Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on Construction Coverage.
For anyone seeking a promising career option with plenty of opportunity in the next few decades, becoming an electrician would be a good choice.
Electricians can enter the field without four-year degrees and can instead opt for a less expensive trade school education or an apprenticeship that allows them to earn while they hone their skills.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, job opportunities for electricians are projected to grow at a pace nearly three times faster than the national average in the coming decade.
In large part due to strong demand, electricians are well compensated compared with other skilled trade workers and to those with similar levels of required training. Location plays a key role in the earning potential for electricians.
To determine the best-paying large metros for electricians, researchers at Construction Coverage analyzed the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.
The following are the best-paying metro areas for electricians in the U.S. For more information on the analysis, see the methodology at the end.
15. Kansas City, MO-KS
- Median annual wage for electricians (adjusted): $69,409
- Median annual wage for electricians (actual): $63,960
- Median annual wage for all workers (actual): $48,040
- Relative concentration of electricians (compared to average): +1%
- Relative cost of living (compared to average): -7.9%
14. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
- Median annual wage for electricians (adjusted): $69,482
- Median annual wage for electricians (actual): $78,590
- Median annual wage for all workers (actual): $50,490
- Relative concentration of electricians (compared to average): -33%
- Relative cost of living (compared to average): +13.1%
13. Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Median annual wage for electricians (adjusted): $70,547
- Median annual wage for electricians (actual): $67,820
- Median annual wage for all workers (actual): $48,950
- Relative concentration of electricians (compared to average): +29%
- Relative cost of living (compared to average): -3.9%
12. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
- Median annual wage for electricians (adjusted): $72,163
- Median annual wage for electricians (actual): $72,660
- Median annual wage for all workers (actual): $50,160
- Relative concentration of electricians (compared to average): -28%
- Relative cost of living (compared to average): +0.7%
11. Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Median annual wage for electricians (adjusted): $72,780
- Median annual wage for electricians (actual): $81,480
- Median annual wage for all workers (actual): $63,060
- Relative concentration of electricians (compared to average): +16%
- Relative cost of living (compared to average): +12.0%
10. Rochester, NY
- Median annual wage for electricians (adjusted): $72,849
- Median annual wage for electricians (actual): $69,360
- Median annual wage for all workers (actual): $48,500
- Relative concentration of electricians (compared to average): +5%
- Relative cost of living (compared to average): -4.8%
9. St. Louis, MO-IL
- Median annual wage for electricians (adjusted): $79,600
- Median annual wage for electricians (actual): $76,950
- Median annual wage for all workers (actual): $47,490
- Relative concentration of electricians (compared to average): -2%
- Relative cost of living (compared to average): -3.3%
8. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
- Median annual wage for electricians (adjusted): $79,817
- Median annual wage for electricians (actual): $82,170
- Median annual wage for all workers (actual): $54,850
- Relative concentration of electricians (compared to average): -24%
- Relative cost of living (compared to average): +2.9%
7. Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Median annual wage for electricians (adjusted): $82,444
- Median annual wage for electricians (actual): $77,400
- Median annual wage for all workers (actual): $48,560
- Relative concentration of electricians (compared to average): -6%
- Relative cost of living (compared to average): -6.1%
6. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
- Median annual wage for electricians (adjusted): $83,439
- Median annual wage for electricians (actual): $94,850
- Median annual wage for all workers (actual): $65,260
- Relative concentration of electricians (compared to average): 0%
- Relative cost of living (compared to average): +13.7%
5. San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Median annual wage for electricians (adjusted): $83,600
- Median annual wage for electricians (actual): $98,560
- Median annual wage for all workers (actual): $72,050
- Relative concentration of electricians (compared to average): -8%
- Relative cost of living (compared to average): +17.9%
4. Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Median annual wage for electricians (adjusted): $85,467
- Median annual wage for electricians (actual): $81,130
- Median annual wage for all workers (actual): $48,460
- Relative concentration of electricians (compared to average): -15%
- Relative cost of living (compared to average): -5.1%
3. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
- Median annual wage for electricians (adjusted): $85,869
- Median annual wage for electricians (actual): $98,970
- Median annual wage for all workers (actual): $81,470
- Relative concentration of electricians (compared to average): -5%
- Relative cost of living (compared to average): +15.3%
2. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Median annual wage for electricians (adjusted): $89,135
- Median annual wage for electricians (actual): $96,940
- Median annual wage for all workers (actual): $55,940
- Relative concentration of electricians (compared to average): +20%
- Relative cost of living (compared to average): +8.8%
1. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
- Median annual wage for electricians (adjusted): $93,424
- Median annual wage for electricians (actual): $98,790
- Median annual wage for all workers (actual): $49,790
- Relative concentration of electricians (compared to average): -25%
- Relative cost of living (compared to average): +5.7%
Methodology
To determine the best-paying metros for electricians, researchers at Construction Coverage analyzed the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2023 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis’ 2022 Regional Price Parities.
The researchers ranked metropolitan areas according to the cost-of-living adjusted median annual wage for electricians. In the event of a tie, the location with the larger unadjusted median annual wage for electricians was ranked higher.
Only metropolitan areas with available data were included in the analysis. The cost of living for New England City and Town Areas (NECTAs) was calculated using data for equivalent Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), where applicable.
