How Much Does a Electrician Make? (2024)
Electrical · SOC Code 47-2111 · 4-year apprenticeship
The average electrician earns $70,935 per year ($34/hour) as of 2024, according to BLS data. Yearly income ranges from $52,650 to $102,070 depending on city, with entry-level workers earning about $55,270 and top earners making $126,560+.
Yes — top-decile electricians clear $100K in 15 of 30 metros
The 90th-percentile electrician in Portland, OR earns $126,560 per year ($61/hour). Reaching that tier typically takes journeyman-to-master progression plus union membership, specialization, or running a small contracting business. Median electrician pay nationally is $70,935 — the $100K mark is the high-earner ceiling, not the middle.
National Salary Range
Electrician salaries range from $52,650 to $102,070 median across cities, depending on location, union membership, and experience level.
Electrician Salary by City
| City | Median | Range (10th-90th) | COL-Adjusted | Grade | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland, OR | $102,070 | $55,270 – $126,560 | $78,515 | B | 7,290 |
| Seattle, WA | $101,600 | $59,020 – $139,230 | $68,188 | B | 9,160 |
| Chicago, IL | $99,540 | $50,310 – $120,770 | $93,028 | B | 16,690 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $95,090 | $50,040 – $115,410 | $89,708 | B | 8,110 |
| San Francisco, CA | $93,750 | $54,750 – $179,060 | $49,342 | C | 9,520 |
| Boston, MA | $83,450 | $47,970 – $128,660 | $54,901 | C | 12,540 |
| Detroit, MI | $80,330 | $44,640 – $102,850 | $90,258 | B | 11,840 |
| St. Louis, MO | $79,280 | $45,150 – $103,440 | $88,089 | B | 6,460 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $76,820 | $46,490 – $101,730 | $80,021 | B | 3,690 |
| New York, NY | $76,450 | $47,100 – $132,580 | $40,882 | C | 38,890 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $76,120 | $43,900 – $128,400 | $45,855 | C | 21,070 |
| Kansas City, MO | $74,560 | $43,880 – $105,170 | $79,319 | B | 4,920 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $74,040 | $45,440 – $130,590 | $64,383 | B | 9,900 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $64,950 | $44,480 – $114,390 | $62,452 | B | 5,970 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $64,120 | $39,970 – $95,180 | $70,462 | B | 4,940 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $63,890 | $40,900 – $101,510 | $69,446 | B | 4,390 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $63,430 | $39,130 – $82,690 | $60,990 | B | 5,210 |
| Columbus, OH | $63,160 | $37,960 – $92,800 | $67,914 | B | 5,390 |
| Denver, CO | $63,010 | $44,900 – $90,480 | $49,227 | C | 10,600 |
| Nashville, TN | $61,130 | $39,980 – $84,350 | $59,350 | B | 7,630 |
| New Orleans, LA | $60,840 | $38,050 – $79,320 | $64,042 | B | 2,150 |
| Atlanta, GA | $60,400 | $37,220 – $87,180 | $56,981 | C | 12,220 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $59,940 | $46,610 – $80,260 | $58,194 | C | 16,740 |
| Houston, TX | $59,180 | $37,710 – $79,430 | $61,646 | B | 17,860 |
| Dallas, TX | $57,760 | $38,450 – $80,930 | $56,627 | C | 20,770 |
| Miami, FL | $56,080 | $39,470 – $75,020 | $45,967 | C | 12,570 |
| Charlotte, NC | $55,790 | $40,680 – $73,670 | $56,929 | C | 6,420 |
| Raleigh, NC | $54,820 | $40,910 – $70,680 | $54,820 | C | 3,790 |
| Tampa, FL | $53,790 | $37,720 – $72,330 | $53,257 | C | 7,110 |
| San Antonio, TX | $52,650 | $37,110 – $73,860 | $58,500 | B | 5,930 |
About Electrician Pay
Electricians earn a national median salary of $70,935 based on 2024 BLS occupational wage data. The highest-paying city for this trade is Portland at $102,070 median, while San Antonio offers the lowest at $52,650.
Becoming a electrician typically requires a 4-year apprenticeship program. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) can expect around $55,270, while master-level tradespeople (90th percentile) earn $126,560 or more. With 11% wage growth over the past 5 years, this trade is growing faster than average.
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 electrician?
Step-by-step path: 4-year apprenticeship, certifications, state licensing, and apprentice-to-master pay timeline.
Related Electrical Trades
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes — top-decile electricians clear $100K in 15 of the 30 metros tracked. The 90th-percentile electrician in Portland earns $126,560, well above six figures. Reaching that tier typically takes journeyman-to-master progression, plus union membership, specialization (industrial, commercial, or licensed-master tier), or running a small contracting business.
Electrician work is physically demanding and can be stressful, especially under deadline pressure or in unsafe conditions. Electricians work indoors and outdoors at construction sites, homes, businesses, and factories. The work involves standing, climbing, bending, and kneeling. Risk of electrical shock, burns, and falls from ladders. The trade rewards problem-solving, attention to detail, and the ability to work safely with tools and equipment. Most electricians say the difficulty drops sharply once they finish their apprenticeship and gain field experience.
Electricians earn a national median of $70,935 per 2024 BLS OEWS data, with the 90th percentile reaching $126,560 in Portland. Specific pay depends on city, certifications, union status, and specialization — see the per-city table above for any metro you're targeting.
The highest-paying electrician jobs are in Portland, OR, where the 90th percentile reaches $126,560 and the median is $102,070. The pay-driving specialties tend to be blueprint reading and similar high-skill roles — workers who layer certifications and union membership on top of journeyman experience typically reach the 90th percentile within 10-15 years of entering the trade.
The average electrician salary is $70,935 per year ($34/hour) based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Average yearly income ranges from $52,650 to $102,070 depending on city, experience, and union status.
Electricians earn an average hourly wage of $34/hour based on a 2,080-hour work year. Entry-level (10th percentile) hourly pay is about $27/hour, while top earners (90th percentile) make $61/hour or more.
Portland offers the highest median pay for electricians at $102,070. 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 11% wage growth over 5 years, electrician is growing faster than many occupations. There are approximately 309,770 jobs nationwide across 30 metro areas.
Becoming a electrician typically requires a 4-year apprenticeship program combining on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Entry-level pay starts around $55,270 (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.
this entity is one of the data points covered by this site’s U.S. skilled-trade wage data dataset. The detail above comes directly from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey; the context that follows situates the headline numbers against the broader distribution across U.S. trades, cities, and states.
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.