

• Industrial wiring

• Low-voltage installer technician work

• Residential wiring

Workers in different specialties report different pay. According to the BLS, low-voltage installer technicians earned median salaries of $62,020 in 2020, while electrical powerline installers earned median salaries of $75,030.

Electrician Career Opportunities and Job Growth

Aging buildings all over the country need ongoing maintenance, and new construction requires work to install wiring and connect to power grids. Because of this, electricians are always in demand. The BLS projects these jobs will grow by 8% through 2029. That's twice the projected growth rate for all positions.

National policies influence the growth of this trade. For example, the recent Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework encourages more solar and wind power and greater access to high-speed internet in rural areas. These types of projects require trained electricians, electrical contractors, and installers.

BLS data from 2020 revealed that electricians could find work could all over the country:

States with the highest average wage for electricians included:

• Illinois ($81,650)

• New York ($81,340)

• Hawaii ($79,280)

States with the highest pay potential, or where electricians in the 90th percentile for wages earned the most, were:

• New York ($132,520)

• California ($124,290)

• New Jersey ($122,550)

The highest employment levels for electricians were in major metropolitan areas — New York City, Los Angeles, and Dallas-Fort Worth — but the top-paying cities were:

• San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($106,680)

• Trenton, New Jersey ($90,210)

• Kankakee, IL ($88,530)

Salary for Self-Employed Electricians

If you are a self-employed electrician or electrical contractor, you determine what you earn based on the contracts you negotiate and how much you work. For one, you may miss out on commercial contracts taken up by unions.

Additionally, as a self-employed electrician, you are responsible for:

• Marketing to customers

• Negotiating contracts

• Doing administrative work, invoicing, and billing

• Paying for your own health insurance and providing it for anyone you hire

• Paying for liability insurance in case of accidents

Many electrical contractors only become self-employed after many years of working as part of a union. This allows them to earn a more predictable income at first and pay into a retirement savings fund.

Benefits of Becoming an Electrician

Benefits

If you become a union member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), you may qualify for several benefits. The IBEW offers union members in several states benefits, including:

• Health insurance

• Dental insurance

• Vision benefits

• Prescription drug benefits

• Supplemental retirement plans

• A pension plan

If you do not join a union, you can still be part of a community of electrical workers, such as your local chapter of Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC). This organization advocates for issues on behalf of self-employed electrical contractors, such as keeping healthcare costs low for small-business owners.

Perks

Electrical work can be rewarding for people who seek challenge and variety in their careers. Being an electrician means you:

• Solve complex puzzles

• Collaborate with others — engineers, planners, and homeowners

• Put your technical expertise to work in practical scenarios

Protection

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers to provide electrical workers with protective equipment, such as rubber insulating gloves.

Schedule

If you are self-employed, you get the added perk of setting your own schedule.

Prominent Electrician Employers

As a trained electrician, you can find work at companies, in the military, or through the union.

Manufacturers, transportation, and construction companies employ electricians.

• According to Glassdoor, Tesla electricians reported average earnings of $36 per hour.

• Electricians at railroad company Union Pacific reported being paid $34 per hour.

The U.S. Army and U.S. Navy are top employers of electricians.

• U.S. Army electricians reported earning just under $47,000 on average.

• U.S. Navy electricians reported $50,841 average pay.

By joining the IBEW, the union negotiates your wage and benefits. According to a BLS report analyzing union wages for all professions (not just electricians), nonunion workers earned just 84% of what union workers made.

How Much Does it Cost to Become an Electrician?

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