Electrician Salary 2026: Pay by Hour, State & Experience
Last updated: October 2026. Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Electrician pay in the US ranges from about $42,000 for the lowest-paid tenth of workers to over Electrician Salary 2026: Pay by Hour, State & Experience$108,000 for the highest-paid tenth. Where you work and how far you have progressed through apprenticeship and licensing explain most of that gap. This guide covers pay by hour, month, state and career stage, and what it takes to enter the trade.
Electrician Salary: Quick Answer
The median electrician earned $63,190 a year, or $30.38 an hour, in May 2025, and about 757,220 people held the job. That is the middle of the pay distribution, so half of electricians earn more and half earn less. For comparison, the median wage across all US occupations was $50,980.
- Typical range: the 10th percentile was $42,640 and the 90th percentile was $108,510.
- Average (mean) pay: about $71,490 a year, which is higher than the median because top earners pull the average up.
- Approximate monthly equivalent of the median: about $5,266 before taxes (annual figure ÷ 12).
- Biggest pay drivers: state, licensing level, union or non-union employer, overtime and specialty.
Pay varies by employer, location, licence level and compensation structure, so treat these figures as benchmarks rather than offers.
Electrician Salary by Percentile (Main Table)
BLS does not publish pay by years of experience. Percentiles are the closest official view of the spread, and lower percentiles tend to include newer workers.
| Percentile | Annual wage | Approx. monthly equivalent | Compensation type |
| 10th | $42,640 | $3,553 | Gross wage |
| 25th | $49,430 | $4,119 | Gross wage |
| 50th (median) | $63,190 | $5,266 | Gross wage |
| 75th | $83,940 | $6,995 | Gross wage |
| 90th | $108,510 | $9,043 | Gross wage |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, electricians (SOC 47-2111). Monthly equivalents are our own calculation (annual ÷ 12) and are before tax. BLS wages exclude employer benefits.
Electrician Salary Per Month and Per Hour
The median hourly wage is $30.38. At a full-time schedule of 2,080 hours a year, that produces the $63,190 annual median.
| Measure | Amount |
| Median hourly wage | $30.38 |
| Median annual wage | $63,190 |
| Approx. monthly equivalent (gross) | about $5,266 |
| Approx. weekly equivalent (gross) | about $1,215 |
These are gross figures. Actual monthly take-home pay depends on tax, deductions, overtime and unpaid time between jobs. Hourly rates also differ from what a contractor bills a customer: a common rule of thumb is that contractors bill two to three times the technician’s wage to cover overhead and profit. That is a pricing rule, not what the electrician earns.
Apprentice Electrician Salary (Starting Pay)
Most electricians start as paid apprentices, so this is the real starting-pay stage. Apprentice wages are not a qualified electrician’s salary, and BLS does not publish them separately.
One industry estimate puts apprentices at roughly $23 an hour (about $47,449 a year) and journeymen at about $33 an hour (about $68,058 a year). These are third-party estimates, not BLS data, and they come from a different methodology and year. Use them as a rough guide only.
Apprentice pay usually rises as you log training hours and finish classroom milestones, and exact scales are set by each program, employer or union local. Check the specific program’s published wage schedule.
Electrician Salary by Experience Level
| Stage | What it means | Pay information |
| Apprentice | Paid training under a licensed electrician | Roughly $47,000 a year (third-party estimate, above) |
| Journeyman | Licensed after apprenticeship and exam | Roughly $68,000 a year (third-party estimate); national median across all electricians is $63,190 |
| Master | Additional experience and often an exam | No reliable national figure; falls toward the upper percentiles |
| Self-employed contractor | Runs a business | Earnings vary widely; not captured by BLS wage data |
BLS wage data covers employees, so self-employed income is not included. About 8% of electricians are self-employed according to a career-guide summary citing BLS.
Pay rises with experience because you take on more complex work, need less supervision and can hold higher licences. Specialising in areas such as industrial controls or high-voltage systems can raise pay further, though national percentiles do not isolate those premiums.
Electrician In-Hand Salary After Tax
In-hand pay is lower than gross pay because of federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, any state income tax, and benefit contributions such as health insurance or retirement plans. Overtime, per diem and union dues can also change the picture.
We do not give an exact take-home figure because it depends on filing status, state, deductions and benefits. For a personal estimate, use a payroll or tax calculator with your own details.
Electrician Salary by State
Location moves pay more than almost any other factor. Median annual wages in May 2025 for the top-paying states:
For contrast, Arkansas had the lowest published state median at $49,070. Ohio sits near the national figure at $64,700, and Kentucky is a little below at $59,720.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. State medians do not account for cost of living. Metro figures can look higher still, but small metros often rest on very few reported jobs, so they are less reliable.
States with higher living costs and stronger union presence tend to pay more, while smaller markets pay less.
Electrician Salary by Employer Type
No reliable, comparable company-by-company dataset was available, so we do not rank employers. Pay structure differs by employer type:
- Union (IBEW-affiliated) contractors: Union membership is higher in electrical work than in most trades and shows up clearly in the top-paying states. Wages follow negotiated scales.
