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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Real salary distribution from 288 tracked cities across 46 states. Compare entry-level, median, and senior compensation — then adjust for cost of living.
The national median tells one story. The city-level data tells a dozen. The national median salary for Electricians in 2026 is $70,781, with entry-level positions averaging $42,469 and senior roles reaching $104,756. But those numbers flatten a reality with enormous geographic variation — Sunnyvale pays a median of $129,320, while other markets fall well below the national average. We tracked 288 cities to build the complete picture.
Electrician falls within the Construction & Trades sector, specifically in Construction. The typical education path involves Apprenticeship. The career outlook? High demand. Work style is job-site — which means location flexibility varies, and so does the premium different markets are willing to pay. For early-career professionals, the geographic pay premium is worth the math.
$78,690 separates the highest and lowest-paying cities. A Electrician in Sunnyvale, California earns a median of $129,320 — $78,690 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($50,630). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent. For early-career professionals, the geographic pay premium is worth the math.
Breaking down the numbers: entry-level Electricians average $42,469, the median sits at $70,781, and senior earners pull in $104,756. That $62,287 gap represents the full earning trajectory of this career. The median is $9,586 below the national median household income of $80,367 — which tells you location and cost of living are critical factors in making this salary work.
The pay gap between the top and bottom markets is dramatic: $120,780 (average of the top 3 cities) versus $51,037 (average of the bottom 3). That $69,743 delta is real money — $5,812/month before taxes. But the highest-paying cities tend to be the most expensive. The cost-adjusted comparison below tells the more important story.
A Electrician in Sunnyvale, California earns a median of $129,320 — $78,690 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($50,630). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent.
The national average entry-level (P10) salary for Electrician is $42,469, while senior-level (P90) earners average $104,756. That $62,287 trajectory represents the earning growth a career in this field can deliver.
| Country | Coverage | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 288 | $42,469 | $70,781 | $104,756 |
| United Kingdom | 27 | £29,073 | £40,379 | £57,339 |
| Canada | 21 | CA$46,694 | CA$64,853 | CA$92,092 |
| Australia | 13 | A$58,286 | A$80,953 | A$114,953 |
| Sweden | 24 | 314,726 kr | 437,120 kr | 620,710 kr |
| State | Cities | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 61 | $51,414 | $85,690 | $126,821 |
| Massachusetts | 4 | $49,685 | $82,808 | $122,555 |
| Hawaii | 1 | $49,410 | $82,350 | $121,878 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | $45,750 | $76,250 | $112,850 |
| New Jersey | 4 | $45,201 | $75,335 | $111,496 |
| Washington | 8 | $44,332 | $73,886 | $109,352 |
| New York | 5 | $41,724 | $69,540 | $102,919 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | $41,724 | $69,540 | $102,919 |
| Florida | 22 | $41,408 | $69,013 | $102,140 |
| Colorado | 11 | $40,693 | $67,821 | $100,375 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | $40,626 | $67,710 | $100,211 |
| Nevada | 5 | $40,553 | $67,588 | $100,030 |
| Arizona | 12 | $40,352 | $67,253 | $99,534 |
| Oregon | 5 | $40,260 | $67,100 | $99,308 |
| Idaho | 3 | $40,138 | $66,897 | $99,007 |
| Connecticut | 5 | $39,821 | $66,368 | $98,225 |
| Utah | 4 | $39,711 | $66,185 | $97,954 |
| Virginia | 7 | $39,057 | $65,096 | $96,342 |
| South Carolina | 3 | $38,552 | $64,253 | $95,095 |
| Alaska | 1 | $38,430 | $64,050 | $94,794 |
| Illinois | 5 | $37,991 | $63,318 | $93,711 |
| North Carolina | 9 | $37,047 | $61,746 | $91,383 |
| New Mexico | 3 | $36,600 | $61,000 | $90,280 |
| Montana | 1 | $36,600 | $61,000 | $90,280 |
| Tennessee | 6 | $36,478 | $60,797 | $89,979 |
| Texas | 40 | $36,298 | $60,497 | $89,535 |
| Minnesota | 2 | $36,234 | $60,390 | $89,378 |
| Wisconsin | 2 | $36,051 | $60,085 | $88,926 |
| Georgia | 6 | $35,929 | $59,882 | $88,625 |
| Pennsylvania | 3 | $35,868 | $59,780 | $88,474 |
| Kansas | 4 | $35,685 | $59,475 | $88,023 |
| Michigan | 6 | $35,563 | $59,272 | $87,722 |
| Kentucky | 2 | $35,136 | $58,560 | $86,669 |
| Maryland | 1 | $35,136 | $58,560 | $86,669 |
| Nebraska | 2 | $34,770 | $57,950 | $85,766 |
| South Dakota | 1 | $34,770 | $57,950 | $85,766 |
| Oklahoma | 4 | $33,855 | $56,425 | $83,509 |
| North Dakota | 1 | $33,672 | $56,120 | $83,058 |
| Louisiana | 4 | $33,215 | $55,358 | $81,929 |
| Missouri | 4 | $33,215 | $55,358 | $81,929 |
| Alabama | 5 | $33,086 | $55,144 | $81,613 |
| Indiana | 3 | $32,574 | $54,290 | $80,349 |
| Arkansas | 1 | $32,574 | $54,290 | $80,349 |
| Iowa | 2 | $32,208 | $53,680 | $79,446 |
| Ohio | 6 | $32,147 | $53,578 | $79,296 |
| Mississippi | 1 | $30,744 | $51,240 | $75,835 |
The state salary map for Electricians: California at $85,690, Massachusetts at $82,808, Hawaii at $82,350 lead the pack. The bottom tier — Mississippi ($51,240), Ohio ($53,578), Iowa ($53,680) — shows how regional economics reshape compensation. Across all 46 states with data, the state-level spread alone is $34,450.
