Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared on Construction Cover.
For anyone looking for a promising career option with many opportunities in the next few decades, becoming an electrician can be a good choice.
Electricians can enter the field without a four-year degree and instead choose a less expensive trade school education or training that allows them to earn while honing their skills.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment opportunities for electricians are expected to grow three times faster than the national average over the next decade.
In large part due to strong demand, electricians are well compensated compared to other skilled trades and those with similar levels of required training. Location plays an important role in the earning power of electricians.
To find the best paying metros for electricians, researchers at Construction Coverage analyzed the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the US Bureau of Economic Analysis.
The following are the highest paying metro areas for electricians in the US. For more information on the analysis, see the career path at the end.
15. Kansas City, MO-KS
- Average annual salary for electricians (adjusted): $69,409
- Average annual salary for electricians (real): $63,960
- Average annual salary of all employees (real): $48,040
- Relative concentration of electrical workers (compared to average): +1%
- Average cost of living (compared to average): -7.9%
14. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
- Average annual salary for electricians (adjusted): $69,482
- Average annual salary for electricians (real): $78,590
- Average annual salary of all employees (real): $50,490
- Relative concentration of electrical workers (compared to average): -33%
- Average cost of living (compared to average): +13.1%
13. Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Average annual salary for electricians (adjusted): $70,547
- Average annual salary for electricians (real): $67,820
- Average annual salary of all employees (real): $48,950
- Relative concentration of electrical workers (compared to average): +29%
- Average cost of living (compared to average): -3.9%
12. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
- Average annual salary for electricians (adjusted): $72,163
- Average annual salary for electricians (real): $72,660
- Average annual salary of all employees (real): $50,160
- Relative concentration of electrical workers (compared to average): -28%
- Average cost of living (compared to average): +0.7%
11. Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Average annual salary for electricians (adjusted): $72,780
- Average annual salary for electricians (real): $81,480
- Average annual salary of all employees (real): $63,060
- Relative concentration of electrical workers (compared to average): +16%
- Average cost of living (compared to average): +12.0%
10. Rochester, NY
- Average annual salary for electricians (adjusted): $72,849
- Average annual salary for electricians (real): $69,360
- Average annual salary of all employees (real): $48,500
- Relative concentration of electrical workers (compared to average): +5%
- Average cost of living (compared to average): -4.8%
9. St. Louis, MO-IL
- Average annual salary for electricians (adjusted): $79,600
- Average annual salary for electricians (real): $76,950
- Average annual salary of all employees (real): $47,490
- Relative concentration of electrical workers (compared to average): -2%
- Average cost of living (compared to average): -3.3%
8. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
- Average annual salary for electricians (adjusted): $79,817
- Average annual salary for electricians (real): $82,170
- Average annual salary of all employees (real): $54,850
- Relative concentration of electrical workers (compared to average): -24%
- Average cost of living (compared to average): +2.9%
7. Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Average annual salary for electricians (adjusted): $82,444
- Average annual salary for electricians (real): $77,400
- Average annual salary of all employees (real): $48,560
- Relative concentration of electrical workers (compared to average): -6%
- Average cost of living (compared to average): -6.1%
6. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
- Average annual salary for electricians (adjusted): $83,439
- Average annual salary for electricians (real): $94,850
- Average annual salary of all employees (real): $65,260
- Relative concentration of electrical workers (compared to average): 0%
- Average cost of living (compared to average): + 13.7%
5. San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Average annual salary for electricians (adjusted): $83,600
- Average annual salary for electricians (real): $98,560
- Average annual salary of all employees (real): $72,050
- Relative concentration of electrical workers (compared to average): -8%
- Average cost of living (compared to average): +17.9%
4. Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Average annual salary for electricians (adjusted): $85,467
- Average annual salary for electricians (real): $81,130
- Average annual salary of all employees (real): $48,460
- Relative concentration of electrical workers (compared to average): -15%
- Average cost of living (compared to average): -5.1%
3. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
- Average annual salary for electricians (adjusted): $85,869
- Average annual salary for electricians (real): $98,970
- Average annual salary of all employees (real): $81,470
- Relative concentration of electrical workers (compared to average): -5%
- Average cost of living (compared to average): + 15.3%
2. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Average annual salary for electricians (adjusted): $89,135
- Average annual salary for electricians (real): $96,940
- Average annual salary of all employees (real): $55,940
- Relative concentration of electrical workers (compared to average): +20%
- Average cost of living (compared to average): +8.8%
1. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
- Average annual salary for electricians (adjusted): $93,424
- Average annual salary for electricians (real): $98,790
- Average annual salary of all employees (real): $49,790
- Relative concentration of electrical workers (compared to average): -25%
- Average cost of living (compared to average): +5.7%
How to do it
To find the best-paying metros for electricians, researchers at Construction Coverage analyzed the latest data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2023 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics and the US Bureau of Economic Analysis’ 2022 Regional Price Parities.
The researchers ranked metropolitan areas by cost of living adjusted annual salary for electricians. In case of competition, the area with the highest average annual salary for electricians is ranked higher.
Only metropolitan areas with available data were included in the analysis. The cost of living for New England City and Town Areas (NECTAs) is calculated using data from the same Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), where applicable.
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