If you're thinking about getting into the electrical field, you might wonder "how much do electricians make" and what factors play into the salary? This article will tell you all you need to know.
How Much Do Electricians Make in 2022?
Supply & Demand
Like most other industries, the need for electrical work drives the salary of electricians. It is basic supply and demand. How much an electrical business can charge is based on what kind of area they are in. In 2022, the housing market is absolutely booming and cities are growing faster than they can possibly keep up with. Electricians are in high demand, and so the salary is good, but other factors play into the money they actually walk away with.
If a city is growing quickly and new buildings are popping up everywhere, a lot of electricians will be needed to wire all the buildings and get the electrical work completed in each building. If an older area of town suddenly becomes very popular and lots of homes are being renovated, electricians will be in high demand and can charge more. In an older rural community, electricians will not be in demand and will have to keep prices lower.
Education Level
There are a lot of factors that play into what electricians make. Just because someone is an electrician does not mean they will make the same amount of money as another electrician. No matter what state you live in, electricians have to get an education, whether a trade school or an apprenticeship, and pass examinations in order to get a job as an electrician. Where and how they are educated can make a difference in how much salary they can make.
Apprenticeships often hire people from more well-known trade schools rather than people who try to get apprenticeships right out of high school. Someone with better education and therefore a better apprenticeship will be more likely to get hired into a job with a higher salary. Additional certifications to make you into a higher-level electrician can also impact how much salary an electrician is able to make.
Experience
Varying levels of experience can also play a big role in how much an electrician makes annually. There are different levels of electricians, such as an entry-level electrician who has just passed exams and gotten certified, an intermediate electrician who has been working in the field for a few years, and someone who has been working in the field for numerous years, has additional certifications, and is a master electrician.
Years of experience and where they got that experience can make a big difference in how much an electrician gets paid. On a national level, an entry-level electrician can make around $47,900 annually, while a master electrician can make $64,900 in 2022.
Cost of Living & Supplies
The cost of living in your state can make a big difference in how much an electrician can make. In states like California, electrical businesses have to charge more simply because they have to pay more for their groceries and houses than someone who is an electrician in South Carolina. This is calculated depending on where you live and even varies depending on what part of a state you live in, so it's worth looking into in your specific area.
The cost of supplies also makes an impact on salary. Since the pandemic began, the prices of supplies has fluctuated wildly. An electrician can give a quote for a job he is doing next month, take a deposit, and by the next month, he has lost money on the job because prices have quadrupled. An electrician has to consider these price fluctuations when he is giving quotes because his profit can be greatly impacted by the costs of his materials.
Differing Electrical Fields
When someone decides to become an electrician, there are many different directions they can go. For example, some people choose to go into residential electrical work, while others go the commercial or industrial electrical route. Which direction someone chooses can impact how much they make. As mentioned previously, the supply and demand in each field will make a difference in how much they are able to charge in their area of expertise.
Someone studying to be an electrician should do some research on the salary each electrical field offers. They should look into the reasons people go into each field and decide which one is the right one for them.
The Difficulty of the Job
In each of these fields, there are some jobs that will be easier, and some jobs that are more complicated. Depending on how difficult and specialized the job is, an electrician can charge more for the skills that they have spent years gaining an education and skills in. Once again it comes back to supply and demand.
In residential electric work, some homeowners want a lot more done in their homes than they used to, and this adds to the cost. Replacing and updating old wiring in homes can be dangerous and require specialized equipment and skills, so electricians often charge more for these jobs. In commercial electrical work, high-rise office buildings can have more complicated wiring, so again, the cost is affected, and therefore so is the salary of the electrician.
Now that you know that electricians can make a decent salary, send us a message at Service Box for a free quote and find out how we can help you make the most of your time. If you decide to become an electrician, we can help you save time and money by helping you with timesheet management, calendar scheduling, invoicing, accounting, and inventory management. Let us take these chores off your plate by letting us manage the details.
