How Much Does a Power Line Installer Make? (2024)
Electrical · SOC Code 49-9051 · 4-year apprenticeship
The average power line installer 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 power line installers clear $100K in 30 of 30 metros
The 90th-percentile power line installer 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 power line installer pay nationally is $101,512 — the $100K mark is the high-earner ceiling, not the middle.
National Salary Range
Power Line Installer salaries range from $75,630 to $130,730 median across cities, depending on location, union membership, and experience level.
Power Line Installer 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 Power Line Installer Pay
Power Line Installers 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 power line installer 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 power line installer?
Step-by-step path: 4-year apprenticeship, certifications, state licensing, and apprentice-to-master pay timeline.
Related Electrical Trades
Frequently Asked Questions
The average power line installer 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.
Power Line Installers 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 power line installers 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, power line installer offers steady career prospects. There are approximately 39,600 jobs nationwide across 30 metro areas.
Becoming a power line installer 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.
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.
The methodology behind every numeric value on this page is publicly documented on the the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey portal and described in detail on this site’s methodology page. Refresh cadence varies by underlying series; the page surfaces the as-of date for each number so readers can trace any figure back to the source release.
For readers using this page as a decision input, the related-entity pages elsewhere on the site provide the comparison set. The most useful comparison for this entity is typically a peer within U.S. trades, cities, and states with similar size, similar exposure, or similar geography — not the national-level summary alone.