Electricians
Architecture and ConstructionO*NET 47-2111.00United States
Install, maintain, and repair electrical wiring, equipment, and fixtures. Ensure that work is in accordance with relevant codes.
- Median annual earnings
- $61,929
- Projected change
- +12.6%
- Typical education
- Certificate
- Employment
- 863.11K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
61.7% of the workforce
Growing to 971.71K by 2035
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The work
What electricians do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- Prepare sketches or follow blueprints to determine the location of wiring or equipment and to ensure conformance to building and safety codes.
- Place conduit, pipes, or tubing, inside designated partitions, walls, or other concealed areas, and pull insulated wires or cables through the conduit to complete circuits between boxes.
- Work from ladders, scaffolds, or roofs to install, maintain, or repair electrical wiring, equipment, or fixtures.
- Use a variety of tools or equipment, such as power construction equipment, measuring devices, power tools, and testing equipment, such as oscilloscopes, ammeters, or test lamps.
- Assemble, install, test, or maintain electrical or electronic wiring, equipment, appliances, apparatus, or fixtures, using hand tools or power tools.
- Connect wires to circuit breakers, transformers, or other components.
- Maintain current electrician's license or identification card to meet governmental regulations.
- Plan layout and installation of electrical wiring, equipment, or fixtures, based on job specifications and local codes.
- Test electrical systems or continuity of circuits in electrical wiring, equipment, or fixtures, using testing devices, such as ohmmeters, voltmeters, or oscilloscopes, to ensure compatibility and safety of system.
- Direct or train workers to install, maintain, or repair electrical wiring, equipment, or fixtures.
- Diagnose malfunctioning systems, apparatus, or components, using test equipment and hand tools to locate the cause of a breakdown and correct the problem.
- Inspect electrical systems, equipment, or components to identify hazards, defects, or the need for adjustment or repair, and to ensure compliance with codes.
- Install ground leads and connect power cables to equipment, such as motors.
- Advise management on whether continued operation of equipment could be hazardous.
- Repair or replace wiring, equipment, or fixtures, using hand tools or power tools.
- Construct or fabricate parts, using hand tools, according to specifications.
- Perform business management duties, such as maintaining records or files, preparing reports, or ordering supplies or equipment.
- Fasten small metal or plastic boxes to walls to house electrical switches or outlets.
- Provide preliminary sketches or cost estimates for materials or services.
- Perform physically demanding tasks, such as digging trenches to lay conduit or moving or lifting heavy objects.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $40,308
- 25th percentile
- $47,745
- 50th percentile
- $61,929
- 75th percentile
- $83,719
- 90th percentile
- $112,263
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $61,929 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
+12.6%faster than average
2025863,111 jobs
2035 projected971,709 jobs
108,598 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- Certificate
- 61.7%
- High school diploma or less
- 32.9%
- Some college
- 2.3%
- Associate degree
- 1.8%
- Master's or Professional degree
- 1.3%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- Troubleshooting
- Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
- Repairing
- Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Quality Control Analysis
- Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Installation
- Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or programs to meet specifications.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Persuasion
- Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Learning Strategies
- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Mathematics
- Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Systems Analysis
- Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Electricians13,767 postings
- 02Journeyman Electricians7,936 postings
- 03Industrial Electricians4,055 postings
- 04Commercial Electricians2,351 postings
- 05Maintenance Electricians2,270 postings
- 06Licensed Electricians1,421 postings
- 07Electrical Apprentices1,379 postings
- 08Apprentice Electricians1,338 postings
- 09Electrical Technicians1,274 postings
- 10Residential Electricians1,235 postings
- 11Lead Electricians1,100 postings
- 12Licensed Journeyman Electricians988 postings
- 13Master Electricians842 postings
- 14Industrial Maintenance Electricians758 postings
- 15Electrical Journeymen709 postings
- 16Electrical Maintenance Technicians691 postings
- 17Service Electricians663 postings
- 18Marine Electricians648 postings
- 19Electrical Service Technicians612 postings
- 20Residential Service Electricians605 postings
Top employers
- 01Aerotek4,217 postings
- 02Cargill1,164 postings
- 03GPAC919 postings
- 04Tradesmen International798 postings
- 05CCS Construction531 postings
- 06Superior Skilled Trades330 postings
- 07Knight Electric320 postings
- 08JLL275 postings
- 09Sunrun252 postings
- 10General Motors245 postings
- 11Trillium Staffing245 postings
- 12Ford236 postings
- 13Serco225 postings
- 14Skillforce221 postings
- 15West Fraser Timber207 postings
- 16Cushman & Wakefield206 postings
- 17CBRE203 postings
- 18EMCOR Group197 postings
- 19WestRock191 postings
- 20ManpowerGroup186 postings
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