The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) offers competitive wages, starting at $22.47 per hour for Apprentice Electricians and reaching up to $44.18 per hour for Journeymen. This translates to an impressive annual income range from $34,300 to $85,667, highlighting the financial growth potential in this field.
More than two hundred and fifty data points on salaries were compiled from actual Indeed users, workers, and job postings over the previous three years.
Keep in mind that salary estimates from Indeed are based on third-party submissions, offering a broad view of what you might expect. However, for the most accurate salary information, it’s advisable to consult directly with potential employers, ensuring you have the latest data beyond just the minimum wage standards.
Upon completing an apprenticeship, you become a journeyman electrician, a role that not only signifies your expertise but also positions you to earn significantly above the national average, especially with the support of a labor union.
One of the largest unions is the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW). Unions, such as the IBEW, negotiate the minimum wage and other working conditions for their members.
Compensation and salaries for journeymen change based on a number of factors, including the area in which they work and their area of expertise. Electricians can expect the highest median salaries ($76,000) in Hawaii, the District of Columbia, Alaska, and New York.
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Job Duties and Responsibilities
A “journeyman” is a person who has completed an apprenticeship. They may work inside or outside and are often referred to as “journey workers.” Their remuneration is commensurate with their competence and expertise.
Common tasks include interpreting schematics, identifying the source of electrical malfunctions, repairing circuits and motors, servicing transmission lines, and constructing safe, code-compliant wiring.
Indeed, specializing in high-demand areas like elevator repair, solar technology, or security system installation can lead to even higher wages, reflecting the market’s growing need for these specialized skills.
Training and Compensation
If you have decided to work as an electrician, you’ll need at least a GED or a high school diploma. Possible next steps include enrolling in a paid apprenticeship programme through labour unions or independent contractors, or studying at a technical college to study electrical circuits.
Apprentices learn the craft through two thousand hours each year of study and practise. As an apprentice progresses through their training, they will earn a higher hourly salary. Apprenticeships often last between four and five years.
Journeymen electricians are those who have completed a formal apprenticeship programme. While they are waiting to take the licensure exam that is mandated in most jurisdictions for electricians, they may be able to do many technical tasks independently.
Electrical workers make a median annual compensation of $54,110 in May 2017, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which works out to $26.01 per hour. Median is the pay midway, implying that nearly half of electricians earn more and half earn less. Unionized electricians receive wages as specified in the collective bargaining agreement that covers their workplace.
As an illustration, in 2018, an entry-level journeyman electrician in Sacramento who is a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers IBEW 340 local union makes a starting wage of $40.06. Overtime pay for a journeyman is set at $60.09 per hour, and double time is fixed at $80.12 per hour, according to the local 340 salary scale.
Business Environment
From confined crawl places to high-voltage transmission towers, electricians work anywhere electricity is required. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a significant injury risk for workers in this industry; hence, protective gear against burning and electrical shock is mandatory.In the course of their employment, electricians on work sites and transmission lines are frequently exposed to hazards, including falls from heights. Sometimes, you may have to put in extra time, even on weekends and evenings, at work.
It is not uncommon for linemen to be required to work in adverse weather while repairing storm damage or doing routine maintenance. They may be required to stand for long periods of time and move large objects.
Level of Expertise
You might be able to get paid to go to vocational trade school if you work as an electrician’s helper and are responsible for doing things like hauling and cleaning electrical equipment.
Once you begin your apprenticeship, though, your hard work will be rewarded monetarily. Apprentices are compensated more as they gain experience over time.
Apprentices under training are paid less than journeymen who have finished their apprenticeships. The biggest salaries are for qualified electricians who have their licence and years of experience.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that the top 10 percent of electricians in terms of salary made more than $92,690 in May 2017.
Best-Paying States for Electricians
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the median annual salary for electricians is $59,190, which is higher than the median salary for all occupations of $51,960. In some states, the typical wage for an electrician can be much higher than in others. Listed here are the ten states that offer the best salaries to electricians.
- Alaska: $76,330
- California: $69,320
- Hawaii: $75,810
- Illinois: $75,820
- Massachusetts: $68,030
- Minnesota: $70,410
- New York: $77,810
- New Jersey: $71,660
- Oregon: $69,330
- Washington: $68,640
The median electrician salary in New York State climbed by 10.3 percent between 2013 and 2018, making it the highest-paying state in the US. Average electrician earnings increased by 18% in Hawaii and 24.2% in Minnesota over the past five years, making those two states fourth and sixth in terms of growth.
Least Paying States for Electricians
Several southern states, upper Midwest, and West make up the bottom 10 lowest-paying states for electricians in the United States. To some extent, electrician salaries reflect the cost of living; in some states, both annual salary and living costs are lower than in others, such as the highest-paying states.
- Alabama: $47,590
- Arkansas: $43,650
- Arizona: $47,950
- Florida: $45,240
- Idaho: $50,170
- Mississippi: $49,540
- Nebraska: $50,470
- North Carolina: $44,140
- South Carolina: $44,720
- South Dakota: $45,490
Six of the ten regions with the lowest pay for electricians are in the Southern states, where wages generally fall below the national average. This trend is partly due to the region’s right-to-work laws and the resulting shift of many manufacturing and unionized workplaces to the South over recent years.
