How Much Do Electricians Make?
National median $62,350/yr ($29.97/hr)
Electricians earn a national median wage of $62,350 a year, or $29.97 an hour, as of May 2024 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The lowest-paid 10 percent take home under $39,430, while the top 10 percent earn more than $106,030. That is a typical hourly range of about $19 to $51 an hour. The average (mean) wage sits higher than the median at $69,630, pulled up by well-paid union, industrial, and big-city electricians.
Where you land in that range comes down to a few things. New apprentices start near the bottom, licensed journeymen land around the median, and experienced masters, foremen, and specialists push toward the top. The BLS also does not count self-employed electricians who own their shop, so the real ceiling for contractors runs higher than these numbers show.
Pay climbs fastest when you stack the right factors. A journeyman or master license, union (IBEW-type) scale where it is strong, industrial or utility work instead of residential, steady overtime and shutdown hours, and travel jobs that add per-diem on top of wages all move the number up. High-cost, high-union states like Illinois, Oregon, Hawaii, Alaska, New York, Washington, and Massachusetts pay the most.
Pay by experience
Highest-paying paths
Journeyman scale runs about $30 to $60+ an hour depending on the local. Big-city locals in Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles top $50 to $60/hr, and the benefits package (health, pension, annuity) adds roughly another $8 to $15/hr in value.
Plants, refineries, and power utilities pay well above residential. Government and utility electricians often average $75,000 to $90,000, versus the low-$60,000s for general electrical contracting.
Road work on plant shutdowns, data centers, and large builds pays a daily per-diem of roughly $100 to $166 on top of wages, plus heavy overtime. A few months of travel work can add $20,000 or more.
Time-and-a-half and double-time during outages and deadline crunches are common and can add $15,000 to $30,000 to a year's pay.
Illinois leads with about $88,900 mean annual pay, followed by Oregon, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Alaska, New York (about $76,960), Washington, and Massachusetts.
Low-voltage and controls (PLC), solar and battery storage, EV charging, and data-center power are the fastest-growing premium niches and command wages above general wiring work.
How to earn more
- Finish a registered apprenticeship, pass your journeyman exam, then earn your master electrician license. Each step is a real pay jump.
- Work union (IBEW) scale where it is strong in your region. The base is higher and the pension and health package add thousands in value.
- Move from residential into commercial, industrial, or utility work, where the pay and overtime are richer.
- Take overtime, plant shutdowns, and travel jobs that pay per-diem of $100 to $166 a day on top of your wage.
- Add a high-demand specialty: controls and PLC, solar and battery storage, EV charging, or data-center power.
- Relocate to or take travel work in top-paying states like Illinois, Oregon, Hawaii, Alaska, New York, Washington, and Massachusetts.
- Once licensed and experienced, get bonded and run your own shop. Self-employed contractors are the highest earners in the trade.
See who's hiring
Browse Electrician jobs with pay shown upfront, or read the full Electrician career guide.
Electrician pay: common questions
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.