Electrician Hourly Rates by Metro 2026 (BLS OEWS Data)
Every “electrician cost per hour” article quotes a national range and stops. This one starts from the only public dataset that actually measures electrician pay city by city, the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, and shows why a panel upgrade quoted in Chicago and one quoted in Orlando cannot cost the same.
Quick answer
The U.S. median electrician wage is $30.38 per hour ($63,190 a year) per BLS OEWS May 2025. In the 20 largest metros it runs from $24.43 in Orlando (20% below the national median) to $49.21 in Chicago (62% above). Seattle ($48.93) and San Francisco ($44.63) are next; Dallas, Houston, Miami and Atlanta all sit 6–7% below the U.S. figure.
Those are employee wages, not what you are billed. An electrical contractor's hourly rate adds insurance, vehicle, tools, overhead and profit on top of the wage, so treat these tables as the floor and as the fairest way to compare one city against another. HammerIO's billed-rate planning ranges live in our electrical wiring cost guide.
Key Takeaways
- →National median electrician wage: $30.38/hr (BLS OEWS May 2025); 29 of 51 states are above it
- →Chicago ($49.21), Seattle ($48.93) and San Francisco ($44.63) lead the large metros; Orlando ($24.43) and Tampa ($27.62) trail
- →The spread between the highest and lowest large metro is 2.0×, which is why national “per outlet” prices mislead
- →Wage × labor hours gives you the wage floor of a job; the quote you receive adds materials, permits, overhead and profit
Where the numbers come from
The Bureau of Labor Statistics surveys employers twice a year and publishes median hourly wages for about 830 occupations in every state and roughly 380 metropolitan areas. The occupation used here is Electricians (SOC 47-2111), which covers licensed journeymen and apprentices employed by contractors, utilities, factories and public agencies. The release used is May 2025, the latest available, and every figure on this page is computed from that file rather than copied from a cost guide. You can check any number at bls.gov/oes.
Two things the data does not do. It does not measure what a contractor charges, and it does not separate residential service electricians from industrial or commercial ones. Both matter: a residential service electrician in a union-heavy metro like Chicago may earn well above the metro median, while the person wiring your outlet in a right-to-work state may earn below it. Use the tables for the direction and size of the regional gap, then get local quotes for the actual price.
Electrician wages in the 10 largest metros
The table shows the metro median, the gap versus the national median, and what 8 hours of electrician time costs at that wage, roughly one working day for a panel replacement.
Electricians: median hourly wage, 10 largest U.S. metros vs. national (BLS OEWS May 2025)
| Metro area | Median wage | vs. U.S. median | 8 hours × median wage (one-day job, wage only) |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $30.38/hr | baseline | $243 |
| New York, NY-NJ | $37.99/hr | +25% | $304 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $35.49/hr | +17% | $284 |
| Chicago, IL-IN | $49.21/hr | +62% | $394 |
| Dallas, TX | $28.37/hr | -7% | $227 |
| Houston, TX | $28.45/hr | -6% | $228 |
| Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV | $36.50/hr | +20% | $292 |
| Miami, FL | $28.19/hr | -7% | $226 |
| Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $35.86/hr | +18% | $287 |
| Atlanta, GA | $28.20/hr | -7% | $226 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $29.43/hr | -3% | $235 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), median hourly wages. These are employee wages, not contractor billing rates — a contractor's quoted hourly rate adds overhead, insurance, equipment and profit on top of the wage. “—” means BLS did not publish a metro estimate for that occupation. Occupation: Electricians (SOC 47-2111).
Chicago is the outlier: at $49.21 an hour its electricians earn 62% more than the U.S. median and 74% more than electricians in Dallas ($28.37). Eight hours of electrician wages costs $394 in Chicago versus $227 in Dallas, before a single foot of cable is bought. The Sun Belt cluster is remarkably tight: Dallas, Houston, Miami and Atlanta all land within $0.30 of each other at $28.19 to $28.45, and Phoenix ($29.43) is only slightly higher. The Northeast corridor sits in the middle: New York $37.99 (+25%), Philadelphia $35.86 (+18%) and Washington $36.50 (+20%).
