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Electrician install and maintain all of the electrical and power systems for our homes, businesses, and factories.

They install and maintain the wiring and control equipment through which electricity flows. They also install and maintain electrical equipment and machines in factories and a wide range of other businesses.

Electrician generally focus on either construction or maintenance, although many do both. Electrician specializing in construction primarily install wiring systems into factories, businesses, and new homes. Electrician specializing in maintenance fix and upgrade existing electrical systems and repair electrical equipment.

electrician must follow State and local building codes and the National Electrical Code when performing his work.

Electrician usually start his work by reading blueprints – technical diagrams that show the locations of circuits, outlets, load centers, panel boards, and other equipment. After determining where all the wires and components will go, electrician install and connect the wires to circuit breakers, transformers, outlets, or other components and systems.

When installing wiring, electrician use hand tools such as conduit benders, screwdrivers, pliers, knives, hacksaws, and wire strippers, as well as power tools such as drills and saws. Later, his use ammeters, ohmmeters, voltmeters, harmonics testers, and other equipment to test connections and ensure the compatibility and safety of components.

Maintenance electrician repair or replace electric and electronic equipment when it breaks. He make needed repairs as quickly as possible in order to minimize inconvenience. He may replace items such as circuit breakers, fuses, switches, electrical and electronic components, or wire.

Electrician also periodically inspect all equipment to ensure that it is operating properly and to correct problems before breakdowns occur.

Maintenance work varies greatly, depending on where an electrician works. Electrician who focus on residential work perform a wide variety of electrical work for homeowners. They may rewire a home and replace an old fuse box with a new circuit breaker box to accommodate additional appliances, or they may install new lighting and other electric household items, such as ceiling fans. These electrician also might do some construction and installation work.

Electrician in large factories usually do maintenance work that is more complex. These kinds of electrician may repair motors, transformers, generators, and electronic controllers on machine tools and industrial robots. They also advise management as to whether the continued operation of certain equipment could be hazardous. When working with complex electronic devices, they may consult with engineers, engineering technicians, line installers and repairers, or industrial machinery mechanics and maintenance workers.

Work Environment
Electrician work indoors and out, at construction sites, in homes, and in businesses or factories. Electrician work may be strenuous at times and may include bending conduit, lifting heavy objects, and standing, stooping, and kneeling for long periods. Electrician risk injury from electrical shock, falls, and cuts, and must follow strict safety procedures to avoid injuries. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show that full-time electrician experienced a work-related injury and illness rate that was higher than the national average. When working outdoors, Electrician may be subject to inclement weather. Electrician may have to travel long distances to job sites.

Electrician may work a standard 40-hour week, although overtime may be required. Those who do maintenance work may work nights or weekends and be on call to go to the worksite when needed. Electrician in industrial settings may have periodic extended overtime during scheduled maintenance or retooling periods. Companies that operate 24 hours a day may employ three shifts of electricians.

Education & Training Required
Apprenticeship programs combine paid on-the-job training with related classroom instruction. Joint training committees made up of local unions of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and local chapters of the National Electrical Contractors Association; individual electrical contracting companies; or local chapters of the Associated Builders and Contractors and the Independent Electrical Contractors Association usually sponsor apprenticeship programs.

Because of the comprehensive training received, those who complete apprenticeship programs qualify to do both maintenance and construction work. Apprenticeship programs usually last 4 years. Each year includes at least 144 hours of classroom instruction and 2,000 hours of on-the-job training. In the classroom, apprentices learn electrical theory, blueprint reading, mathematics, electrical code requirements, and safety and first aid practices. Electrician  may receive specialized training in soldering, communications, fire alarm systems, and cranes and elevators.

On the job, apprentices work under the supervision of experienced electricians. At first, they drill holes, set anchors and attach conduit. Later, they measure, fabricate, and install conduit and install, connect, and test wiring, outlets, and switches. Electrician learn to set up and draw diagrams for entire electrical systems. Eventually, Electrician practice and master all of an electrician’s main tasks.

