Electrician Salaries by State: Trades Pay in 2024

Electricians install, maintain, and repair electrical systems in homes, commercial buildings, and industrial facilities. Strong demand driven by construction activity, electrification of transportation, and renewable energy buildout has kept electrician wages healthy — and the persistent shortage of qualified tradespeople has pushed wages up in many markets.

Apprenticeship vs. Journeyman vs. Master

Electrician wages are strongly tiered by experience and license level. Apprentices earn a fraction of journeyman rates while learning on the job over a 4–5 year apprenticeship. Journeyman electricians earn the BLS median figure. Master electricians — who can pull permits and run their own shops — earn above the median. BLS OEWS data blends all these levels into a single occupation median.

Union vs. Non-Union

Union electricians (IBEW) in major metro areas typically earn significantly more than non-union counterparts in the same geography. This wage premium is most pronounced in Illinois, New York, and California, where union density is high and collectively bargained rates are well above market averages.

Highest-Paying States

Illinois, New York, Alaska, and California consistently show the highest median wages for electricians. Browse the Construction and Extraction Occupations group for wages on all trades.