The Best-Paying U.S. Cities for Electricians

Note: This is the most recent release of our Best-Paying U.S. Cities for Electricians study. To see data from previous years, please visit the Full Results section below.

For anyone seeking a promising career option with plenty of opportunity in the next few decades, becoming an electrician would be a good choice.

Electricians can enter the field without four-year degrees and can instead opt for a less expensive trade school education or an apprenticeship that allows them to earn while they hone their skills. Demand for electricians’ services is already strong, but the field also has bright prospects given recent technology and policy shifts.

In the private sector, companies like Sunrun and Tesla are at the forefront of promoting new electric technologies to consumers. Simultaneously, the federal government has directed nearly $400 billion to clean energy through the Inflation Reduction Act. However, as the nation increasingly embraces electrification, a crucial challenge has emerged: the existing workforce of electricians may not be sufficient to meet the rising demand.

Strong Demand for Electricians

Electrician jobs are projected to grow 2.7X faster than average

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job opportunities for electricians are projected to grow at a pace nearly three times faster than the national average in the coming decade. Electrician employment is expected to rise by 10.8% from 2023 to 2033, far exceeding the 4.0% growth rate projected for all U.S. jobs.

Electricians are also set to outpace their peers in related construction trades. While the overall construction trades sector is anticipated to grow by 6.2% by 2033, plumbers and roofers are projected to see more moderate gains of 5.6% and 5.8%, respectively. Painter and carpenter jobs are expected to experience slower growth, increasing by 4.0% and 4.2%, respectively—both in line with or just above the national average.

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Electrician Salaries Compared

Electricians are well compensated compared to other skilled trade workers

In large part due to strong demand, electricians are well compensated compared to other skilled trade workers and to those with similar levels of required training. In 2023, the median annual wage for electricians was $61,590, approximately 28% higher than the median wage of $48,060 across all U.S. occupations.

Even within the skilled trades, electricians stand out for their pay. On average, electricians earn about 18% more than the broader group of construction trades workers. While plumbers have a similar median salary as electricians, other trades such as roofers and painters earn significantly less, with median wages of $50,030 and $47,700, respectively. Carpenters fall somewhere in between, with a median wage of $56,350.

Average Electrician Salary by State

Illinois offers the best compensation for electricians

Location plays a key role in the earning potential for electricians. Midwestern states, in particular, offer some of the highest wages when adjusted for cost of living, with Illinois leading the nation at an adjusted median annual wage of $93,910, followed by North Dakota at $85,860. While lower living costs in these states contribute to higher adjusted wages, industry mix and union strength are also significant factors.

For instance, Hawaii, despite being the second most expensive state, ranks third in electrician wages after cost-of-living adjustments. This is largely due to its top unionization rate, which drives wages higher. Similarly, Alaska, with above-average living costs, ranks sixth, thanks to its strong unions and a robust oil and gas industry that demands highly skilled electricians.

In contrast, Southern states generally offer lower wages for electricians, reflecting weaker unions and economies less reliant on industries that require skilled electrical work. Seven of the 10 worst-paying states for electricians are in the South.

The same factors are at play at the metro level, and accordingly, locations in Florida and Texas are overrepresented among the lowest-paying metropolitan areas for electricians, even when factoring in the states’ lower living costs. On the other hand, locations in Illinois—like Chicago, Decatur, and Champaign—stand out as offering some of the best compensation for the nation’s electricians.

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Below is a complete breakdown of cost-of-living-adjusted electrician pay across nearly 400 metropolitan areas (grouped by size) and all 50 states. The analysis was conducted by researchers at Construction Coverage, using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. For more information, refer to the methodology section.

Highest-Paying Large Cities for Electricians

Highest-Paying States for Electricians

*Median annual wage for electricians (adjusted)

Methodology

To determine the best-paying metros for electricians, researchers at Construction Coverage analyzed the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’s 2023 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis’ 2022 Regional Price Parities. The researchers ranked metropolitan areas according to the cost-of-living adjusted median annual wage for electricians. In the event of a tie, the location with the larger unadjusted median annual wage for electricians was ranked higher.

Only metropolitan areas with available data were included in the analysis. The cost of living for New England City and Town Areas (NECTAs) was calculated using data for equivalent Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), where applicable. Additionally, metro areas were grouped into the following cohorts based on population size: 

• Small metros: 100,000-349,999
• Midsize metros: 350,000-999,999
• Large metros: 1,000,000 or more

References

1. McKinsey & Company. (2024, April 17). The Inflation Reduction Act: Here’s what’s in it. Retrieved on September 14, 2024 from https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/public-sector/our-insights/the-inflation-reduction-act-heres-whats-in-it.
2. Groom, Nichola and Volcovici, Valerie. Reuters. (2023, January 11). Insight: Biden’s climate agenda has a problem: Not enough workers. Retrieved on September 14, 2024 from https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/bidens-climate-agenda-has-problem-not-enough-workers-2023-01-11/.
3. Jones, Jonathan. Construction Coverage. (2024, September 8). The Most Unionized Cities in America. Retrieved on September 14, 2024 from https://constructioncoverage.com/research/most-unionized-cities-in-america.
4. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023). Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics [Data set]. Retrieved on September 14, 2024 from https://www.bls.gov/oes/.
5. Bureau of Economic Analysis. (2022). Regional Price Parities by State and Metro Area. Retrieved on September 14, 2024 from https://www.bea.gov/data/prices-inflation/regional-price-parities-state-and-metro-area.

Full Results