At a glance
Houston Electrician Salary — Key Facts
Houston Electrician Pay Data — BLS OEWS May 2025 + 2026 Market
BLS median (Houston MSA)
$59,180/year · $28.45/hr · SOC 47-2111, May 2025
10th percentile
$38,800/year ($18.65/hr) — entry-level apprentice territory
25th percentile
$46,952/year ($22.57/hr)
75th percentile
$71,825/year ($34.53/hr)
90th percentile
$84,470/year ($40.61/hr) — BLS OEWS data
vs Texas state median
+$3,290/year above TX median ($55,890). Houston leads all TX cities.
vs national median
-$10,009/year below national ($69,189). Reflects TX lower COL + lower unionization.
Non-union JW market rate (2026)
$28–$38/hr ($58K–$79K/yr) · Source: BuildForce 2026 Houston market data
Licensed Electrician (ZipRecruiter Jun 2026)
$47,700 (P25) – $69,300 (P75) · Average: $59,901
Houston workers tracked (BLS)
19,730 electricians in the Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown MSA
State income tax
None — Texas has no state income tax, boosting effective take-home vs comparable markets
Licensing requirement
TDLR state license required. Houston city permit registration required to pull permits (Houston Permitting Center iPermits).
What makes Houston different
Houston Electrician Pay by Sector — The Petrochemical Premium
Houston's unique position as the petrochemical capital of the United States creates a high-pay sector that doesn't exist in other Texas cities at the same scale. Electricians who work in petrochemical, LNG, and refinery environments earn dramatically above the BLS median.
SectorJW rangeMaster rangePeak
Petrochemical / LNG / Refinery
Ship Channel, Texas City, Deer Park, Pasadena
$38–$58/hr
$48–$68/hr
$130K+ w/ OT
Data Center Construction
Northwest Houston, Stafford, Katy
$34–$48/hr
$44–$60/hr
$110K+
Commercial Construction
Downtown, Medical Center, Energy Corridor
$28–$38/hr
$38–$52/hr
$95K+
Industrial Manufacturing
Port of Houston area, Baytown, La Marque
$30–$42/hr
$40–$55/hr
$100K+
Healthcare / Institutional
Texas Medical Center, hospital construction
$28–$36/hr
$36–$48/hr
$88K+
Residential Construction / Service
Suburbs: Katy, Sugar Land, The Woodlands
$20–$30/hr
$28–$40/hr
$72K
Shutdown & Turnaround (S&T) work: Petrochemical plants shut down for maintenance every 3–5 years. During these shutdowns, Electricians with TDLR Master licenses and OSHA 30 work 60–84 hour weeks at $45–$65/hr. A 6-week turnaround can pay $30,000–$50,000 in gross earnings — more than many electricians make in an entire year in residential work.
By employer type
Houston Electrician Pay by Employer Type
Who you work for matters as much as what you do. Houston has a mix of union, non-union commercial, and specialty petrochemical electrical contractors — each with different pay structures.
Employer typeJW pay rangeBenefits valueType
IBEW Local 716 (Houston)
Union commercial electrical
$38–$52/hr (2025-26 rate)
$15K–$22K/yr (pension + health + annuity)
Union
Large EPC Contractors
Bechtel, KBR, Fluor, Zachry
$36–$54/hr (project-based)
$12K–$18K/yr benefits
Petrochem
Mid-Size Commercial Contractors
Non-union Houston-based firms
$28–$38/hr
$6K–$12K/yr
Non-union
Service / Maintenance Employers
Facilities, property management
$25–$34/hr
$6K–$10K/yr
Non-union
Residential Contractors
Home construction, service calls
$20–$29/hr
$4K–$8K/yr
Non-union
IBEW Local 716 rates from 2025–2026 collective bargaining agreement. EPC rates from BuildForce 2026 Houston market survey. Benefits value estimate excludes overtime, which is substantial in petrochemical work.