Metros 11 through 20
Electricians: median hourly wage, metros 11–20 by population vs. national (BLS OEWS May 2025)
| Metro area | Median wage | vs. U.S. median | 8 hours × median wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $30.38/hr | baseline | $243 |
| Boston, MA-NH | $38.42/hr | +26% | $307 |
| San Francisco, CA | $44.63/hr | +47% | $357 |
| Riverside, CA | $35.00/hr | +15% | $280 |
| Detroit, MI | $39.42/hr | +30% | $315 |
| Seattle, WA | $48.93/hr | +61% | $391 |
| Minneapolis, MN-WI | $39.37/hr | +30% | $315 |
| San Diego, CA | $36.62/hr | +21% | $293 |
| Tampa, FL | $27.62/hr | -9% | $221 |
| Orlando, FL | $24.43/hr | -20% | $195 |
| Austin, TX | $29.03/hr | -4% | $232 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), median hourly wages. These are employee wages, not contractor billing rates — a contractor's quoted hourly rate adds overhead, insurance, equipment and profit on top of the wage. “—” means BLS did not publish a metro estimate for that occupation. Occupation: Electricians (SOC 47-2111).
The second tier is where the West Coast premium shows up. Seattle ($48.93, +61%) is within 30 cents of Chicago, San Francisco is $44.63 (+47%), and even Riverside–San Bernardino, the inland and cheaper half of Southern California, pays $35.00 (+15%). Detroit ($39.42) and Minneapolis ($39.37) are both 30% above the national median, a reminder that the Upper Midwest, not just the coasts, has high electrician pay. Florida is the low end of the country: Orlando ($24.43) and Tampa ($27.62) are the two cheapest of the 20 largest metros, and Miami is third-cheapest.
What common jobs cost in wage hours
The next table converts labor hours into wage dollars at the national median and at the cheapest and priciest of the 10 largest metros. The hours are HammerIO planning assumptions for a licensed electrician working in an accessible, finished home; hard access (plaster walls, finished ceilings, no attic or crawlspace) can double them.
Electricians labor-wage cost by scenario (hours × BLS median wage)
| Scenario | Labor hours | U.S. median ($30.67/hr) | Lowest large metro (Miami, FL) | Highest large metro (Chicago, IL-IN) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Add an outlet on an existing circuitFish 10–15 ft of cable, cut in a box, terminate | 1.5 | $46 | $42 | $74 |
| Dedicated 20-amp circuit from the panelKitchen appliance, bathroom, garage | 3.5 | $106 | $99 | $172 |
| Level 2 EV charger circuit (240 V, 50 A)Panel to garage, under 50 ft run | 5 | $152 | $141 | $246 |
| 200-amp panel replacementLike-for-like swap, utility disconnect coordinated | 9 | $273 | $254 | $443 |
| Whole-house rewire, 1,500 sq ftTwo-person crew, 40 hours each, open access | 80 | $2,430 | $2,255 | $3,937 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), median hourly wages. These are employee wages, not contractor billing rates — a contractor's quoted hourly rate adds overhead, insurance, equipment and profit on top of the wage. “—” means BLS did not publish a metro estimate for that occupation. Labor hours are HammerIO planning assumptions for the scenario described; the dollar figures are wage cost only (hours × median wage) and exclude materials, permits, contractor overhead and profit.
The rewire row is the one to study. At the U.S. median, 80 electrician-hours is $2,430 of wages. In Chicago it is $3,937; in Atlanta or Miami it is about $2,255. That $1,700 wage gap becomes a much larger gap in the final quote once the contractor's multiplier is applied, which is why our rewiring cost guide shows a whole-house range rather than a single number. A Level 2 EV charger install behaves the same way: the 5-hour wage cost is $152 nationally but $246 in Chicago, before the charger, breaker, conduit and permit.
Highest- and lowest-wage states
Electricians: 8 highest- and 8 lowest-wage states (BLS OEWS May 2025)
| State | Median wage | vs. U.S. median ($30.38/hr) |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $48.71/hr | +60% |
| Illinois | $47.87/hr | +58% |
| Hawaii | $46.38/hr | +53% |
| Washington | $45.78/hr | +51% |
| Alaska | $43.00/hr | +42% |
| Massachusetts | $38.18/hr | +26% |
| District of Columbia | $37.97/hr | +25% |
| New York | $37.86/hr | +25% |
| South Carolina | $28.24/hr | -7% |
| Texas | $28.16/hr | -7% |
| New Mexico | $28.07/hr | -8% |
| Georgia | $28.04/hr | -8% |
| Florida | $27.52/hr | -9% |
| North Carolina | $27.31/hr | -10% |
| Alabama | $26.78/hr | -12% |
| Arkansas | $23.59/hr | -22% |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), median hourly wages. These are employee wages, not contractor billing rates — a contractor's quoted hourly rate adds overhead, insurance, equipment and profit on top of the wage. “—” means BLS did not publish a metro estimate for that occupation. Occupation: Electricians (SOC 47-2111). State medians cover the whole state; see the metro table for city-level figures.