- Non-union contractors: Pay is set by the employer and local market.
- Government and public-sector employers: Pay follows each agency’s own scale.
- Self-employed: Income is business revenue minus costs, not a wage.
Compare job advertisements as examples of local pay, not as the profession-wide salary.
Factors That Affect Electrician Salary
- State and metro area: the largest single driver, as the table above shows.
- Licence level: apprentice, journeyman and master roles carry different responsibility and pay.
- Union versus non-union: negotiated scales can lift pay and benefits.
- Specialty: industrial, commercial and residential work pay differently. Complex industrial or systems work tends to pay more.
- Overtime, shift and travel work: these change take-home pay but sit outside the base wage.
- Employer size and project type: large commercial and industrial projects often pay differently from small residential jobs.
What Does an Electrician Do?
Electricians install, maintain and repair the electrical systems that power homes, businesses and industrial sites. Daily duties include reading blueprints, running wiring and conduit, installing fixtures and panels, testing circuits and troubleshooting faults, all in line with the National Electrical Code and local rules. They work with other trades, inspectors and customers, and senior electricians often supervise apprentices and plan jobs.
Electrician Qualifications and Licensing
- Education: At least a high school diploma or equivalent is the usual baseline, and no college degree is required.
- Training: an apprenticeship is the standard route. Requirements typically include a 4–5 year apprenticeship and, in most cases, state licensing.
- Licensing: Most states require an exam for a journeyman licence, and many offer a master licence. Rules differ by state, so check your state licensing board.
- Other: some employers require a driver’s licence.
How to Become an Electrician
- Finish high school or get an equivalent credential.
- Optional: take a short pre-apprenticeship or trade-school course. It can help you qualify for programs but does not replace the apprenticeship.
- Join a registered apprenticeship. Many registered programs require about 8,000 hours of on-the-job training and roughly 576 hours of classroom instruction, though exact hours vary by state and program.
- Pass your state’s journeyman exam, where one is required.
- Work as a journeyman and build experience. In states with a journeyman licence, about two years of journeyman work is typical before you can become a master electrician, for a total of roughly 5–9 years.
- Move up or specialise: master licence, supervisor, estimator, project manager or your own contracting business.
Electrician Career Growth and Outlook
A typical path runs as an apprentice → journeyman → master electrician → foreman or supervisor → project manager, estimator or business owner. Some electricians move into inspection, training or electrical design.
On demand, BLS projects employment growth of about 9.5% from 2024 to 2034, with roughly 81,000 openings a year. Projections are estimates, not guarantees, and local demand varies.
Electrician Benefits and Allowances
BLS wage figures exclude benefits, so total compensation is higher than the wage alone. Typical benefits depend on the employer. Union and larger contractors often offer health insurance, retirement or pension contributions and paid training, while smaller employers differ. Some jobs add overtime, travel pay or per diem. Ask each employer for its full package, because we do not have verified national benefit figures to publish.
Electrician Salary FAQs
What is the average electrician salary in the US?
The median is $63,190 a year ($30.38 an hour). The mean is higher, at about $71,490 (BLS, May 2025).
How much do electricians make per month?
The median works out to about $5,266 a month before tax (annual ÷ 12). This is an approximate equivalent, not take-home pay.
How much do electricians make per hour?
The national median is $30.38 an hour.
What is the starting salary for an electrician?
Most start as paid apprentices. One third-party estimate puts apprentice pay near $47,000 a year, but programs set their own scales.
How much do journeyman electricians make?
A third-party estimate puts it around $68,000 a year. The median across all electricians is $63,190.
Can electricians make six figures?
Yes, in the right circumstances. The 90th percentile is $108,510, and several states have medians near or above $100,000. It is not typical nationally.
Which state pays electricians the most?
Oregon, with a median of $101,310, followed by Illinois at $99,560.
Do you need a degree to be an electrician?
No. An apprenticeship plus state licensing is the usual route.
How long does it take to become an electrician?
An apprenticeship usually takes four to five years. A master licence typically takes longer.
Is electrician a growing career?
BLS projects about 9.5% growth from 2024 to 2034.
Do these figures include self-employed electricians?
No. BLS wage figures cover employees, and self-employed income is not included.
What is in-hand pay for an electrician?
It depends on tax, deductions and benefits. Use gross pay as a starting point and calculate with your own details.
Conclusion
Electrician salary in the US spans a wide range, from about $42,640 at the 10th percentile to $108,510 at the 90th, with a national median of $63,190. State, licence level, union status and specialty explain most of the difference.
Entry needs no degree but does need years of paid apprenticeship. Check current local wage scales and licensing rules before making decisions, since pay differs by market and changes each year.
Methodology: wage figures are from BLS OEWS (May 2025), the official federal source for occupational wages. Monthly and weekly figures are our own approximations. Apprentice and journeyman figures come from a third-party estimate and are labelled as such.