When you adjust the top-paying cities for cost of living, the ranking reshuffles. Sunnyvale ($129,320 nominal, 212 cost index) delivers $61,000 in purchasing power — maintaining its lead even after cost adjustment. This is the metric that matters for anyone considering a geo-based career move.
Raw salary divided by the local cost index — this shows where your paycheck buys the most.
| # | City | Nominal Salary | Cost Index | Adjusted Salary | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunnyvale California | $129,320 | 212 | $61,000 | $78,148 |
| 2 | Santa Clara California | $120,780 | 198 | $61,000 | $73,447 |
| 3 | Irvine California | $112,240 | 184 | $61,000 | $68,746 |
| 4 | San Francisco California | $110,410 | 181 | $61,000 | $67,738 |
| 5 | Carlsbad California | $108,580 | 178 | $61,000 | $66,731 |
| 6 | San Jose California | $107,970 | 177 | $61,000 | $66,395 |
| 7 | Fremont California | $107,970 | 177 | $61,000 | $66,395 |
| 8 | Berkeley California | $105,530 | 173 | $61,000 | $65,052 |
| 9 | Costa Mesa California | $105,530 | 173 | $61,000 | $65,052 |
| 10 | Huntington Beach California | $103,090 | 169 | $61,000 | $63,709 |
Career economics for Electricians: entry level averages $42,469, mid-career hits $70,781, and experienced professionals reach $104,756. That's a 2.5× multiplier from start to peak. The path typically requires Apprenticeship, and the work is job-site. The outlook: high demand. For a career with that education requirement, the pay trajectory is strong.
The weighted national median salary for Electricians is $70,781 in 2026, based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics across 288 U.S. metro areas. Entry-level (10th percentile) averages $42,469, while experienced professionals at the 90th percentile average $104,756.
The highest-paying city for Electricians is Sunnyvale, California with a median salary of $129,320. The top 3 cities are Sunnyvale ($129,320), Santa Clara ($120,780), Irvine ($112,240). Note: high-paying cities often have higher costs of living — check the cost-adjusted rankings above for purchasing power.
The lowest median Electrician salary in our data is in Toledo, Ohio at $50,630. However, lower-paying cities often have significantly lower costs of living, which can offset the pay gap. Always compare salary data alongside local cost of living.
Entry-level Electricians (10th percentile) average $42,469 nationally. This varies by city — in the highest-paying markets, entry-level pay can be close to $77,592. Experience, certifications, and employer type all influence starting salary.
At the 90th percentile (senior level), Electricians average $104,756 nationally — $62,287 more than entry-level. In top-paying cities, senior Electricians can earn up to $191,394.
The top-paying states for Electricians are California ($85,690 median), Massachusetts ($82,808 median), Hawaii ($82,350 median). State averages are computed across all tracked cities in each state, weighted equally.
The typical education path for a Electrician involves Apprenticeship. The field is in the Construction & Trades sector (Construction), and the career outlook is high demand. Work style is typically job-site.
With a national median of $70,781 and representation across 288 metro areas, Electrician offers a foundation that can be strengthened by strategic location choices. The $62,287 gap between entry and senior pay shows room for salary growth. Industry outlook: high demand.
All salary data on this page is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan areas. We present 10th percentile (entry), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks. Cost-of-living adjustments use our core database of 288 cities.
Salary data is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. We present the 10th percentile (entry-level), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks.
Cost-of-living adjustments use Livably's core index derived from Zillow rent data, Census income surveys, and regional BLS price data. Take-home pay estimates apply simplified federal brackets, 7.65% FICA, and state income tax rates from the Tax Foundation.
State and national averages are computed as simple means across all tracked cities with data for this occupation. Rankings are updated monthly as new BLS releases become available.