Electricians
Electricians (SOC 47-2111) earn a median $63,190 a year ($30.38 an hour) in the United States, with 757,220 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Oregon.
What electricians do
Electricians install, maintain and repair electrical wiring, equipment and fixtures, and make sure the work follows relevant codes. They prepare sketches or follow blueprints to find where wiring and equipment belong, plan the layout against job specifications and local codes, place conduit, pipes or tubing inside partitions and walls, and pull insulated wires or cables through to complete circuits between boxes. Wires are connected to circuit breakers, transformers and other components, and the work is tested with equipment such as oscilloscopes, ammeters and test lamps. Some electricians also install or service street lights, intercoms or electrical control systems. Climbing ladders, scaffolds and roofs is part of the job, and electricians are expected to maintain a current license or identification card to meet governmental regulations. Security and fire alarm systems installers (49-2098) are excluded and have their own code.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most common level is a postsecondary certificate earned through a training program after high school.
Also called: Airport Electrician, Antenna Installer, Antenna Rigger, Commercial Electrician, Conduit Installer.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $20.50 | $23.76 | $30.38 | $40.36 | $52.17 | $34.37 | 757,220 |
| Annual | $42,640 | $49,430 | $63,190 | $83,940 | $108,510 | $71,490 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where electricians earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $28.63 | $38.03 | $48.71 | $58.50 | $63.24 | $47.96 | 10,590 | 5.38 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $59,550 | $79,110 | $101,310 | $121,680 | $131,530 | $99,750 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $23.67 | $35.35 | $47.87 | $56.47 | $59.45 | $44.34 | 23,120 | 3.79 | 0.78 |
| Annual | $49,240 | $73,520 | $99,560 | $117,460 | $123,660 | $92,230 | ||||
| Hawaii | Hourly | $21.99 | $33.88 | $46.38 | $58.05 | $59.90 | $44.65 | 3,070 | 4.90 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $45,730 | $70,460 | $96,460 | $120,740 | $124,590 | $92,870 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $25.08 | $32.04 | $45.78 | $58.43 | $64.40 | $45.42 | 19,380 | 5.46 | 1.12 |
| Annual | $52,170 | $66,630 | $95,220 | $121,530 | $133,950 | $94,470 | ||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $28.09 | $32.11 | $43.00 | $50.75 | $59.23 | $43.29 | 1,870 | 5.73 | 1.18 |
| Annual | $58,420 | $66,780 | $89,440 | $105,550 | $123,200 | $90,040 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Texas | Hourly | $18.23 | $22.44 | $28.16 | $34.20 | $38.61 | $28.50 | 76,770 | 5.46 | 1.12 |
| Annual | $37,920 | $46,670 | $58,570 | $71,130 | $80,300 | $59,280 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $22.50 | $28.50 | $36.62 | $49.52 | $67.47 | $41.28 | 73,310 | 4.03 | 0.83 |
| Annual | $46,800 | $59,280 | $76,160 | $103,000 | $140,340 | $85,860 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $18.36 | $22.91 | $27.52 | $29.76 | $37.10 | $27.72 | 49,700 | 5.01 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $38,190 | $47,660 | $57,250 | $61,900 | $77,180 | $57,660 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $21.99 | $29.08 | $37.86 | $51.16 | $63.29 | $40.80 | 40,130 | 4.14 | 0.85 |
| Annual | $45,740 | $60,480 | $78,750 | $106,420 | $131,640 | $84,860 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $19.59 | $24.10 | $31.11 | $38.70 | $47.73 | $33.09 | 28,950 | 5.22 | 1.07 |
| Annual | $40,750 | $50,120 | $64,700 | $80,500 | $99,280 | $68,840 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Kankakee, IL | Hourly | $28.55 | $34.26 | $50.72 | $52.74 | $53.60 | $43.68 | 140 | 3.22 | 0.66 |
| Annual | $59,390 | $71,250 | $105,500 | $109,690 | $111,490 | $90,850 | ||||
