What is the salary and career path for a residential electrician?
Residential electricians are reported inside Electricians (SOC 47-2111), a broad code that covers residential, commercial and industrial work together, so the figures blend all three. That occupation shows a median of $63,190/yr ($30.38/hr) in the BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, with the 10th percentile at $42,640 and the 90th at $108,510, and Employment Projections put 2024-2034 growth at 9.5% with roughly 81,000 openings a year. Residential work generally sits below the middle of that spread, since service and remodel work is smaller in scale than industrial contracts, though service-truck and panel-upgrade specialists with their own licence can run well past the median.
- Residential electricians are reported inside Electricians (SOC 47-2111), a broad code covering residential, commercial and industrial work, with a national median of $63,190/yr ($30.38/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025); the top 10% clear $108,510.
- Entry is a registered apprenticeship - an IBEW/NECA residential wireman program or an ABC/IEC open-shop program - with roughly 144 classroom hours a year alongside paid on-the-job hours.
- Electricians are licensed, mostly at state level and in some jurisdictions municipally, with exams based on the adopted edition of the National Electrical Code (NFPA 70); many states offer a residential-restricted class.
- BLS projects 9.5% growth for electricians 2024-2034 with about 81,000 openings a year, supported by service upgrades for EV charging, heat pumps and rooftop solar.
Career Path
How do you become a residential electrician?
Residential apprentice
Pulling wire, drilling, mounting boxes and devices under a licensed electrician while logging registered apprenticeship hours; entry pay sits near the SOC 47-2111 10th percentile of $42,640.
Licensed journeyman (residential)
Wiring dwellings independently to NEC requirements, running rough-in and trim without direct supervision; around the BLS national median of $63,190 for the combined electrician occupation.
Service technician / lead
Running a service truck on diagnostics, panel changes and upgrades, or leading a rough-in crew on a tract; tracks toward the 75th percentile of $83,940.
Master electrician / residential contractor
Holding a master licence and pulling permits as a contractor, with business margin on top of wages, reaching the 90th percentile at $108,510.
BLS Salary Data
Which state pays residential electricians the most in 2026?
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 47-2111. National median: $63,190. Full salary guide →
Pay Comparison
How does residential electrician pay compare to related roles?
Head-to-head against the roles residential electricians most often weigh against. BLS OEWS May 2025 medians.
Takeaway: residential electricians rank 1 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 residential 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 (residential 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 residential electricians need?
The legal permission to perform electrical work unsupervised. Requirements are set by the state licensing board or, in some jurisdictions, the municipality; many states issue a residential-restricted class with lower hour requirements than the unrestricted licence. See all state licences →
A DOL Registered Apprenticeship combining paid on-the-job hours with about 144 classroom hours a year; the residential wireman program is the union-side residential track.
The senior class, generally requiring several years of documented journeyman experience plus an exam, and typically the prerequisite for pulling permits as an electrical contractor.
OSHA construction training under 29 CFR 1926 Subpart K covers electrical safety on site; NFPA 70E governs safe work practices around energized equipment, relevant even on residential service work.
Tools & Software
What tools and software do residential electricians use on the job?
⚙️ Core Tools & Equipment
📊 BLS Employment Data, SOC 47-2111
Salary Levers
How do residential electricians earn above the $63,190 BLS median?
Licence class held
Apprentice and helper rates sit near the $42,640 10th percentile; a journeyman licence lifts to around the $63,190 median, and a master licence with contractor rights is the main route toward the $108,510 90th percentile.
Service work versus new-construction rough-in
Tract rough-in is often piece-rate and price-competitive, while diagnostic service and panel-upgrade work bills at a higher rate and is less exposed to housing-start cycles.
Moving to commercial or industrial work
Because BLS reports all electricians together, the same $63,190 median covers commercial and industrial work that generally pays above residential; crossing over is a common mid-career step up.
EV, solar and storage specialisation
Adding EVSE installation, photovoltaic interconnection and battery storage to a residential service business captures work that requires code knowledge most general handymen cannot legally perform.
This Route vs. College
Is becoming a residential 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
Residential Electrician Career, Frequently Asked Questions
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