Posted by on Jan 9, 2013 in Career Salaries | 0 questions

There is such an array of specific areas that an electrician can choose to work in, so asking, “how much does an electrician make?” does not have a cut and dried, easy answer… but I’ll be happy to discuss these specifics.

An electrician salary is going to depend on everything from what field of electricity you want to work in, to the location of your employment.

An entry level, residential electrician and a factory-employed, seasoned electrician working out problems on million dollar pieces of equipment are going to have a vast difference in their pay.

Not only that, but there are unionized electricians who travel to where they are needed, staying weeks or months at a time, and maybe longer. They get paid differently too.

Which Electrician Area Is Right For You

Whether you are just starting out as an apprentice electrician, doing repairs for local residents, or you are an electrical engineer who is designing transformers to provide power to large cities of people, you have chosen a career that calls for being “detail oriented.”

electrician-salary-information-specifics

That is a term that gets thrown around a lot, but when it comes to being an electrician the literal need for being detail oriented is probably unequaled to any other career choice. Your attention to both the big picture and the most complex intricacies will determine safety for yours and many others.

A great job done by you can actually result in life or death. You should expect good pay for that responsibility!

It is obvious that you have a special propensity in that you are even drawn to such a career. All you need to do is decide how far you would like to play out your natural inclinations within the field.

Do you see yourself putting smiles on faces in your community by taking care of household needs or do you see yourself drawing up electrical blueprints? Do you like the idea of repairing machines so big that you will be crawling inside of them to complete the task?

Is it more your style that you know you have been directly involved in providing electricity to homes through being one brave enough to become a lineman? To ask what an electrician makes you really do need to know which area of expertise you are targeting.

How Much Are Electricians Making?

One website is currently reporting a figure of around $65,000 as an electrician’s annual salary, and that number comes without specifications. Apprentices are making less, and electrical engineers are normally making much more, so this figure is representing an average of all types of electricians.

electrician installing a ceiling fan

Typically, it is believed that the average electrician’s annual salary from entry-level electricians with no experience, all the way to those with 5 years of experience is believed to be pushing $50,000. Any way you look at it, being an electrician can, at the very least, be the start of a generous income.

Education For Electricians

An additional important factor in determining what an electrician can make is how much you are willing to educate yourself.  It is important to get a good education because companies such as Corporate Electric only hire highly educated employees.

electrician-schooling-cartoon-classroom

Now we are facing a different era and presently electricians must be licensed, which requires certain state standards to be met and tests to be passed. Wonderful education opportunities are available to help open the doors for endless career choices as an electrician.

For the most part, you can decide just want you want to be doing, find specific education and training for that job, and go get it! Whatever area you choose, with education and experience, deciding on being an electrician can be a well-paying career choice.