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | Hourly | $29.02 | $37.95 | $50.53 | $60.26 | $64.61 | $49.53 | 7,340 | 6.07 | 1.25 |
| Annual | $60,360 | $78,930 | $105,090 | $125,330 | $134,380 | $103,030 | ||||
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | Hourly | $26.73 | $37.28 | $50.24 | $61.66 | $75.30 | $49.54 | 740 | 14.07 | 2.89 |
| Annual | $55,590 | $77,540 | $104,510 | $128,250 | $156,620 | $103,040 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $23.99 | $35.77 | $49.21 | $57.05 | $59.65 | $45.41 | 17,720 | 3.93 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $49,890 | $74,400 | $102,350 | $118,660 | $124,070 | $94,450 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $26.77 | $36.35 | $48.93 | $60.55 | $72.74 | $47.94 | 9,750 | 4.67 | 0.96 |
| Annual | $55,690 | $75,610 | $101,780 | $125,950 | $151,290 | $99,720 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $22.20 | $29.81 | $37.99 | $60.59 | $63.54 | $42.63 | 36,550 | 3.85 | 0.79 |
| Annual | $46,170 | $61,990 | $79,020 | $126,030 | $132,170 | $88,670 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $18.63 | $22.85 | $28.37 | $34.32 | $39.26 | $28.83 | 20,930 | 5.17 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $38,740 | $47,530 | $59,010 | $71,390 | $81,660 | $59,960 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $22.19 | $28.29 | $35.49 | $49.01 | $63.31 | $39.57 | 20,610 | 3.29 | 0.67 |
| Annual | $46,140 | $58,830 | $73,810 | $101,930 | $131,680 | $82,300 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $18.66 | $22.71 | $28.45 | $35.44 | $40.61 | $29.55 | 19,730 | 6.00 | 1.23 |
| Annual | $38,800 | $47,240 | $59,180 | $73,710 | $84,470 | $61,470 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $23.99 | $35.77 | $49.21 | $57.05 | $59.65 | $45.41 | 17,720 | 3.93 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $49,890 | $74,400 | $102,350 | $118,660 | $124,070 | $94,450 | ||||
Top industries employing electricians
Building Equipment Contractors employ 74.0% of electricians nationally (560,290 jobs) at a median $61,640 a year ($29.64 an hour), followed by Employment Services (2.7%) and Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (2.0%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building Equipment Contractors NAICS 238200 | 560,290 | 74.0% | $61,640 | $29.64 |
| Employment Services NAICS 561300 | 20,510 | 2.7% | $57,760 | $27.77 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 15,330 | 2.0% | $82,120 | $39.48 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction NAICS 236200 | 14,670 | 1.9% | $64,010 | $30.77 |
| Utility System Construction NAICS 237100 | 13,080 | 1.7% | $73,310 | $35.24 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (757,220). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $60,040 for electricians in May 2021 and $63,190 in May 2025, with employment of 650,580 and 757,220.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $60,040 | $28.87 | 650,580 |
| May 2022 | $60,240 | $28.96 | 690,050 |
| May 2023 | $61,590 | $29.61 | 712,580 |
| May 2024 | $62,350 | $29.98 | 742,580 |
| May 2025 | $63,190 | $30.38 | 757,220 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon profile | $48.71 | $101,310 | $59,550 | $131,530 | 10,590 | 5.38 | 1.11 |
| 2 | Illinois profile | $47.87 | $99,560 | $49,240 | $123,660 | 23,120 | 3.79 | 0.78 |
| 3 | Hawaii profile | $46.38 | $96,460 | $45,730 | $124,590 | 3,070 | 4.90 | 1.01 |
| 4 | Washington profile | $45.78 | $95,220 | $52,170 | $133,950 | 19,380 | 5.46 | 1.12 |
| 5 | Alaska profile | $43.00 | $89,440 | $58,420 | $123,200 | 1,870 | 5.73 | 1.18 |
| 6 | Massachusetts profile | $38.18 | $79,420 | $46,990 | $128,210 | 17,810 | 4.90 | 1.01 |
| 7 | District of Columbia profile | $37.97 | $78,970 | $51,950 | $125,790 | 2,440 | 3.47 | 0.71 |
| 8 | New York profile | $37.86 | $78,750 | $45,740 | $131,640 | 40,130 | 4.14 | 0.85 |
| 9 | Minnesota profile | $37.58 | $78,160 | $47,480 | $118,820 | 14,350 | 4.86 | 1.00 |
