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Electricians

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipHigh pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

Install, maintain, and repair electrical wiring, equipment, and fixtures. Ensure that work is in accordance with relevant codes. May install or service street lights, intercom systems, or electrical control systems.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $63,190 Median per year · $30.38/hr Most earn $42,640–$108,510

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Use a variety of tools or equipment, such as power construction equipment, measuring devices, power tools, and testing equipment, such as oscilloscopes, ammeters, or test lamps.
  • Provide preliminary sketches or cost estimates for materials or services.
  • Provide preliminary sketches or cost estimates for materials or services.
  • Perform business management duties, such as maintaining records or files, preparing reports, or ordering supplies or equipment.
  • Repair or replace wiring, equipment, or fixtures, using hand tools or power tools.
  • Construct or fabricate parts, using hand tools, according to specifications.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth; Numerous Job Openings

United States
9% more jobs by 2035, much faster than average · about 72,700 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Electrical contractors and other wiring installation contractors66.4%
  • Self-employed (their own business)7.1%
  • Temporary help services2.2%
  • Plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors2.1%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

On-siteExperience before this job: 6 months to 1 year

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipExperience before this job: 6 months to 1 year

Electrician is a skilled trade you can start in without a college degree. Most people finish high school, work for about 6 months to 1 year as an electrician's helper, and then move into an apprenticeship that leads to the full job.

  1. High school diploma (or equivalent)

    4 years

    Build a strong base in math, physics, and shop or technical classes, which you'll use on the job every day.

  2. Electrician Helper

    6 months to 1 year

    Assist licensed electricians with pulling wire, mounting boxes, and setting up tools, while learning job-site safety and how the work is done.

  3. Electrician

    Apprenticeship length varies

    Complete an apprenticeship or certificate program that combines paid on-the-job training with classroom study of electrical code, and then work as a fully trained electrician.

Where it can lead

  1. Master Electrician

    Varies by state and employer of experience first

    After working as an electrician for a number of years, you can take advanced licensing exams and may be able to supervise projects and pull permits, but exact requirements depend on where you live.

  2. Electrical Supervisor

    Varies by employer of experience first

    You move from doing the work to leading crews, planning jobs, and making sure work meets code, which usually takes years of hands-on experience and strong communication skills.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take algebra, physics, and any electrical or shop classesMath and physics help you understand circuits and loads, and shop classes give you hands-on experience.
  • Join a career and technical education (CTE) programIf your school offers a building trades or electrical pathway, it's a direct way to learn the basics and sometimes earn credits toward a certificate.
  • Get a part-time or summer job in construction or maintenanceHelping on a job site or with a maintenance crew teaches you to follow directions, use tools, and work safely.
  • Join a skills club, such as a robotics or SkillsUSA-style groupClubs that build and fix things help you practice teamwork and problem-solving, which employers look for.
  • Learn basic electrical safetyTake a free safety course or read up on safe practices so you understand the risks before you ever touch live wiring.

In college

  • Take math, physics, and technical coursesCourses in algebra, trigonometry, and physics support the calculations and circuit knowledge you'll use as an electrician.
  • Look for a construction or electrical internship or co-opHands-on work with a contractor or utility shows you what the job is really like and can lead to an apprenticeship offer.
  • Apply to an electrical apprenticeship program while in schoolMany programs accept applicants with a diploma and some college, and starting early can get you on a waiting list sooner.
  • Work a campus job in facilities or maintenanceHelping with building maintenance builds practical troubleshooting skills and a work history employers can see.
  • Earn a basic certification, such as OSHA 10-hour safety trainingSafety training is often required on job sites and shows employers you're ready to work responsibly.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask a local electrical contractor or union hall how their apprenticeship application works, and what math and reading skills they test.
  • Learn basic safety rules early, such as lockout/tagout and working with ladders, because employers value people who take safety seriously.
  • Get comfortable with hand tools and simple wiring projects at home, with an adult's supervision, so you show up to your first job with some confidence.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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