How much does a electrician make in the US?

The median annual wage for electricians was $63,190 in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which is about $30.38 an hour. Half earned more and half earned less.

What is the pay range for a electrician?

The lowest 10 percent earned less than $42,640 and the highest 10 percent earned more than $108,510 a year (BLS, May 2025). Location, licensing level, union membership and overtime account for most of the spread.

Electrician salary in the US: median pay and hiring costs

The median annual wage for electricians was $63,190 in May 2025, about $30.38 an hour.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, last modified August 27, 2026.

Electrician pay at a glance

Lowest 10% earn less than: $42,640
Median annual wage: $63,190
Highest 10% earn more than: $108,510

Hourly equivalents use 2,080 hours a year, as BLS does: the median is about $30.38, the lowest 10% below $20.50, the highest 10% above $52.17.

The trade in numbers

Electricians held about 821,000 jobs in 2025. Employment is projected to grow 9% over 2025–35, against 3% for all occupations, with about 72,700 openings a year, most of them to replace people who retire or leave the trade. That is the market a business hiring one is competing in.

The largest employers:

Electrical contractors and other wiring installation contractors: 66%
Self-employed: 7%
Manufacturing: 6%
Government (excluding schools and hospitals): 3%

Becoming one

Most electricians learn the trade in a 4- or 5-year apprenticeship, with about 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training each year plus technical instruction. Some start at a technical school.

Most states require electricians to pass a test and be licensed, and some require continuing education to keep the license.

What an employee really costs, and what to charge

A wage is the start of the cost, not the whole of it. The employer pays 7.65% on top for Social Security and Medicare, plus federal and state unemployment taxes, workers’ compensation insurance and any health or retirement benefits. Then there are the hours that are paid but not billed: driving between jobs, quoting, picking up materials, training and call-backs.

That is why a charge-out rate is usually a multiple of the wage rather than a small margin on top of it. Work out yours with the labour rate calculator, and check what each hour really costs with the hourly cost calculator.

Common questions

How much does a electrician make in the US?: The median annual wage for electricians was $63,190 in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which is about $30.38 an hour. Half earned more and half earned less.
What is the pay range for a electrician?: The lowest 10 percent earned less than $42,640 and the highest 10 percent earned more than $108,510 a year (BLS, May 2025). Location, licensing level, union membership and overtime account for most of the spread.
What does it cost to employ a electrician?: More than the wage. The employer pays 7.65% in Social Security and Medicare taxes, federal and state unemployment taxes, workers’ compensation insurance and any benefits, and pays for hours that cannot be billed, such as travel, training and quoting.

More pay guides

General information, not payroll or tax advice. National figures: pay varies widely by state and city, and BLS publishes state and metropolitan data. Payroll tax rates and thresholds change; check them for your state and year.