Electrician
State-by-state licensing requirements, salary data, and career ROI
What Is an Electrician?
Electricians install, maintain, and repair electrical systems in homes, commercial buildings, and industrial facilities — wiring, circuit breakers, outlets, lighting, and control systems. Most states use a tiered licensing system (apprentice, journeyman, master) that requires a combination of classroom instruction and thousands of hours of on-the-job training, typically through a 4–5 year apprenticeship.
The Landscape
The national median salary for electricians stands at $62,350, with a healthy growth projection of +9.5%, indicating a stable and in-demand profession that is also minimally exposed to AI disruption. A clear regional divide emerges, with the Pacific Northwest leading the nation in earnings; Oregon and Washington command the highest median salaries at $97,320 and $96,530 respectively, reflecting strong economies and a high cost of living that also necessitates rigorous licensing.
A striking pattern involves states with no statewide licensing, which don't necessarily correlate with lower pay; Illinois, for example, boasts a median salary of $96,360, placing it among the top earners despite local rather than state regulation. Similarly, New York ($77,460) also relies on municipal licensing, demonstrating that strong local markets and demand can drive high wages even without a centralized state standard. Conversely, many Southern states, including Arkansas ($49,420) and Alabama ($52,420), generally fall at the lower end of the salary spectrum, often coinciding with a lower cost of living and, in many cases, an absence of statewide licensing.
Across the board, most states that require a license mandate 8,000 hours of experience, typically gained over four to five years, but the continuing education requirements vary wildly, from a mere 3 hours every three years in Virginia to 24 hours every three years in Oregon. This diversity means that while the foundational experience is often similar, the ongoing commitment to maintain licensure can differ substantially, impacting long-term professional development and mobility.
Electrician by State
Click any state for detailed requirements, salary percentiles, and ROI analysis.
| State | License Required | Median Salary | vs. National | Time to Complete |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Yes | $52,420 | -15.9% | 4-5 years |
| Alaska | Yes | $81,860 | +31.3% | Approximately 4 years (based on 8,000 hours of experience) |
| Arizona | Yes | $59,480 | -4.6% | 4-5 years (including apprenticeship) |
| Arkansas | Yes | $49,420 | -20.7% | 4 years |
| California | Yes | $76,540 | +22.8% | 4-5 years |
| Colorado | Yes | $62,090 | -0.4% | 4 years (apprenticeship) |
| Connecticut | Yes | $76,790 | +23.2% | 4 years |
| Delaware | Yes | $62,970 | +1.0% | 4-5 years (apprenticeship) |
| District of Columbia | Yes | $81,950 | +31.4% | 4 years (apprenticeship) or 8 years (master electrician experience) |
| Florida | No | $53,100 | -14.8% | 4-5 years (for journeyman); 6 years (for certified electrical contractor) |
| Georgia | Yes | $58,860 | -5.6% | — |
| Hawaii | Yes | $83,200 | +33.4% | 5 years |
| Idaho | Yes | $60,670 | -2.7% | 4 years (apprenticeship) |
| Illinois | No | $96,360 | +54.5% | Approximately 4 years (for initial certification/journeyman level) |
| Indiana | No | $65,480 | +5.0% | 4-6 years (including apprenticeship) |
| Iowa | Yes | $62,880 | +0.9% | 4 years |
| Kansas | No | $61,830 | -0.8% | Approximately 2 years for Journeyman (4,000 hours experience + 240 hours classroom instruction) |
| Kentucky | Yes | $59,490 | -4.6% | 4 years of experience plus classroom training |
| Louisiana | Yes | $59,590 | -4.4% | Varies depending on experience and exam scheduling |
| Maine | Yes | $67,820 | +8.8% | 4 years (8,000 hours experience) |
| Maryland | Yes | $65,650 | +5.3% | 4-7 years (including experience) |
| Massachusetts | Yes | $82,120 | +31.7% | 4 years |
| Michigan | Yes | $72,680 | +16.6% | 4 years |
| Minnesota | Yes | $81,430 | +30.6% | 48 months of full-time experience (8000 hours) |
| Mississippi | Yes | $57,300 | -8.1% | Approximately 5 years (for journeyman level, including apprenticeship) |
| Missouri | No | $70,950 | +13.8% | — |
| Montana | Yes | $68,980 | +10.6% | 4-5 years |
| Nebraska | Yes | $60,020 | -3.7% | 4 years |
| Nevada | No | $64,950 | +4.2% | Approximately 4 years for journeyman electrician; additional experience for contractor license. |
| New Hampshire | Yes | $61,990 | -0.6% | 4 years |
| New Jersey | Yes | $73,090 | +17.2% | 5-6 years |
| New Mexico | Yes | $56,890 | -8.8% | 4 years |
| New York | No | $77,460 | +24.2% | Varies significantly by municipality and individual's experience/education path |
| North Carolina | Yes | $54,070 | -13.3% | Varies by license type and individual experience |
| North Dakota | Yes | $65,820 | +5.6% | 3 years (minimum) to 4 years |
| Ohio | No | $63,560 | +1.9% | — |
| Oklahoma | Yes | $60,050 | -3.7% | 4 years |
| Oregon | Yes | $97,320 | +56.1% | 4 years (for General Journeyman Electrician) |
| Pennsylvania | No | $65,400 | +4.9% | Varies by municipality; typically 3-5 years for experience/apprenticeship. |
| Rhode Island | Yes | $70,160 | +12.5% | 4 years |
| South Carolina | Yes | $58,260 | -6.6% | 2 years (for journeyman experience) |
| South Dakota | Yes | $58,550 | -6.1% | 4 years |
| Tennessee | Yes | $59,190 | -5.1% | — |
| Texas | Yes | $56,920 | -8.7% | 4 years |
| Utah | Yes | $61,430 | -1.5% | 4 years |
| Vermont | Yes | $59,670 | -4.3% | At least 4 years (for apprenticeship) or equivalent experience |
| Virginia | Yes | $61,610 | -1.2% | 4 years |
| Washington | Yes | $96,530 | +54.8% | Approximately 4 years of experience as an electrical trainee, plus classroom instruction. |
| West Virginia | Yes | $63,850 | +2.4% | 1 year (2000 hours) of experience, or completion of a 1080-hour vocational course or apprenticeship program. |
| Wisconsin | Yes | $75,090 | +20.4% | 4 years (apprenticeship) or 4-7 years (experience) |
| Wyoming | Yes | $73,450 | +17.8% | 4 years |
Highest-Paying States for Electricians
| # | State | Median Salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $97,320 | 9,830 |
| 2 | Washington | $96,530 | 18,380 |
| 3 | Illinois | $96,360 | 22,880 |
| 4 | Hawaii | $83,200 | 3,020 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $82,120 | 16,570 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $81,950 | 2,130 |
| 7 | Alaska | $81,860 | 1,820 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $81,430 | 12,970 |
| 9 | New York | $77,460 | 40,380 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $76,790 | 7,570 |
Find a Training Program
Compare electrician programs at trade schools across the country — ranked by graduate earnings, ROI, and AI resilience.