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March 6, 2024

How Much Does an Electrician Make?

IEC Rocky Mountain

Whether you’re picking your first career or your next, evaluating how much each option pays is critical. You may have heard that electricians are in-demand jobs, largely immune from the automation that’s reducing the need for other work. If so, you’ve likely wondered what the pay is like. So, how much does an electrician make? This article will explore that question from various levels within the profession. 

Entry-Level Apprentice Electricians

Entry-level electricians are typically in their first year of professional work. They are often apprentices working with more experienced electricians to learn the basics of their trade. This foundational part of an electrician’s career provides them with the skills and hands-on experience they’ll need to understand safety procedures, wiring, installation, and other fundamentals of electrical work. 

So, how much does an apprentice electrician make? Like the other answers we’ll cover, it depends greatly on the region the electrician works in. While it will vary by region, we can look at nationwide data to draw some conclusions. According to the salary tracking site Glassdoor, the median salary for an electrician in 2024 is around $69,000 per year. Of course, a beginner, apprentice electrician, and others working at the entry level in the field will earn less. Instead, new electricians can expect to earn something towards the lower end of the scale. That puts the expected pay somewhere around the $42,000 range.

Intermediate Apprentice Electricians (2-4 years of experience)

When an electrician has gained some experience, they’ll work as an intermediate electrician. These workers can take on complex tasks and perform various electrical tasks independently. They’ll troubleshoot and repair problems and install new electrical systems with limited need for direct supervision. With this increased experience and responsibility, intermediate electricians will earn more than they were just starting. 

One important note about the Glassdoor data is that it’s for the role of electrician. They have a separate category for senior electricians and above. That means the $69,000 average they give for the position is close to what an intermediate electrician can expect to make. Of course, this, too, varies by area and years of experience. Intermediate electricians working longer could be making closer to the higher end of the scale, which is $65,000.

Licensed Journeyman Electrician (4-6 years of experience)

Once an electrician has gained enough experience and has received their Journeyman licensure, they are well-versed enough in their trade to take on even greater responsibility. A Journeyman electrician can handle complex tasks independently and has the skill and experience to plan and execute large-scale installations and mentor apprentices looking to get started in the field. As expected, this comes with another bump in pay.

To get an idea about the pay of a Journeyman electrician, we can once again turn to data from Glassdoor. Because the data specifically refers to Journeyman electricians, those who first get hired can expect to make closer to the lower end of the pay scale estimate. In this case, that’s around $80,000. In addition to varying by location and experience, the pay will likely consider other factors, like the level of responsibility required for the job. 

Master Electrician (8+ years of experience)

As an electrician’s career progresses, they may be put in charge of other electricians. When this happens, they’ll be responsible for overseeing teams of workers, ensuring that everyone remains compliant with regulations and safety standards, and performing administrative tasks such as budgeting, scheduling workers, and dealing with customers.

From Glassdoor data, the median pay for a master electrician was around $108,000. Because a master electrician is expected to take on much greater responsibility, they can expect a salary well north of that amount.

Invest in Your Success and Prosperity with IEC Rocky Mountain

If you’ve been wondering how much an electrician makes, you can see from that data that they can earn a pretty good living. If you’d like to join this in-demand and well-paying job, the first step is to get the training you need to succeed. IEC Rocky Mountain can provide you with hands-on practical training in addition to helping you land your first apprenticeship. Unlike other career paths, you can work in the electrical field while learning the craft. Contact us today to learn more about how we can prepare you for a new career as an electrician.

Shutterstock/Dmitry Kalinovsky

IECRM Self-Pay Tuition Policy

 

Self-pay students who are employed with a member company must register and pay through the member company using the IECRM Flashpoint Enrollment Portal/Process in order to qualify for member rates.

Self-pay students that are employed with a member company but that do not register and pay through the member will be charged the non-member rate for tuition, books and applicable fees.


Self-pay students who are employed with a member company and require a payment plan will not qualify for the member rate and will be charged the non-member rate for tuition, books and applicable fees.


Self-pay students who do not work for a member company will continue to be charged the non-member rate for tuition, books and applicable fees.


To maximize association/membership benefits, ALL member companies are encouraged to register and pay for all enrolled apprentices utilizing internal payment arrangements and processes between employer and employee.


We value our IECRM members and apprentice community. We encourage all apprentices to be enrolled in the four-year apprenticeship program, earning, and learning their way toward Journeyworker licensure. We encourage all members to utilize the member discount for tuition, books and applicable fees to ensure the long-term support and success of the next-generation electrician.


(Payment Plans are available, please reference the Self Pay Payment Plan Policy.)


Self-Pay Payment Plan Policy


We offer the following arrangements for students that are unable to pay in full at the time of registration.


● Self-pay students will be charged the non-member rate.
● A 50% down payment of total semester tuition, books and applicable fees are due at registration.
● Remaining balance can be divided up to 3 additional monthly payments ($10.00 processing fee applies on each installment)
● All payments that are declined will incur a $20.00 NSF fee.

 

We encourage all students who are employed with a member company to work with their employer to register and pay through the IECRM Flashpoint Enrollment Portal/Process. This will ensure the student is paying the lowest possible rate for tuition, books and applicable fees.