Some people start their classroom training before seeking an apprenticeship. A number of public and private vocational-technical schools and training academies offer training to become an electrician. Employers often hire students who complete these programs and usually start them at a more advanced level than those without this training. A few people become electricians by first working as helpers—assisting electricians by setting up job sites, gathering materials, and doing other non electrical work—before entering an apprenticeship program. All apprentices need a high school diploma or a General Equivalency Diploma (G.E.D.). Electrician may need additional classes in mathematics because they solve mathematical problems on the job.

 

Education continues throughout an electrician’s career. Electrician may need to take classes to learn about changes to the National Electrical Code, and they often complete regular safety programs, manufacturer-specific training, and management training courses. Classes on such topics as low-voltage voice and data systems, telephone systems, video systems, and alternative energy systems such as solar energy and wind energy increasingly are being given as these systems become more prevalent. Other courses teach electricians how to become contractors.

Certifications Needed (Licensure)
Most States and localities require electricians to be licensed. Although licensing requirements vary from State to State, electrician  must pass an examination that tests their knowledge of electrical theory, the National Electrical Code, and local and State electric and building codes.

Electrical contractors who do electrical work for the public, as opposed to electrician who work for electrical contractors, often need a special license. In some States, electrical contractors need certification as master electricians. Most States require master electricians to have at least 7 years of experience as an electrician or a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or a related field.

Other Skills Required (Other qualifications)
Applicants for apprenticeships usually must be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma or a G.E.D. They also may have to pass a test and meet other requirements.

Other skills needed to become an electrician include manual dexterity, eye-hand coordination, physical fitness, and a good sense of balance. Electrician  need good color vision because workers frequently must identify electrical wires by color. In addition, apprenticeship committees and employers view a good work history or military service favorably.

The national average annual wage of an electrician is $59,190, according to the BLS, somewhat higher than the average annual salary for all occupations, $51,960. The average electrician salary can vary significantly depending on the state. Below is a list of the top-10 highest-paying states for electricians.

1. New York: $77,810
2. Alaska: $76,330
3. Illinois: $75,820
4. Hawaii: $75,810
5. New Jersey: $71,660
6. Minnesota: $70,410
7. Oregon: $69,330
8. California: $69,320
9. Washington: $68,640
10. Massachusetts: $68,030

The average electrician salary in New York, the highest-paying state, has increased a substantial 10.3% over the last five years from 2013 to 2018. The growth in electrician salaries is even more marked in No. 4 Hawaii and No. 6 Minnesota, where the average electrician salary rose by 18% and 24.2%, respectively, over the last five years.

10 States Where Electricians Earn The Least Money

The bottom-10 states where electricians make the least money are a combination of states in the South, upper Midwest and West regions of the U.S. To a degree, electrician salaries mirror cost of living, with annual wages and cost of living both being on average lower in these states compared to others, such as the top-paying states.

1. Arkansas: $43,650
2. North Carolina: $44,140
3. South Carolina: $44,720
4. Florida: $45,240
5. South Dakota: $45,490
6. Alabama: $47,590
7. Arizona: $47,950
8. Mississippi: $49,540
9. Idaho: $50,170
10. Nebraska: $50,470

Six out of the 10-lowest paying states are located in the South. Besides having lower salaries in general, the South is also notable for having anti-union policies such as right to work laws. These policies have been part of the reason that industrial and union-heavy businesses have been relocating to the South over the last several decades.

How Much Do Electricians Make In Each State

Below you’ll find the average annual wage for electricians in all 50 states from 2013 to 2018. The state with the most growth in its average electrician salary is Minnesota, where they increased by 24.2%, from $56,690 in 2013 to $70,410 in 2019. Vermont experienced the second-greatest growth, 23.8%, although from a lower starting point: $41,680 in 2013, up to $51,440 in 2018.