What is the salary and career path for a transmission line engineer?
Transmission line engineer is a broad match to Electrical Engineers (SOC 17-2071), the BLS code for engineers who design electrical systems and power infrastructure; the OEWS May 2025 median is $120,630 a year ($58.00 an hour), from $76,550 at the 10th percentile to $184,300 at the 90th. BLS projects 7.2% employment growth for the code over 2024–2034 — faster than average — with about 11,700 openings a year. It requires an ABET-accredited engineering degree and, for stamped work, the NCEES FE then PE (Electrical/Power) license.
- Transmission Line Engineers earn a national median $120,630/yr ($58.00/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 17-2071); the top 10% clear $184,300.
- This is a degree-gated engineering role: an ABET degree plus the NCEES FE, and a PE (Power) to stamp transmission line designs.
- BLS projects 7.2% growth for Electrical Engineers (SOC 17-2071) through 2034 — faster than average — with about 11,700 openings a year, lifted by renewable transmission build-out.
- Pay runs from an entry EIT near $76,550 to a principal or engineering manager at the $184,300 top decile.
Career Path
How do you become a transmission line engineer?
Entry transmission line EIT
Running sag-tension and clearance calcs and drafting structure designs under a PE; entry pay sits near the 10th percentile of $76,550.
Transmission line engineer
Owning line designs, PLS-CADD models and NESC clearance packages around the $120,630 median for the code.
Senior / lead line engineer
Leading major line projects and structure standards pays toward the 75th percentile of $152,950.
Principal / engineering manager
Setting transmission design standards or managing a line-engineering group reaches the 90th percentile of $184,300.
BLS Salary Data
Which state pays transmission line engineers the most in 2026?
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 17-2071. National median: $120,630. Full salary guide →
Pay Comparison
How does transmission line engineer pay compare to related roles?
Head-to-head against the roles transmission line engineers most often weigh against. BLS OEWS May 2025 medians.
Takeaway: transmission line engineers rank 2 of 4 on median pay among the comparable roles above, with a projected +7.2% employment change 2024–34 (BLS Employment Projections). Pay position and projected demand together are what determine how quickly transmission line engineers 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 17-2071 (transmission line engineers) 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 transmission line engineers need?
An ABET electrical or civil/structural degree, the baseline credential for a line-engineering career. See all state licences →
Passing the Fundamentals of Engineering exam, the required first step toward the PE.
NCEES Professional Engineer license needed to stamp transmission line designs for construction.
Working command of PLS-CADD/TOWER, the industry-standard overhead line design suite.
Tools & Software
What tools and software do transmission line engineers use on the job?
⚙️ Core Tools & Equipment
📊 BLS Employment Data, SOC 17-2071
Salary Levers
How do transmission line engineers earn above the $120,630 BLS median?
PE license and stamping authority
A PE in Power lets an engineer seal designs and moves pay from the $76,550 entry band toward the upper percentiles.
EHV and complex-project experience
Extra-high-voltage and long-route project experience commands premiums above the $120,630 median.
Lead and principal roles
Setting standards or managing line-engineering teams pushes earnings toward the $184,300 top decile.
This Route vs. College
Is becoming a transmission line engineer 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 17-2071. Student-debt figure: median federal borrower balance for bachelor's-degree completers. Starting-salary comparison is illustrative and varies by field and region.
FAQ
Transmission Line Engineer Career, Frequently Asked Questions
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