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Electrician Salary in Durham, NC

U.S. median $62,350/yr ($29.97/hr)

If you are weighing the electrical trade in Durham, North Carolina, the numbers below show local pay against the $62,350 national median, plus the jobs hiring near you right now.

Checking live local pay...

National benchmarks

Median$62,350/yr ($29.97/hr)
Hourly range$19 to $51/hr
Bottom 10%under $39,430/yr
Top 10%over $106,030/yr

Local pay in Durham moves with cost of living, union presence, and demand. The live figure above reflects what Durham employers are posting right now.

Pay by experience

Apprentice / entryRegistered apprentices usually start at 40 to 50 percent of journeyman scale and get a raise every 6 to 12 months. You earn while you learn, with no tuition debt. This is the group that makes up most of the bottom-10 percent under $39,430.$18 to $22/hr (about $37,000 to $46,000/yr)
Journeyman / midOnce you pass the journeyman exam and hold a license, you are around and above the $62,350 median. Union inside-wireman scale, overtime, and moving from residential to commercial work push you toward the high end.$27 to $40/hr (about $56,000 to $83,000/yr)
Experienced / masterMaster electricians, top journeymen in strong union locals, and specialists in industrial, utility, or controls work reach and pass the top-10 percent mark of $106,030. Big-city IBEW journeyman scale alone runs $50 to $60+ an hour before benefits.$40 to $55+/hr (about $85,000 to $115,000+/yr)
Foreman / ownerForemen and general foremen earn a premium over the crew. Licensed contractors who own a shop are not in the BLS wage data at all, and profit on labor and materials can put earnings well into six figures.$55 to $75+/hr or $110,000 to $160,000+/yr

Electrician jobs in Durham

See Electrician jobs hiring in Durham with pay shown upfront.

Electrician pay in nearby cities

Charlotte, NCRaleigh, NCGreensboro, NCWinston-Salem, NC

Electrician pay in Durham: FAQs

How much do electricians make an hour?

The median is $29.97 an hour as of May 2024 (BLS). Most electricians fall between about $19 and $51 an hour, with apprentices at the low end and licensed masters, foremen, and union journeymen in big cities at the top.

Do electricians make good money?

Yes. The median electrician earns $62,350 a year, above the median for all U.S. jobs, and the top 10 percent make more than $106,030. You earn while you train, so you can reach that without college debt.

What is the highest-paying electrician job?

Industrial, utility, and power-generation work, union foreman and general foreman roles, traveling per-diem jobs on shutdowns and data centers, and specialties like controls, solar, and EV charging pay the most. Master electricians who own a shop earn the highest of all.

Can you make $100,000 as an electrician?

Yes. The top 10 percent already earn over $106,030. Paths there include a master license, union scale in a high-cost metro, steady overtime, industrial or travel work with per-diem, or owning your own electrical business.

How much do electrician apprentices make?

Apprentices usually start around $18 to $22 an hour, about 40 to 50 percent of journeyman scale, with a raise every 6 to 12 months. By the last year they are near full journeyman pay, and there is no tuition to pay back.