- Work as an electrician requires specific education and other preparation. Electricians participate in apprenticeship programs, a combination of classroom and on-the-job training. Typically, apprenticeship programs last four years. Local unions and contractor associations sponsor these programs. Most electricians must take a test to become a licensed electrician in their state.Some electricians become certified as a master electrician after seven years of experience or if they attain a bachelor's degree in a field such as electrical engineering.
- Median hourly wages for electricians increased slightly from the May 2008 average of $22.32. The median hourly wage for electricians, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), was $22.68 an hour in May 2009. This equates to an annual salary of $47,180. Those in the top 10 percent of earners in the field earned $38.59 per hour in May 2009, or $80,260 annually. In contrast, those in the lower 10 percent of the field earned $13.79 in May 2009, or $28,690.
- Electricians may experience variances in wages based on the industry they choose for employment. Work in the motion picture industry brought in an average hourly wage of $36.32, or $75,550 annually, in May 2009. In contrast, work with building contractors earned $24.29 an hour, or $50,520. Other top paying industries for electricians include natural gas distribution and building services.
- Electricians working in different states will also notice a difference in average wages. For instance, those working in Alaska averaged $32.44 an hour in May 2009, or $67,480 annually, as opposed to those working in Wyoming, who earned an average $23.31 per hour, or $48,490 annually. Besides Alaska, other top paying states for electricians include Illinois, New York and New Jersey.
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -