Salary of an Electrician
Electricians work in construction for electrical contractors. They install electrical lines, conduits, circuit breakers, switches and outlets in residences and business establishments. They also repair faulty wiring and other components. These professionals also install such specialty items as home theaters, ceiling fans, home alarm systems and fire alarms. Most electricians learn their trade through apprenticeship programs and classroom instruction. These programs usually take about four years. Electricians typically get paid by the hour.
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Median Wages and Salary
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As of May 2010, electricians earned median hourly wages of $23.20, or $48,250 per year, according to a report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle 50 percent earned wages between $17.61 and $30.71 per hour, or between $36,630 and $63,880 annually. The top 10 percent earned hourly wages of at least $38.89, or $80,890 per year.
Median Wages and Salary by Industry
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Wages for electricians vary significantly by industry. For example, those in the natural gas distribution industry earned some of the highest wages, at an average of $34.88 per hour, or $72,560 annually, according to the report by the bureau. Electricians also earned relatively high wages working for motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts wholesalers, at $31.62 per hour, or $65,770 per year. They had wages that were somewhat lower working for building equipment contractors, at an hourly average of $24.79, or $51,550 per year. Electricians working in nonresidential construction earned average wages of $24.07 per hour, or $50,070 per year.
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Average Wages and Salary by State
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Electricians earned their highest average wages, by state, in Alaska, at $33.18 an hour, or $69,010 annually. They earned the second-highest wages in Illinois, at $32.90 per hour, or $68,430 per year. Wages were significantly less in some states. For example, those in North Dakota earned average hourly wages of $22.55, or $46,910 per year. In Texas, they made even less, at $20.54 per hour, or $42,720 per year. Electricians in Florida earned some of the lowest wages among the states listed, at $19.38 an hour, or $40,320 per year.
Average Wages and Salary by Metropolitan Area
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Although California didn't make it into the top five highest-paying states on average, lectricians in the Vallejo-Fairfield, California, metropolitan area earned higher wages than in any other metropolitan area in the nation, at $37.65 an hour, or $78,310 annually, according to the report by the bureau. Those in the San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, California, area earned the second-highest wages, at $37.26 per hour. or $77,490 per year. Electricians earned substantially lower wages and annual salaries in other areas of the country. For example, those in the Dallas-Plano-Irving, Texas, metropolitan area made $21.02 per hour, or $43,720 per year. They made even less in Mobile, Alabama, at $20.71 per hour, or $43,070 per year.
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References
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