Possibilities for Jobs
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 9 percent increase in the demand for electricians between 2016 and 2026, which is approximately as fast as the average rate of growth for all occupations. As a result of this expected growth, 59,600 additional employment will be available in the economy after ten years.
There will always be a need for electricians to instal electrical wiring in recently constructed homes and structures. In particular, there will be excellent job prospects for individuals who instal electrical lines to carry power from solar parks and other renewable energy facilities.
Job Duties and Responsibilities
A “journeyman” is a person who has completed an apprenticeship. They may work inside or outside and are often referred to as “journey workers.” Their remuneration is commensurate with their competence and expertise.
Common tasks include interpreting schematics, identifying the source of electrical malfunctions, repairing circuits and motors, servicing transmission lines, and constructing safe, code-compliant wiring.
It’s true that some people get better pay doing more in-demand professions, such as elevators repair, solar technology, or security system installation.
Training and Compensation
If you have decided to work as an electrician, you’ll need at least a GED or a high school diploma. Possible next steps include enrolling in a paid apprenticeship programme through labour unions or independent contractors, or studying at a technical college to study electrical circuits.
Apprentices learn the craft through two thousand hours each year of study and practise. As an apprentice progresses through their training, they will earn a higher hourly salary. Apprenticeships often last between four and five years.
Journeymen electricians are those who have completed a formal apprenticeship programme. While they are waiting to take the licensure exam that is mandated in most jurisdictions for electricians, they may be able to do many technical tasks independently.
Electrical workers make a median annual compensation of $54,110 in May 2017, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which works out to $26.01 per hour. Median is the pay midway, implying that nearly half of electricians earn more and half earn less. Unionized electricians receive wages as specified in the collective bargaining agreement that covers their workplace.
As an illustration, in 2018, an entry-level journeyman electrician in Sacramento who is a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers IBEW 340 local union makes a starting wage of $40.06. Overtime pay for a journeyman is set at $60.09 per hour, and double time is fixed at $80.12 per hour, according to the local 340 salary scale.
Business Environment
From confined crawl places to high-voltage transmission towers, electricians work anywhere electricity is required. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a significant injury risk for workers in this industry; hence, protective gear against burning and electrical shock is mandatory.In the course of their employment, electricians on work sites and transmission lines are frequently exposed to hazards, including falls from heights. Sometimes, you may have to put in extra time, even on weekends and evenings, at work.
It is not uncommon for linemen to be required to work in adverse weather while repairing storm damage or doing routine maintenance. They may be required to stand for long periods of time and move large objects.
Level of Expertise
You might be able to get paid to go to vocational trade school if you work as an electrician’s helper and are responsible for doing things like hauling and cleaning electrical equipment.
Once you begin your apprenticeship, though, your hard work will be rewarded monetarily. Apprentices are compensated more as they gain experience over time.
Apprentices under training are paid less than journeymen who have finished their apprenticeships. The biggest salaries are for qualified electricians who have their licence and years of experience.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that the top 10 percent of electricians in terms of salary made more than $92,690 in May 2017.
Best-Paying States for Electricians
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the median annual salary for electricians is $59,190, which is higher than the median salary for all occupations of $51,960. In some states, the typical wage for an electrician can be much higher than in others. Listed here are the ten states that offer the best salaries to electricians.
- Alaska: $76,330
- California: $69,320
- Hawaii: $75,810
- Illinois: $75,820
- Massachusetts: $68,030
- Minnesota: $70,410
- New York: $77,810
- New Jersey: $71,660
- Oregon: $69,330
- Washington: $68,640
The median electrician salary in New York State climbed by 10.3 percent between 2013 and 2018, making it the highest-paying state in the US. Average electrician earnings increased by 18% in Hawaii and 24.2% in Minnesota over the past five years, making those two states fourth and sixth in terms of growth.
Least Paying States for Electricians
Several southern states, upper Midwest, and West make up the bottom 10 lowest-paying states for electricians in the United States. To some extent, electrician salaries reflect the cost of living; in some states, both annual salary and living costs are lower than in others, such as the highest-paying states.
- Alabama: $47,590
- Arkansas: $43,650
- Arizona: $47,950
- Florida: $45,240
- Idaho: $50,170
- Mississippi: $49,540
- Nebraska: $50,470
- North Carolina: $44,140
- South Carolina: $44,720
- South Dakota: $45,490
Southern states account for six of the ten lowest-paying regions. Not only do wages tend to be lower in the South, but the region is also known for its anti-union policies, such as right-to-work laws. Because of these restrictions, many manufacturing and unionised workplaces have relocated to the South during the past few decades.
Possibilities for Jobs
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 9 percent increase in the demand for electricians between 2016 and 2026, which is approximately as fast as the average rate of growth for all occupations. As a result of this expected growth, 59,600 additional employment will be available in the economy after ten years.
There will always be a need for electricians to instal electrical wiring in recently constructed homes and structures. In particular, there will be excellent job prospects for individuals who instal electrical lines to carry power from solar parks and other renewable energy facilities.
