Skilled Trades
Electrician
Electricians wire and maintain the electrical systems in homes, businesses, and industry. A high-demand, automation-resistant trade with strong pay and no degree required.
Median salary
$61,000
Typical range
$40k – $100k
Job outlook
+11% (much faster than average)
AI exposure
Plan a path to Electrician
Education
Typical entry: No degree (trade/license)
Apprenticeship (paid) plus licensure — little or no college debt.
Plan my path to this →How to qualify
License requiredCost to qualify
$100–$2,500
Time to qualify
4.1 yr
Renewal
$75/yr
- 1
Apprenticeship (~8,000 hrs / ~4 yrs)
ExperiencePaid on-the-job hours plus related classroom instruction.
$0–$2,000 · 4 years · varies by state source
- 2
Journeyman licensing exam
ExamTests the electrical code and safety practices.
$50–$200 · 1 months · varies by state source
- 3
State/local electrician license
LicenseIssued by the state or municipality after passing the exam.
$50–$300 · 2 weeks · varies by state · renews every 1 yr source
Which occupations require a license and in which states: CareerOneStop License Finder (U.S. DOL). Costs/hours are curated estimates that vary by state and change — see each step's official source.
Typical progression
Junior Electrician
Entry / Junior
$40,000
~2 yrs to advance
Electrician
Established
$61,000
~3 yrs to advance
Senior Electrician
Senior
$80,500
Key skills
A typical day
- •Install wiring and fixtures
- •Diagnose electrical faults
- •Ensure code compliance
Fields of study
Electrical Trade · Apprenticeship
Top colleges for Skilled Trades
Explore all- Purdue University50% admit · $78,000 grad pay
- Ohio State University53% admit · $68,000 grad pay
- Pennsylvania State University55% admit · $70,000 grad pay
Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.