The median annual wage for electricians was $51,880 in May 2015.
The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $31,410, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $88,130.
The starting pay for apprentices is usually between 40 percent and 50 percent of what fully trained electricians make, receiving pay increases as they learn to do more. Electricians in manufacturing and power generation and transmission typically have higher wages than those in construction.
Almost all electricians work full time, which may include evenings and weekends. However, work schedules may vary during times of inclement weather. During scheduled maintenance, or on construction sites, electricians can expect to work overtime.
About 1 in 10 electricians were self-employed in 2014. Self-employed electricians often work in residential construction and may have the ability to set their own schedule.
Union Membership
Compared with workers in all occupations, electricians had a higher percentage of workers who belonged to a union in 2014. Although there is no single union, the largest organizer for electricians is the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
Electricians
Median annual wages, May 2015
Electricians
$51,880
Construction trades workers
$41,020
Total, all occupations
$36,200
Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics