Trade hub
Electrician
Install and maintain the power, lighting and control systems in homes, businesses and industrial plants.
- Median pay
- $61,590/yr
- Entry path
- 4–5 years
- Job outlook
- +11%
What electricians do
Electricians install, maintain and repair the electrical systems that carry power and data through buildings, plants and infrastructure. The trade divides broadly into residential, commercial and industrial work, and most electricians reach journeyman status through a paid apprenticeship rather than a degree. Licensing is handled at the state or municipal level, so the exact path depends on where you intend to work.
- Median annual pay
- $61,590
- $29.61 per hour
- Typical range
- $38,150–$104,180
- 10th to 90th percentile
- Projected growth
- +11%
- 2023–2033 projections
- Annual openings
- 80,200
- Growth plus replacement
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2023 national wage estimates. Local pay varies substantially with union scale, prevailing wage projects and regional demand. Estimate pay for your area.
The work itself
A typical day
- Read blueprints, one-line diagrams and panel schedules
- Rough-in raceway, cable and boxes ahead of inspection
- Terminate devices, panels, gear and controls
- Troubleshoot faults with a meter, clamp and thermal camera
- Pull permits and walk the job with an inspector
Where you work
- Occupied homes and residential new construction
- Commercial buildings and tenant fit-outs
- Manufacturing plants and data centers
- Outdoors, in attics, crawlspaces and trenches
Physical demands
Regular ladder work, overhead drilling, kneeling and lifting 50+ lb. Confined spaces and attic heat are routine. Arc flash and shock hazards make procedure discipline non-negotiable.
The honest tradeoffs
What works in your favor
- Among the highest-paid entry paths that require no degree
- Apprenticeship is paid from day one, so you earn while you learn
- Skills transfer across residential, commercial and industrial work
- Clear path to a contractor license and your own business
What to go in knowing
- Apprenticeship slots in strong locals are genuinely competitive
- Physically demanding in attics, crawlspaces and trenches
- Shock and arc flash risk requires constant discipline
- Commercial work often means night shifts and travel
Getting in
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Training route
- 4–5 year paid apprenticeship, or trade school plus apprenticeship
- Apprenticeship length
- 4–5 years (roughly 8,000 on-the-job hours)
- Licensing
- Journeyman and master licenses are issued by states or municipalities; most require documented hours plus an exam.
Where the trade splits
Pay and working conditions diverge sharply by specialization. These are the paths most electricians end up choosing between.
- Residential wireman
- Inside wireman (commercial)
- Industrial electrician
- Low voltage / VDV technician
- Lineman (outside wireman)
- Instrumentation and controls
- Solar PV and battery storage
- Marine and shipboard electrician
Credentials that matter
- Journeyman Electrician LicenseState or municipal licensing board
- Master Electrician LicenseState or municipal licensing board
- OSHA 30-Hour ConstructionOSHA-authorized trainer
- NFPA 70E Electrical SafetyNational Fire Protection Association
- NABCEP PV Installation ProfessionalNABCEP
Electrician field tools
The calculators this trade uses on the job. Everything runs in the browser.
- CalculatorOhm's LawSolve for volts, amps, ohms or watts from any two known values.
- CalculatorVoltage DropCheck whether a conductor run stays inside the 3% branch-circuit voltage drop recommendation.
- CalculatorWire SizingFind the minimum conductor size for a load based on ampacity, temperature, bundling and distance.
- CalculatorConduit FillCheck conductor fill against NEC Chapter 9 limits and find the trade size you need.
- CalculatorBox FillCount conductor volume allowances to confirm a device box is legally large enough.
- CalculatorLoad CalculationRun a standard NEC Article 220 dwelling load calculation to size a residential service.
- CalculatorJob PricingBuild a defensible price from labor, materials, overhead and your target profit margin.
- CalculatorShop RateDetermine the hourly rate you must charge to cover overhead and hit your income target.
- CalculatorJob ProfitabilityCompare quoted price against actual hours and material to see what a job really earned.
- CalculatorBreak-EvenFind the revenue and billable hours required to cover fixed and variable costs.
- CalculatorMarkup / MarginConvert between markup and gross margin so you stop pricing below your intended profit.
- PlannerStarter Tool KitBuild a first-year tool list for your trade and see what it costs at three quality tiers.
- ComparisonRent vs. BuyCompare renting against buying a tool across the number of times you will actually use it.
For homeowners: when you need an electrician
- Breakers that trip repeatedly or a warm panel
- Adding circuits for an EV charger, hot tub or range
- Replacing a fuse box or an ungrounded two-prong system
- Flickering lights, buzzing outlets or a burning smell
- Any work that requires a permit and inspection
Diagnose it first
What it should cost
Decide what to do
- CalculatorLoad CalculationRun a standard NEC Article 220 dwelling load calculation to size a residential service.
- EstimatorRepair CostEstimate what a common home repair should cost in your area before you call anyone.
- ComparisonRepair vs. ReplaceCompare the economics of repairing a failing system against replacing it outright.
- ComparisonDIY vs. ProWeigh cost, time, tools, permits, risk and consequences before you take on a job yourself.
- DiagnosticQuote AnalyzerBreak down a contractor's quote and see whether the price and the terms are reasonable.
- PlannerMaintenance PlannerGenerate a seasonal maintenance schedule tailored to your home's systems, age and climate.
- DiagnosticHome HealthAssess the remaining life of your major systems and see what is likely to fail next.
- EstimatorRenovation CostEstimate a kitchen, bath, basement or addition project by scope, finish level and region.
- ComparisonRent vs. BuyCompare renting against buying a tool across the number of times you will actually use it.
- ChecklistHiring ChecklistWork through license, insurance, contract and payment checks before you sign anything.
Find electricians near you
Consent-based listings ranked by distance, relevance and verification date — never by payment.
- Electricians in New York
- Electricians in Los Angeles
- Electricians in Chicago
- Electricians in Houston
- Electricians in Phoenix
- Electricians in Philadelphia
- Electricians in San Antonio
- Electricians in San Diego
Related trades
Trades that share skills, tools or career adjacency.
- HVAC TechnicianInstall, service and troubleshoot the heating, cooling, ventilation and refrigeration systems buildings depend on.
- Industrial Maintenance TechnicianKeep production equipment running by maintaining mechanical, hydraulic, electrical and control systems.
- PlumberInstall and repair the water supply, drainage, gas and fixture systems that keep buildings habitable.