Take-home pay
Houston Electrician Take-Home Pay — 2026
Houston Journeyman — Non-union · $62,400/yr gross · Single filer
Annual deductions
Federal income tax (~18%)-$11,232
FICA (SS 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%)-$4,774
Texas state income tax$0 (no TX income tax)
2026 standard deduction benefit(-$15,000 from taxable)
Estimated take-home
~$46,394
per year · ~$3,866/month
No TX state tax adds ~$2,600/yr vs California rate. Benefits deductions, 401(k), and union dues reduce taxable income further.
Estimates based on 2026 federal tax brackets, standard deduction, single filing status. Overtime income, shift differentials, and hazard pay on petrochemical projects are not included — these can add $10,000–$40,000 in additional gross income for workers in those sectors. Use the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator at irs.gov for a personalized calculation.
How to earn more
How to Earn More as an Electrician in Houston — 2026
1
Get your TDLR Master Electrician license
Houston Master Electricians earn $82K–$115K/yr employed, and significantly more as independent contractors. The TDLR Master application is $45 + PSI exam $78 = $123 total. The salary jump is typically $20K–$30K/year. GlobalCybers pays this for registered candidates.
2
Move into petrochemical / refinery electrical work
The petrochemical premium in Houston is the biggest salary lever available without relocating. A licensed JW or Master who transitions from residential to Ship Channel industrial work can increase pay by $10–$25/hr doing the same core electrical work. OSHA 30 and TWIC card are required for most sites.
3
Target shutdown and turnaround (S&T) work
Refinery and chemical plant shutdowns typically run 4–8 weeks with 60–84 hour weeks at time-and-a-half or double-time for hours above 40. A 6-week turnaround at $50/hr with 20 hours/week of overtime can generate $35,000–$50,000 in gross earnings.
4
Register with GlobalCybers for above-market placement
GlobalCybers sends you a salary benchmarking report before you speak to any employer — showing your market rate by license level, sector, and metro area. Our embedded RPO recruiters negotiate on your behalf and specialize in matching credentialed Houston electricians with commercial, industrial, and petrochemical employers who pay above the BLS median. We also cover your TDLR renewal and Master application fees.
Frequently asked questions
Houston Electrician Salary FAQs
How much do Journeyman Electricians make per hour in Houston?+
Licensed Journeyman Electricians in Houston typically earn $28–$38/hr in non-union commercial work, $38–$52/hr with IBEW Local 716, and $38–$58/hr on petrochemical and industrial sites. BuildForce 2026 data shows the Houston average for licensed electricians at $28.33/hr. The BLS OEWS median ($28.45/hr) reflects the full market mix including residential work, which pulls the average down.
What is a TWIC card and why do Houston electricians need it?+
The Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) is a federal security credential issued by TSA required to access secure areas of maritime facilities — including petrochemical plants and LNG terminals on the Houston Ship Channel. Most Houston-area petrochemical electrical employers require a TWIC card as a condition of site access. The TWIC enrollment fee is $125.25, and the card is valid for 5 years. GlobalCybers covers this cost for registered candidates placed in petrochemical roles.
Is Houston a union or non-union electrician market?+
Houston is primarily a non-union market for residential and light commercial electrical work, with strong IBEW Local 716 presence in heavy commercial, industrial, and petrochemical electrical. Many large EPC contractors (Bechtel, KBR, Fluor, Zachry) operate under project-specific labor agreements that provide union-equivalent wages even outside formal IBEW agreements.
Does GlobalCybers place electricians in Houston?+
Yes. Houston is GlobalCybers's single largest Texas placement market. We place licensed TDLR Journeyman and Master Electricians in full-time, direct-hire roles across commercial construction, petrochemical, data center, and industrial sectors. All TDLR licenses are verified before shortlist. We cover TDLR renewal fees, Master application costs, OSHA 30, and TWIC enrollment for registered candidates placed in qualifying roles.
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