How Much Does a Electrical Power-Line Tech Make? (2024)
Electrical · SOC Code 49-9051 · 4-year apprenticeship
The average electrical power-line tech earns $101,512 per year ($49/hour) as of 2024, according to BLS data. Yearly income ranges from $75,630 to $130,730 depending on city, with entry-level workers earning about $69,010 and top earners making $147,680+.
Yes — top-decile electrical power-line techs clear $100K in 30 of 30 metros
The 90th-percentile electrical power-line tech in Seattle, WA earns $147,680 per year ($71/hour). Reaching that tier typically takes journeyman-to-master progression plus union membership, specialization, or running a small contracting business. Median electrical power-line tech pay nationally is $101,512 — the $100K mark is the high-earner ceiling, not the middle.
National Salary Range
Electrical Power-Line Tech salaries range from $75,630 to $130,730 median across cities, depending on location, union membership, and experience level.
Electrical Power-Line Tech Salary by City
| City | Median | Range (10th-90th) | COL-Adjusted | Grade | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle, WA | $130,730 | $69,010 – $147,680 | $87,738 | B | 1,040 |
| San Francisco, CA | $128,470 | $81,020 – $181,300 | $67,616 | B | 750 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $127,810 | $75,280 – $164,930 | $76,994 | B | 2,840 |
| Portland, OR | $125,160 | $62,440 – $137,630 | $96,277 | B | 700 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $120,260 | $21,320 – $131,660 | $115,635 | B | 600 |
| New York, NY | $119,760 | $60,560 – $138,790 | $64,043 | B | 3,490 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $117,990 | $52,270 – $129,560 | $114,553 | B | 1,100 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $115,770 | $58,550 – $122,890 | $100,670 | B | 1,110 |
| Boston, MA | $115,430 | $80,580 – $124,760 | $75,941 | B | 1,420 |
| Chicago, IL | $114,030 | $76,400 – $125,710 | $106,570 | B | 2,140 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $109,590 | $80,300 – $118,630 | $103,387 | B | 800 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $108,840 | $67,980 – $121,210 | $113,375 | B | 540 |
| Detroit, MI | $106,360 | $54,040 – $133,390 | $119,506 | B | 1,170 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $105,910 | $48,280 – $113,230 | $115,120 | B | 860 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $105,660 | $53,500 – $112,270 | $116,110 | B | 700 |
| Tampa, FL | $101,150 | $50,730 – $108,000 | $100,149 | B | 1,070 |
| St. Louis, MO | $100,410 | $53,840 – $123,050 | $111,567 | B | 1,160 |
| Kansas City, MO | $100,130 | $60,420 – $123,430 | $106,521 | B | 920 |
| Denver, CO | $99,550 | $63,890 – $124,580 | $77,773 | B | 1,010 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $96,150 | $45,910 – $115,210 | $92,452 | B | 330 |
| Miami, FL | $93,910 | $51,150 – $110,290 | $76,975 | B | 1,640 |
| Atlanta, GA | $82,050 | $50,910 – $128,670 | $77,406 | B | 2,140 |
| Houston, TX | $80,480 | $50,530 – $108,470 | $83,833 | B | 3,240 |
| Columbus, OH | $79,810 | $49,080 – $108,890 | $85,817 | B | 1,410 |
| Dallas, TX | $77,860 | $48,180 – $102,790 | $76,333 | B | 3,100 |
| Nashville, TN | $77,280 | $47,210 – $100,460 | $75,029 | B | 1,290 |
| New Orleans, LA | $76,710 | $47,140 – $117,340 | $80,747 | B | 240 |
| Raleigh, NC | $76,420 | $51,130 – $106,030 | $76,420 | B | 480 |
| San Antonio, TX | $76,040 | $47,790 – $104,850 | $84,489 | B | 1,300 |
| Charlotte, NC | $75,630 | $54,970 – $106,120 | $77,173 | B | 1,010 |
About Electrical Power-Line Tech Pay
Electrical Power-Line Techs earn a national median salary of $101,512 based on 2024 BLS occupational wage data. The highest-paying city for this trade is Seattle at $130,730 median, while Charlotte offers the lowest at $75,630.
Becoming a electrical power-line tech typically requires a 4-year apprenticeship program. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) can expect around $69,010, while master-level tradespeople (90th percentile) earn $147,680 or more. With 7% wage growth over the past 5 years, this trade is growing at a steady pace.
See how this compares to other trades on our highest paying trades ranking, or browse the best cities for trade workers.
Thinking about becoming a electrical power-line tech?
Step-by-step path: 4-year apprenticeship, certifications, state licensing, and apprentice-to-master pay timeline.
Related Electrical Trades
Frequently Asked Questions
The average electrical power-line tech salary is $101,512 per year ($49/hour) based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Average yearly income ranges from $75,630 to $130,730 depending on city, experience, and union status.
Electrical Power-Line Techs earn an average hourly wage of $49/hour based on a 2,080-hour work year. Entry-level (10th percentile) hourly pay is about $33/hour, while top earners (90th percentile) make $71/hour or more.
Seattle offers the highest median pay for electrical power-line techs at $130,730. However, cost of living matters, the COL-adjusted pay may tell a different story. Check our city-by-city breakdown above.
With a Trade Pay Score of B and 7% wage growth over 5 years, electrical power-line tech offers steady career prospects. There are approximately 39,600 jobs nationwide across 30 metro areas.
Becoming a electrical power-line tech typically requires a 4-year apprenticeship program combining on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Entry-level pay starts around $69,010 (10th percentile).
Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024. Trade Pay Scores are a composite of median wage vs. metro income, wage growth, job demand, and COL-adjusted pay.
The this entity record above pulls directly from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. What follows is the per-entity context — how this entity sits in the broader U.S. skilled-trade wage data distribution and which underlying factors drive the headline numbers.
Every number on this page links back to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey; the methodology page describes the inputs, refresh cadence, and known limitations of the underlying data product.
Practical use of this page is in combination with the comparison and ranking pages elsewhere on the site, which surface the same data for this entity’s peers within U.S. trades, cities, and states. A single-entity reading without peer context can be misleading when an entity is an outlier on one axis but typical on another.