What is the salary and career path for a apprentice electrician?
Apprentice electricians are most closely reported by Helpers--Electricians (SOC 47-3013), a close rather than exact match, since registered apprentices in a formal program are sometimes captured under Electricians instead. Helpers--Electricians shows a median of $42,670/yr ($20.51/hr) in the BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, with $33,020 at the 10th percentile and $58,340 at the 90th, and Employment Projections show 0.2% change 2024-2034 with roughly 6,800 openings a year. The relevant point for an apprentice is that the wage is a percentage of the journeyman scale that rises with hours, so the endpoint - the electrician median of $63,190 - matters more than the entry figure.
- Apprentice electricians map most closely to Helpers--Electricians (SOC 47-3013), a close rather than exact match; that code shows a $42,670/yr ($20.51/hr) median (BLS OEWS May 2025) with the top 10% at $58,340.
- Apprenticeships are paid employment, not tuition: DOL Registered Apprenticeships through IBEW/NECA JATCs or ABC/IEC pay a rising percentage of journeyman scale from the first day.
- The inside wireman program is typically five years, roughly 8,000 paid on-the-job hours plus about 144 hours of related classroom instruction a year on the National Electrical Code and theory.
- BLS projects just 0.2% change for the helper code 2024-2034 with about 6,800 openings a year, but the destination occupation - electricians - is projected to grow 9.5%, which is what makes the apprenticeship worth entering.
Career Path
How do you become a apprentice electrician?
First-year apprentice / helper
Material handling, drilling, hanging conduit and assisting a journeyman while learning tools and site safety; pay sits near the SOC 47-3013 10th percentile of $33,020.
Mid-term apprentice
Roughing, bending and terminating with decreasing supervision as scale percentage rises with logged hours; around the helper occupation median of $42,670.
Senior apprentice
Working near-independently on layout and installation while completing the final hour requirements and classroom terms; tracks toward the 75th percentile of $48,470.
Turnout to journeyman
Topping out at the 90th percentile of $58,340 for the helper code, then crossing to the licensed electrician occupation where the median is $63,190 and the ceiling far higher.
BLS Salary Data
Which state pays apprentice electricians the most in 2026?
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 47-3013. National median: $42,670. Full salary guide →
Pay Comparison
How does apprentice electrician pay compare to related roles?
Head-to-head against the roles apprentice electricians most often weigh against. BLS OEWS May 2025 medians.
Takeaway: apprentice electricians rank 4 of 4 on median pay among the comparable roles above, with a projected +0.2% employment change 2024–34 (BLS Employment Projections). Pay position and projected demand together are what determine how quickly apprentice electricians clear offers across the GlobalCybers placement network.
Methodology & Sources
How this guide is sourced and reviewed
Wages (BLS): All median and percentile figures are BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 47-3013 (apprentice electricians) and the matching SOC codes for each comparison role. OEWS is sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection, so treat it as a firm anchor rather than a spot rate.
Job growth: Projected 2024–34 employment change, and the average annual openings figure, are from the BLS Employment Projections program, by occupation. Openings are a per-year average over the projection decade, not a decade total.
Licensing & credentials:Requirements are drawn from the issuing state licensing boards and the certifying body behind each credential — not from third-party aggregators.
Demand signal:Any statement about how quickly this role clears offers reflects GlobalCybers placement request volume across the trailing 12 months — our own network data, offered as a directional real-world indicator alongside BLS, not a market-wide survey.
Credentials
What licences and certifications do apprentice electricians need?
A federally registered earn-while-you-learn program combining paid on-the-job hours with about 144 classroom hours a year; completion produces a nationally recognised certificate of completion. See all state licences →
Many states require apprentices to register with the electrical board and work under a named licensed supervisor, with hours reported for licensing eligibility.
Site-access safety training under 29 CFR 1926, including Subpart K on electrical safety, commonly required in the first months of an apprenticeship.
The state or municipal licence the apprenticeship exists to qualify for, examined on the adopted National Electrical Code edition after the required hours are documented.
Tools & Software
What tools and software do apprentice electricians use on the job?
⚙️ Core Tools & Equipment
📊 BLS Employment Data, SOC 47-3013
Salary Levers
How do apprentice electricians earn above the $42,670 BLS median?
Accumulated hours and scale percentage
Apprentice wages are set as a rising percentage of the journeyman rate, so earnings move from near the $33,020 10th percentile toward the $58,340 90th percentile of the helper code purely by progressing through the program.
Completing the program versus leaving early
An uncompleted apprenticeship leaves a worker in the helper occupation with a $42,670 median; turning out to journeyman moves into the electrician occupation at a $63,190 median.
Track chosen - inside wireman, residential or lineman
Inside wireman and outside lineman programs are longer and lead to higher-paying licensed classifications than the shorter residential wireman track.
Overtime and market
Apprentices earn overtime at the same multiplier as journeymen, and metropolitan markets with negotiated scales pay materially above smaller markets at the same hour level.
This Route vs. College
Is becoming an apprentice electrician worth it vs. a 4-year degree?
The entry route into this role, set against a four-year degree. Same starting line, side by side.
Entry-level (10th percentile) and all-level median wages: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 47-3013. Student-debt figure: median federal borrower balance for bachelor's-degree completers. Starting-salary comparison is illustrative and varies by field and region.
FAQ
Apprentice Electrician Career, Frequently Asked Questions
Apprentice Electrician career research journey
Do your homework, then let the network do the rest.Get the job, then keep rising
FreeSet your intent, matching jobs come to you. No applying.
A roadmap to your next licence tier and higher pay band.
Once placed, we cover all certification, licence & career-guide fees.
Hiring apprentice electricians?
Get a verified shortlist of 3–5 qualified candidates in 48 hours
GlobalCybers verifies active state licenses, trade certifications, Intent and right-to-work status before any candidate reaches your portal. Flat $2,999/mo RPO (Recruitment Process Outsourcing), up to 3 concurrent roles, or a free trial (pay on hire). 90-day written guarantee.
Related · Apprentice Electrician
Everything for apprentice electricians in one place
Salary data, licensing, interview prep, and hiring, all cross-linked so you (and search engines) can move through the full apprentice electrician cluster.