What is the salary and career path for an electrician?
The BLS OEWS May 2025 national median for electricians (SOC 47-2111) is $63,190/yr ($30.38/hr). The licensed path runs Apprentice (~$41,900) → Journeyman (~$66,700) → Master ($86,000+) → Electrical Contractor. No college degree is required, a paid 4–5 year apprenticeship graduates you debt-free, and BLS projects 9.5% job growth 2024–34, faster than average.
- Electricians earn a national median $63,190/yr ($30.38/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 47-2111); top 10% clear $108,510.
- No degree required, a paid 4–5 year apprenticeship graduates you debt-free; journeyman ~$66,700, master $86,000+.
- Strong outlook: +9.5% job growth 2024–34 (~81,000 openings a year), faster than average.
- Clear licensed ladder: Apprentice → Journeyman → Master → Contractor, with self-employment potential.
Career Path
How do you become a electrician?
Apprentice
Paid, registered apprenticeship logging ~8,000 supervised hours plus classroom instruction.
Journeyman
Passed the state exam; works independently and pulls permits.
Master
Highest licence tier; supervises crews, designs systems, contractor of record.
Electrical Contractor
Runs a licensed electrical business; earnings scale with company size.
BLS Salary Data
Which state pays electricians the most in 2026?
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 47-2111. National median: $63,190. Full salary guide →
Pay Comparison
How does electrician pay compare to related roles?
Head-to-head against the roles electricians most often weigh against. BLS OEWS May 2025 medians.
Takeaway: electricians rank 2 of 4 on median pay among the comparable roles above, with a projected +9.5% employment change 2024–34 (BLS Employment Projections). Pay position and projected demand together are what determine how quickly 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 47-2111 (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 electricians need?
Required to work independently and pull permits; issued per state. See all state licences →
Electrician licence steps →Safety credential required by most commercial contractors.
Raises pay for renewable/solar work.
Electrical safety credential for industrial settings.
Oversight & Standards
Who regulates electricians?
The bodies that set the codes, issue the credentials, and run the training pipeline for electricians, straight from the source.
NFPA (National Fire Protection Association)
Publishes the National Electrical Code (NFPA 70), the wiring standard state licensing exams and inspections are built on.
nfpa.org ↗State electrical licensing boards
Issue journeyman and master licences and administer the licensing exams (e.g. TDLR in Texas, CSLB in California).
tdlr.texas.gov ↗U.S. Department of Labor — Registered Apprenticeship
Registers the paid apprenticeship programs that supply the supervised on-the-job hours licensure requires.
apprenticeship.gov ↗IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers)
Union that runs joint apprenticeship and training programs with NECA contractors.
ibew.org ↗OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)
Sets and enforces workplace electrical-safety rules on job sites.
osha.gov ↗Tools & Software
What tools and software do electricians use on the job?
⚙️ Core Tools & Equipment
📊 BLS Employment Data, SOC 47-2111
Salary Levers
How do electricians earn above the $63,190 BLS median?
Get licensed (journeyman)
+~$24,800/yr over apprentice
Earn the master license
+~$20,000/yr over journeyman
Add industrial certs (PLC, NABCEP)
+$7,500–$14,000/yr
Chase high-wage states / metros
IL, NY, OR and industrial metros pay well above median
This Route vs. College
Is becoming an 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 47-2111. Student-debt figure: median federal borrower balance for bachelor's-degree completers. Starting-salary comparison is illustrative and varies by field and region.
FAQ
Electrician Career, Frequently Asked Questions
Electrician career research journey
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