Explore This Path

Electrician

💰 Earn $59K-$104K

📚 High School Diploma or GED

⏱️ 12–24 Month Training

📈 9.5% Job Growth

Ideal for those who love hands-on work and solving electrical challenges.
Keep homes and businesses powered safely and efficiently with your expertise.
Work on diverse projects, from street lights to complex control systems.

What Electricians DoInstall, maintain, and repair electrical wiring, equipment, and fixtures. Ensure that work is in accordance with relevant codes. May install or service street lights, intercom systems, or electrical control systems.

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.

Electricians Education, Salary, and Growth

Minimum EducationHigh School Diploma or GED

Career ProspectsExcellent (Increasing by 5% or more)

Training Time1 to 2 years

Job Openings81,000 Annually

Median Earnings

$76,540 in California

$62,350 Nationally

$25K

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Only you can decide how much you need to earn — but knowing what it actually costs to live in your area can help. The Family Budget Calculator can guide you.

Real Talk Reel

We've curated a playlist for you to get a glimpse into a day in the life of this career.

@salarytransparentstreet

@kyrajnai

@wheeler.electric

Is This Career Right For You?

YOU Like

Thinking and problem solving
Using data or completing tasks
Working with my hands

you value

Accomplishing things
Having support
Having freedom

you are skilled in

Speaking
Monitoring
Critical Thinking
Active Listening
Social Perceptiveness
Coordination

Go Deeper: Electricians Explained

ElectricianExplore career pathways, key skills, and what each role has to offer.

How Do You Train for This Career?

Learn about the education and training paths that can lead to this career — and what to expect from each one.

ApprenticeshipAn apprenticeship typically offers a combination of hands-on training and classroom instruction, leading to practical skills, industry-specific knowledge, and the potential for long-term employment in a specific trade or profession.

🎓 Paid Work

⏱️ Finish in 2-5 years

Associate's DegreeAn associate's degree typically provides graduates with foundational knowledge and skills for entry-level jobs in the graduate's industry, or serves as a stepping stone towards further education.

🎓 College

⏱️ Finish in 2-3 years

Vocational SchoolA vocational school typically equips students with specialized skills and practical training in specific trades or occupations, enhancing their employability and providing direct pathways to relevant careers.

🎓 Skills-Focused

⏱️ Finish in 6 months - 2 years

Bachelor's DegreeA bachelor's degree typically results in increased knowledge about a variety of academic subjects, specialized knowledge in a focused field of study, and is considered the foundational qualification for many careers.

🎓 College

⏱️ Finish in 4-5+ years

Workforce Development ProgramA workforce development program typically enhances participants' opportunities to succeed in the workforce through employment skill-building, career counseling, connections to employers, and pathways to high-demand and high-wage jobs.

🎓 Skills-Focused

⏱️ Finish in 6 months - 2 years

Technology BootcampA technology bootcamp typically offers intensive training in specific tech skills, preparing participants for entry-level roles in the tech industry in a relatively short period of time.

🎓 Skills-Focused

⏱️ Finish in Less than a year

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