State medians smooth out the metro extremes but tell the same story. Oregon ($48.71), Illinois ($47.87), Hawaii ($46.38), Washington ($45.78) and Alaska ($43.00) are the top five; Arkansas ($23.59), Alabama ($26.78), North Carolina ($27.31), Florida ($27.52) and Georgia ($28.04) are the bottom five. The gap between Oregon and Arkansas is $25.12 an hour, or 106%. Twenty-nine states are above the national median and 22 are below it, so “average” electrician pricing genuinely describes very few places.
From wage to quote: what the contractor adds
A licensed electrical contractor cannot bill the wage and stay in business. On top of the hourly pay come payroll taxes, workers' compensation (electrical work is a higher-risk classification), general liability insurance, the truck and fuel, meters and testers, licensing and code-update training, the estimator's unpaid site visits, and the office. Then comes profit. HammerIO does not publish a fixed multiplier because it varies with company size and market; what we do publish are billed-rate planning ranges on the project guides linked below, which you should compare against your local quotes.
Three practical uses for the wage data. First, when a quote in Dallas comes in at the same price as a friend's identical job in Chicago, something is off, because the wage floor differs by 74%. Second, when comparing two local bids, the low bid in a high-wage metro may be using unlicensed or apprentice labor; ask who is pulling the permit. Third, use the hours column to sanity-check time-and-materials invoices: if a panel swap is billed at 20 hours in an accessible garage, ask why.
Wages are rising faster than materials in 2026
The BLS average hourly earnings series for all construction employees (CES2000000003) stood at $41.66 in August 2026, up from $41.50 in July, and it has climbed steadily since the May 2025 OEWS survey window. That means the metro medians above are, if anything, slightly conservative for late 2026 quotes. Consumer prices rose 3.40% year-over-year in August 2026 (CPI-U 334.98), so electrician pay is roughly keeping pace with inflation rather than falling behind it. For a homeowner the takeaway is simple: labor-heavy electrical jobs are not getting cheaper, and delaying a rewire to wait for lower prices is usually a losing bet.
How to use this with the rest of HammerIO
- Electrical wiring cost per outlet, per room and whole house: the billed-rate planning ranges to pair with these wages.
- Smart home installation cost: low-voltage and control wiring where electrician hours dominate the budget.
- Plumber cost per hour by state and roofer rates by metro: the same BLS method for the other licensed trades.
- Home improvement cost calculator: model the full project, then check what is safe to DIY. Permit requirements vary; verify with your local building department.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do electricians make per hour in 2026?
The U.S. median hourly wage for electricians is $30.38 (about $63,190 a year) in the most recent BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release (May 2025). Among the 20 largest metros the median ranges from $24.43 in Orlando to $49.21 in Chicago. These are employee wages; the hourly rate an electrical contractor bills you is higher because it also covers overhead, insurance, vehicles, tools and profit.
Which U.S. city pays electricians the most?
Among the 20 largest metros, Chicago has the highest median electrician wage at $49.21 per hour, 62% above the national median, followed by Seattle at $48.93 (+61%) and San Francisco at $44.63 (+47%). Across all 377 metros with published data, the very highest medians are in Kankakee, IL ($50.72), Portland, OR ($50.53) and Mount Vernon, WA ($50.24).
Why is an electrician's quoted rate so much higher than the BLS wage?
The BLS figure is what the electrician is paid. A contractor's billed rate must also cover payroll taxes, workers' compensation and liability insurance, the service van and fuel, tools and test equipment, licensing and continuing education, unbillable travel and estimating time, office overhead and profit. That is why a billed rate is typically a multiple of the wage rather than a small markup. Use the wage tables here to compare cities, and use the HammerIO planning ranges on our wiring cost guides for what you are likely to be quoted.
Which states have the lowest electrician wages?
Arkansas has the lowest state median at $23.59 per hour (22% below the U.S. median), followed by Alabama ($26.78), North Carolina ($27.31), Florida ($27.52) and Georgia ($28.04). The highest state medians are Oregon ($48.71), Illinois ($47.87), Hawaii ($46.38), Washington ($45.78) and Alaska ($43.00).
How many labor hours does a typical electrical job take?
HammerIO planning assumptions: adding a standard outlet on an existing circuit takes roughly 1 to 1.5 hours; a dedicated 20-amp circuit from the panel 3 to 4 hours; a Level 2 EV charger circuit 4 to 6 hours; a 200-amp panel replacement 8 to 10 hours; and a whole-house rewire of a 1,500 sq ft home 60 to 100 hours depending on access. Multiply hours by the local median wage for the wage portion of the job, then expect the contractor's quote to add materials, permit fees and overhead.
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