Plan the wire runs
Read blueprints or sketches, mark equipment locations, and route wires so they meet the job and local code.
Career profile
Electrician
Electricians wire power, lights, controls and communications from drawings and code, then test and troubleshoot.
This work can suit people who like hands-on problem solving, precise drawings, results they can see, and decisions backed by careful checking.
A day in the life
Run conduit and pull wire
You set conduit or tubing, mount boxes, and pull insulated wire through hidden spaces such as inside walls.
Connect wires to equipment
Connect wires to breakers, motors, fixtures, transformers and similar parts using hand and power tools.
Trace a fault with meters
When something fails, test circuits with meters and other instruments, trace the fault, and decide what needs fixing.
Fix hazards and code problems
Look for hazards, defects or code violations, then repair or replace fixtures, equipment or wiring.
Quick facts
High school + apprenticeship
United States · BLS page updated August 27, 2026
$63,190/year
United States · May 2025
9% growth
United States · 2025–2035
Quick orientation
Preparation, pay & outlook
Preparation
High school + apprenticeshipBLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as typical entry education. Most electricians then learn through a 4- or 5-year apprenticeship; local requirements vary.
Pay
$63,190/yearNational median annual wage for wage-and-salary electricians—not a starting rate or guaranteed progression.
Outlook
9% growthBLS projects 2025–35 employment growth of 9%, with about 72,700 openings per year on average. Local hiring may differ.
Fit, tradeoffs & changing tools
You might like this if…
- You like figuring out why a system is not behaving as expected.
- You can follow detailed procedures without treating them as optional.
- You enjoy building or repairing physical things with visible results.
- You are comfortable asking questions, checking your work, and learning from experienced people.
Things to weigh
- The work can mean long stretches of standing, bending, kneeling, climbing, and handling materials.
- Electrical shock, burns, falls, heights, noise, dust, and weather are real risks; protective gear and safety procedures are part of the job.
- Evenings, weekends, and overtime may occur, and travel between changing worksites is often required.
Where AI may help
Software can help with drawings, electrical calculations, estimates, project tracking, and automated control systems.
What people still lead
People still interpret site conditions, install physical systems, test circuits, diagnose faults, and judge whether work meets code and is safe.
What we can’t predict yet
The mix of digital planning, estimating, and control tools varies by employer, project, and specialty.
Pay in context
Earnings
For entry planning, compare a program's starting wage and raise schedule with the occupation-wide figures below.
National midpoint
The median was $63,190 a year: half of wage-and-salary electricians earned more and half earned less. The estimate excludes self-employed workers and does not represent apprentice starting pay. The median hourly wage was $30.38.
The national spread
In May 2025, the 10th-percentile annual wage was $42,640 and the 90th-percentile wage was $108,510. These are wage percentiles, not starting and senior salaries.
Apprentice progression
Registered Apprenticeship is paid employment. Electrician apprentices earn less than fully trained electricians and receive wage increases as their skills grow.
Getting started
Registered apprenticeship
Typically 4 or 5 yearsPaid
- What the route involves
- Work under experienced people while completing structured on-the-job learning and technical instruction in subjects such as theory, math, blueprints, code, and safety.
- What it can lead to
- Completing the program prepares you for journey-worker duties.
- What to check
- Program requirements vary, and local or state licensing rules still control what work you may perform independently.
Technical school before apprenticeship
- What the route involves
- Study circuitry, safety practices, and basic electrical information before applying those lessons at work.
- What it can lead to
- Graduates usually receive credit toward an apprenticeship.
- What to check
- Credit depends on the apprenticeship, and school does not replace jurisdiction-specific licensing or supervised training requirements.
The common routes combine technical learning with supervised work. Licensing, supervision, and program rules vary by state, locality, and sponsor.
After entry
Career paths
This starts where the entry routes leave off: early work, growing capability, and advancement or specialization.
Get established
As an apprentice, build safe work habits under an experienced mentor while completing job-related technical instruction.
Develop capability
Take on broader installation, testing, and troubleshooting work as your skills grow; apprentice pay generally rises with that progress.
Advance or specialize
After apprenticeship, perform journey-worker duties subject to local licensing requirements.
- With additional requirements, pursue master electrician, supervisor, or project-management work.
- Build specialty expertise in areas such as solar photovoltaic, generating, lighting, communications, fire alarms, or control systems.
Where you can work
New construction
Install systems while walls and routes are still accessible. The setting may shift between indoor and outdoor work, heights, weather, and multiple job sites.
- Indoors
- Outdoors
- Field work
- Travel
- Physical demands
- Safety-sensitive
Homes and businesses
Trace and repair problems in finished buildings, where wiring may be harder to reach. Expect travel between sites and occasional cramped spaces.
- Indoors
- Field work
- Travel
- Physical demands
- Safety-sensitive
Factories and facilities
Maintain motors, controls, lighting, and other equipment around operating systems; factory settings may include noisy machinery.
- Indoors
- Physical demands
- Safety-sensitive
Try it
See whether the job clicks before you commit to the path.
Sketch a one-room floor plan, mark its lights, switches, and outlets, then trace possible routes between them. Note where the plan becomes unclear: this can show whether you enjoy translating a diagram into a precise physical layout and asking the next practical question.
Stay safe: Keep this to paper or a de-energized classroom demonstration supervised by a qualified instructor. Do not open panels or outlets or handle building wiring.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook: Electricians. Accessed 2026-09-14.
- O*NET OnLine. 47-2111.00 Electricians. Accessed 2026-09-14.
- Apprenticeship.gov. Career Seekers. Accessed 2026-09-14.