Range of Earnings

• The top 10% of electricians earned approximately $38 an hour, while electricians in the lowest 10% earning bracket earned roughly $13 an hour in 2008. The discrepancies in earnings between the highest and lowest bracket groups of the profession relate directly to the specific tasks electrician perform in their day-to-day duties. For example, electricians who opt to conduct simple maintenance tasks such as maintaining lighting systems and day-to-day repair work earn less than electricians working in a new construction in a deadline driven environment. An important note is that apprentices account for a large amount of the lower earning bracket within the electrician profession and are likely to command higher earnings once they earn their journeyman status.
  
  

Maximizing Earnings With an Electrician Skill Set

• Electricians that show a propensity for reading blueprints and accurately reproducing the circuits contained within have a better chance of securing higher paying jobs involving new construction and factory work. Electricians that prefer maintenance roles can often attain better earnings by marketing their skills to manufacturing companies that have a greater need for repair and diagnostic work rather than placing emphasis on reading and reproducing circuits based on schematics. Applying for roles suited to the individual electrician's physical capabilities will also help maximize earnings; for example, a younger electrician in peak physical condition would have an easier time in a tight deadline construction environment then an older electrician with mobility issues. An older electrician with mobility issues might miss fewer workdays by working at a repair bench style job rather than a construction site, for an overall better rate of pay. Some electricians may opt to take their electrical expertise to the field of engineering technician to find specific jobs that offer better financial outlooks.
  
  

Regional Variations

• Electricians' earnings are tied heavily to economic trends relating to the construction of new buildings and the activity of manufacturing industries in their areas. While there is always a steady demand for home maintenance electricians in any market, electricians who opt to migrate into areas with growing construction or manufacturing trends can find greater earnings because their skills are in greater demand.
  
  

Long Term Career Outlook

• According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the estimated projection for growth in the electrician field between 2008 and 2018 is 12 percent. The outlook is reasonably good, but the electricians who apply their skills to the related field of engineering technician and focus on the sub specialization of environmental engineering technician stand to benefit from an estimated 30 percent increase in demand.