How Much Do Electricians Make?

Electricians make great money, and a lot of people don’t realize just how much money there is to be made in this trade. Depending on where you look, you’ll find a huge variety of different answers to the question, “how much do electricians make?” The reality is that you can make a fantastic living in this trade, and it’s probably more than most people think.

There are a number of different factors that contribute to exactly how much you will make as an electrician. Some of these factors include:

• What’s your experience level/ roll? (Apprentice, licensed journeyman, foreman, general foreman, project manager, etc)

• What type of electrical license do you hold? (Residential, Low Voltage/ LEA, Inside Electrician, etc)

• Are you union or non-union?

• Are you working overtime?

• Where do you live?

IBEW Local 48 As Example:

In Portland, Oregon with IBEW Local 48 (electrician’s union), electrician’s who have completed the inside electrician apprenticeship program and passed their state licensing exam make a whopping $57.35/ hr in wages alone. Additionally, they earn an employer paid benefit package that totals to $28.14/ hr. Yes, you read that correctly. Journeymen Electricians at IBEW Local 48 earn an additional $28.14 every single hour that they work on top of their wages. This money goes towards different things like: multiple pension plans, medical, vision, dental, a health savings account, a dependent care reimbursement account, etc. Union members have to pay union dues, and at Local 48 those dues cost $2.62/ hr.

Factoring in union dues, this is how wages break down for journeymen electricians at IBEW Local 48. (Wages are based off a standard work year, which is typically calculated to be 2080 hours/ year. They don’t include any overtime).

• Wages alone - $54.74/hr or $113,848/ year.

• Wages and benefits - $82.88/ hr or $171,390/ year.

Electricians at IBEW Local 48 receive a 10% raise as they are promoted to new positions. Low Voltage (LEA) and residential electricians make less than inside electricians (electricians who completed the whole 5 year apprenticeship program and have their standard electrician license). See IBEW Local 48's website for more info.

According to ZipRecruiter, the average salary for an individual in Portland, Oregon is $69,939/ year or $39/hr. This means that even with factoring in union dues and without including their additional benefit package, electricians from IBEW Local 48 make 1.4x the average individual salary in Portland, Oregon. Mind you, this is all without a college degree/ student loan debt.

IBEW Local 48 is certainly on the higher end of the union pay scale, but there are still other IBEW Locals in other areas that pay more. A great resource to see how much electricians make at different IBEW locals in the USA is where2bro.com. Please be aware that where2bro isn’t always 100% accurate as they’re constantly updating wages as different locals get wages.

Does it Matter if I’m Union or Non-Union?

Generally speaking, non-union electricians don’t make quite as much union electricians, though they still make a fantastic living. That being said, there are exceptions where some non-union electricians make more than their IBEW counterparts.

What About Overtime?

Electricians often times are offered to work overtime, which can greatly increase their annual wage. For union members, this is typically 1.5x their normal rate for anything over 8 hours or when they work on Saturdays, and 2x their normal rate when they work holidays or on Sundays (this may vary for each IBEW local).

What About Layoffs?

Construction trades are naturally susceptible to layoffs, and the electrical trade is no exception. Electricians should always hope for the best but plan for the worst. As an electrician, or really any financially responsible adult, it’s a great idea to have an emergency fund saved up just in case. Generally speaking, if you’re a hard worker who your company sees value in, you’ll be safe when the time for layoffs come around. That being said, there are some things that can happen that are beyond your control that can lead to layoffs.

How Much Do Apprentices Make?

Apprentice Electricians in the IBEW typically make a certain percentage of the full journeyman scale. See IBEW local 48 apprentice wage scale here. For some, starting their electrical apprenticeship and starting out at the lowest apprentice wage can mean taking a significant pay cut. If this is a career that you’re interested in pursuing, then keep in mind that the lower wages will be a short term sacrifice to make the goal of becoming a journeyman electrician who is making the full electrician wages a reality. See Mad Electrican’s interview with his brother Aaron where Aaron talks through his experience of needing to make the short term sacrifice of making lower apprentice wages to make his long term goal of becoming an electrician a reality.

Conclusion:

Overall, electrician’s make a fantastic living.
See Mad Electrician’s video (How Much Do Electricians Make in 2023?) for a more in depth look at this topic.