U.S. electricians earn $63,190 per year on average
National median, occupation 47-2111 · snapshot 6 September 2026
The published BLS range runs $42,640 at the 10th percentile to $108,510 at the 90th. Pay depends on your level, your state, and whether you are union.
Top 10% (BLS)
$108,510
Median (BLS)
$63,190
Master Avg (PayScale)
$78,140
Lineman (BLS 49-9051)
$95,320
Top 10 Highest-Paying States
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 47-2111, median annual wage. Ranked over the 50 states and computed from the same sort as the full table. Before overtime.
See full 50-state rankings at electriciansalary.com/by-state, or median pay for the 30 largest metro areas (Chicago, New York, Houston and more).
Career Progression: Apprentice to Business Owner
The electrical trade has six clear pay tiers. Each step requires specific documented hours and licensing exams. The bands below are editorial estimates from apprenticeship schedules and union agreements, not BLS: OEWS reports all electricians together under 47-2111 and publishes no per-level split. The BLS figures for the trade as a whole are $42,640 at the 10th percentile, $63,190 at the median and $108,510 at the 90th.
Apprentice (Year 1)
OJT 1750hYear 1
$31,200 - $41,600
$15-$20/hr
40-50% of journeyman rate
Apprentice (Year 2-3)
OJT 3500hYears 2-3
$37,400 - $52,000
$18-$25/hr
50-70% of journeyman rate
Apprentice (Year 4)
OJT 5250hYear 4
$44,000 - $58,000
$21-$28/hr
75-85% of journeyman rate
Journeyman Electrician
JW Lic.4-8 years
$52,000 - $75,000
$25-$36/hr
Licensed, independent
Master Electrician
Master Lic.8+ years
$65,000 - $95,000
$31-$46/hr
Permit authority, supervision
Business Owner / Contractor
EC Lic.10+ years
$80,000 - $300,000+
Varies widely
Master license required
Salary by Specialisation
Different specialisations offer very different earning ceilings, schedules, and career paths.
Residential
NAICS 238210$52,000/yr
Lower base, high side-work potential
Commercial
47-2111$63,190/yr
National median, all electricians
Industrial
47-2111 ind.$68,000/yr
Highest inside-wireman ceiling
Lineman (Outside)
49-9051$95,320/yr
Storm work: $120k-$160k
Controls / PLC
Industrial$72,000/yr
+$3-8/hr premium on journeyman base
Marine / Shipyard
Marine$64,000/yr
Travel premium, offshore work
Only the Commercial figure is a BLS 47-2111 median. Residential, industrial, controls and marine figures are editorial estimates for sub-specialties BLS does not break out. Linemen are a separate BLS occupation (49-9051) from inside wiremen (47-2111). See the full comparison.
IBEW Local Wage Transparency
Union wages are set by collective bargaining. The base wage is only part of the picture. Three high-wage Locals, each figure taken directly from its published wage agreement.
Source: JIBEI prevailing-rate chart (Local 3), Boston JATC Inside Wage Rate Memorandum (Local 103), Local 46 Inside Construction Agreement Area Wage Report. Inside wireman journeyman rates, 2025-2026 agreements.
| IBEW Local | Base Wage | H&W | Pension | Total Package |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local 3 (New York City) | $64.00/hr | $29.69/hr | $10.49/hr | |
| Local 103 (Boston) | $68.78/hr | $13.00/hr | $12.63/hr | |
| Local 46 (Seattle) | $74.94/hr | $13.02/hr | $12.84/hr |
Total package = base + H&W + pension + annuity + training fund + NEBF. That is why a "$66/hr base" in Boston is really "$112/hr total compensation." Full union vs non-union analysis.
Full Electrician Salary Guide
Deep-dive pages for every aspect of electrician pay, career progression, and licensing.
Lineman Salary
$95,320 median (BLS 49-9051). Storm work pays $120k+. Outside construction vs inside wireman.
Data Center Electrician Salary
$78k-$135k by role. Critical facilities, mission-critical commissioning at the top.
Self-Employed Income
$70k solo, $300k+ with a crew. Charge rates, overhead, and startup costs.
Master Electrician Salary
$78,140 employee average (PayScale, not BLS), $95k-$200k+ as business owner.
Journeyman to Master Delta
$8,300 between the BLS median and mean. State-by-state experience requirements + exam fees.
Electrician vs Plumber
Plumbers edge out by $610/yr. Full BLS head-to-head.
Electrician vs Welder
Electrician +$9,440/yr at median. When welders out-earn (underwater, pipeline, nuclear).
Electrician vs Carpenter
Electrician +$2,610 at median, +$8,600 at top 10%. Union scale by market.
Wind Turbine Technician Salary
$64,120 onshore median (BLS 49-9081, a different occupation). Offshore $85k-$120k. BLS projects about +50% employment growth for wind turbine service technicians, 2024-2034.
Marine Electrician Salary
$58k-$96k by sector. Navy shipyard production at the top.
Substation Electrician
$85k-$115k typical. NETA-certified relay techs higher. BLS 49-9051.
Licensing by State
All 50 states: journeyman hours, master requirements, reciprocity.
Apprentice to Journeyman Progression
5-year wage ladder. 40% to 100% of journeyman. Total 5-year earnings by market.
How to Become an Electrician
4-5 years to journeyman. JATC vs IEC apprenticeship comparison.
Union vs Non-Union Pay
20-35% total comp difference. IBEW wage scale breakdown.
Overtime Pay Rules
FLSA 1.5x over 40/week. CA, NV, AK, CO daily OT. Calculation examples.
Davis-Bacon Prevailing Wage
Federal job rate by county. How to look up at sam.gov.
Per Diem and Travel Pay
GSA rates $178-$400/day. IBEW travel card system. Storm work earnings.
Commercial vs Residential
Industrial pays 30-40% more. Day-in-the-life and career tradeoffs.