How to Research Salary Ranges and Benefits for an Electrician

Getting into the family's electrician business may not make you a millionaire - electricians typically earn between $26,000 and $46,000 annually - but it will provide a steady income and better-than-average possibilities to be your own boss.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Electrical Code Pocket Guides

1. Be prepared to spend 4 to 5 years in training as an electrician's apprentice making 30 to 50% less than a full-fledged electrician before you are eligible to get licensed and legal.
2. Keep in mind that, once you are a licensed electrician, you will still likely make an hourly wage instead of a salary.
3. Talk with some electricians to find out how they are paid, what kinds of benefits they are getting, and the hours they work.
4. Expect to spend most of your work hours on construction sites or other client locations, as electricians rarely work 9-to-5 shifts in offices.
5. Research self-employment prospects. Many electricians are self-employed, but those in full-time jobs can expect decent health care, pension plans, 401Ks and, depending on the employer, sometimes even dental and vision care programs.
6. Contact the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) to get their side of the story on salaries and benefits their members are enjoying today.

Tips & Warnings

• Plan to continue your training and education to keep up with changes in the National Electrical Code, new methods, techniques and tools. It will also help if you are naturally mechanically inclined and learn to read blueprints somewhere along the way.
• Remind yourself every day of the dangers involved in working with electrical current. Electricians also get stuck working in tight spaces and great heights, not a profession for someone looking to "play it safe."

Who Can Help:

• Earn an Associate's, Bachelor's or Master's Degree from the University of Phoenix
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