In short
To become an electrician, most people join an apprenticeship that runs 4 to 5 years. You work for a contractor, get paid, and take classes. A technical school program is another way in, and graduates usually get some credit toward an apprenticeship. Most states require a license. The middle electrician in the U.S. earns about $63,190 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Fill out the form to hear from schools near you that teach electrical work.
Quick facts
- Typical pay
- $63,190 a year, or $30.38 an hour. That's the median: half of electricians make more, half make less. Your first years pay less.
- How you learn
- Apprenticeship, usually 4 to 5 years. Some people start with a technical school program.
- To start
- A high school diploma or equivalent.
- License
- Most states require one. You pass a test on the National Electrical Code and your state's rules.
- Jobs and outlook
- About 818,700 jobs in 2024. BLS projects 9% growth through 2034, much faster than average, with about 81,000 openings a year.
- Who they work for
- About 65% work for electrical contractors. About 8% are self-employed.
Is this for you?
Nobody gets this one right from a brochure. Read both lists and see which one sounds more like you.
It could be a fit if…
- You like finding out why something doesn't work.
- You can read a drawing and do careful math. The classes cover electrical theory, blueprints and code.
- You're fine standing and kneeling for long stretches.
- You can wait four or five years to be fully trained, as long as you're paid along the way.
Think twice if…
- Heights bother you. Some work is on construction sites, inside buildings or on renewable energy projects, and can be at great heights.
- You want a quick program and done. Licensing takes years of hours, not weeks of class.
- You want zero risk. Electricians wear protective gear and follow safety rules, but shocks, falls and burns are the common injuries.
What the work is like
Wiring a new building is often the simpler job, because the wires are open and reachable before the walls go up. Fixing what's already in a building can be harder, because you're chasing a fault behind a closed wall or above a ceiling. Many electricians do both over a career.
Day to day you read blueprints, run conduit, pull wire, connect fixtures, breakers and controls, and test with meters. You might be in a house, a store or a factory. Some days you're in a cramped space. Some days you're outside in the cold. Schedules can include evenings and weekends, and almost everyone works full time. Electricians who work for themselves on homes can often set their own schedule.
Lineworkers, the people who run power lines between towns and to your street, are a different job with a different path. This page is about electricians who work in buildings.
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How to get in
Apprenticeship
This is the main road. You work for a contractor and get paid, learn on the job, and take classes. The program runs 4 to 5 years. Unions and contractor associations run many of them, and some contractors run their own training that isn't an officially recognized apprenticeship, so ask which kind you're looking at. Apprenticeship Finder lists openings.
Technical school first
Programs teach circuits, safety and basic electrical theory. BLS says graduates usually get credit toward an apprenticeship. Before you pay a school, ask the apprenticeship you want whether it will accept the credit.
You already have experience
If you did electrical work in the military or on a construction crew, you may qualify for a shorter apprenticeship based on your experience and testing.
Pay and cost
The middle electrician earns $63,190 a year. That's with experience. An apprentice earns less while learning, and moves up as the training goes on. Overtime is common, which can lift a paycheck, and it can also cost you a weekend.
Cost depends on the road you take. An apprenticeship pays you to learn, though you should ask any program about book, tool and fee costs before you sign. A school program has tuition, and tuition changes a lot from school to school. We won't guess at a number. College Navigator, run by the U.S. Department of Education's statistics office, shows tuition for most schools, and any school should put your total cost in writing. Grants like the Pell Grant can apply at eligible schools. Here's how paying for it works.
Median pay is for all electricians nationally, May 2025, from the BLS OEWS survey. Pay varies by city and by employer. BLS posts state and metro numbers for electricians on its site. State and metro pay data from BLS.
Questions about electrical work
Can I become an electrician without going to school?
Yes. Most electricians learn through an apprenticeship, which teaches the job and the classroom side together. You usually need a high school diploma or equivalent to start. If you don't have one yet, start with getting your GED.
How long before I can work on my own?
After an apprenticeship you're a journey worker and can work on your own, subject to your state's or city's licensing rules. For most people that's 4 to 5 years from the start.
Do I need a license?
Most states say yes. The rules differ, so ask your state's electrical licensing board. CareerOneStop has a license finder.
Electrician, plumber or HVAC? Which one?
All three are good trades. Electricians and plumbers mostly learn through apprenticeship. HVAC usually starts with a school program and then on-the-job training. The middle pay is close: $63,190 for electricians, $63,800 for plumbers and pipefitters, $61,010 for HVAC. Pick the work you'd rather do. Wiring and controls, or pipe, or heating and cooling.