| 10 | Connecticut profile | $37.28 | $77,540 | $47,680 | $104,280 | 7,710 | 4.55 | 0.93 |
| 11 | New Jersey profile | $37.14 | $77,250 | $48,570 | $130,860 | 13,520 | 3.15 | 0.65 |
| 12 | Montana profile | $36.90 | $76,760 | $49,130 | $89,510 | 2,750 | 5.37 | 1.10 |
| 13 | Wisconsin profile | $36.80 | $76,540 | $44,830 | $101,770 | 14,310 | 4.87 | 1.00 |
| 14 | Michigan profile | $36.67 | $76,270 | $42,980 | $103,120 | 23,530 | 5.34 | 1.10 |
| 15 | California profile | $36.62 | $76,160 | $46,800 | $140,340 | 73,310 | 4.03 | 0.83 |
| 16 | Wyoming profile | $36.59 | $76,120 | $48,240 | $104,000 | 2,960 | 10.54 | 2.16 |
| 17 | Maine profile | $36.24 | $75,380 | $54,180 | $115,720 | 3,780 | 5.89 | 1.21 |
| 18 | Rhode Island profile | $35.62 | $74,090 | $42,990 | $102,840 | 2,420 | 4.83 | 0.99 |
| 19 | Nevada profile | $35.37 | $73,570 | $46,110 | $121,200 | 8,350 | 5.38 | 1.11 |
| 20 | Maryland profile | $35.33 | $73,490 | $46,450 | $118,370 | 13,690 | 4.95 | 1.02 |
| 21 | Indiana profile | $32.93 | $68,490 | $43,190 | $99,310 | 19,020 | 5.94 | 1.22 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania profile | $32.50 | $67,600 | $45,600 | $122,620 | 22,730 | 3.75 | 0.77 |
| 23 | Kansas profile | $31.66 | $65,860 | $42,660 | $96,830 | 6,350 | 4.42 | 0.91 |
| 24 | North Dakota profile | $31.59 | $65,710 | $46,440 | $101,020 | 3,570 | 8.31 | 1.71 |
| 25 | Missouri profile | $31.45 | $65,410 | $43,860 | $104,060 | 12,780 | 4.35 | 0.89 |
| 26 | West Virginia profile | $31.16 | $64,810 | $43,620 | $95,140 | 4,290 | 6.11 | 1.25 |
| 27 | Ohio profile | $31.11 | $64,700 | $40,750 | $99,280 | 28,950 | 5.22 | 1.07 |
| 28 | Delaware profile | $30.63 | $63,700 | $38,280 | $105,340 | 2,260 | 4.66 | 0.96 |
| 29 | Vermont profile | $30.49 | $63,430 | $47,470 | $132,080 | 1,270 | 4.17 | 0.86 |
| 30 | Idaho profile | $30.29 | $63,000 | $38,830 | $95,470 | 5,690 | 6.64 | 1.36 |
| 31 | Virginia profile | $30.24 | $62,900 | $40,780 | $105,720 | 23,630 | 5.75 | 1.18 |
| 32 | New Hampshire profile | $30.21 | $62,840 | $43,190 | $91,850 | 3,330 | 4.87 | 1.00 |
| 33 | Colorado profile | $29.92 | $62,230 | $45,520 | $94,160 | 17,010 | 5.92 | 1.22 |
| 34 | Utah profile | $29.81 | $62,000 | $39,940 | $89,110 | 11,450 | 6.60 | 1.36 |
| 35 | Louisiana profile | $29.59 | $61,540 | $38,750 | $81,810 | 10,550 | 5.45 | 1.12 |
| 36 | South Dakota profile | $29.51 | $61,390 | $44,320 | $80,060 | 2,980 | 6.51 | 1.34 |
| 37 | Tennessee profile | $29.37 | $61,090 | $39,600 | $92,160 | 17,070 | 5.21 | 1.07 |
| 38 | Arizona profile | $29.36 | $61,060 | $45,540 | $89,600 | 21,140 | 6.53 | 1.34 |
| 39 | Oklahoma profile | $29.33 | $61,010 | $37,900 | $92,740 | 8,500 | 4.98 | 1.02 |
| 40 | Iowa profile | $29.26 | $60,860 | $39,770 | $89,480 | 10,310 | 6.61 | 1.36 |
| 41 | Mississippi profile | $29.26 | $60,860 | $38,200 | $76,540 | 6,610 | 5.68 | 1.17 |
| 42 | Nebraska profile | $29.24 | $60,820 | $40,400 | $94,040 | 6,440 | 6.29 | 1.29 |
| 43 | Kentucky profile | $28.71 | $59,720 | $37,110 | $85,260 | 11,030 | 5.52 | 1.13 |
| 44 | South Carolina profile | $28.24 | $58,740 | $44,330 | $77,800 | 8,010 | 3.47 | 0.71 |
| 45 | Texas profile | $28.16 | $58,570 | $37,920 | $80,300 | 76,770 | 5.46 | 1.12 |
| 46 | New Mexico profile | $28.07 | $58,390 | $36,650 | $86,830 | 5,020 | 5.76 | 1.18 |
| 47 | Georgia profile | $28.04 | $58,320 | $37,180 | $84,000 | 21,650 | 4.43 | 0.91 |
| 48 | Florida profile | $27.52 | $57,250 | $38,190 | $77,180 | 49,700 | 5.01 | 1.03 |
| 49 | North Carolina profile | $27.31 | $56,800 | $40,130 | $75,060 | 21,640 | 4.38 | 0.90 |
| 50 | Alabama profile | $26.78 | $55,690 | $37,640 | $78,230 | 10,900 | 5.16 | 1.06 |
| 51 | Arkansas profile | $23.59 | $49,070 | $34,910 | $74,460 | 7,500 | 5.75 | 1.18 |
Part of Construction and Extraction Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 47-2111 Electricians.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 47-2111, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 47-2111.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.