upper level job

Hourly Wage for Electrician I Salary in the United States

How much does an Electrician I make hourly?

As of September 01, 2026, the average hourly rate for an Electrician I in the United States is $27, which translates to an annual salary of about $55,606.

However, the hourly wage can vary significantly based on several factors. Here’s a detailed look at the typical pay range per hour:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $32 per hour
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $24 to $30 per hour
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $21 per hour

Key Factors That Influence Electrician I Salaries

An Electrician I's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Electrician I Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Electrician I's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Electrician I (0-1 years): $55,606
  • Electrician II (1-3 years): $64,698
  • Electrician III (3-5 years): $71,326
  • Electrician IV (5-7 years): $83,476
  • Electrical Maintenance Supervisor (7+ years): $84,032
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Electrician I0-1 years$55,606
Electrician II1-3 years$64,698
Electrician III3-5 years$71,326
Electrician IV5-7 years$83,476
Electrical Maintenance Supervisor7+ years$84,032

Top Paying Cities for Electrician Is

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $70,136
  • San Francisco: $69,368
  • Oakland: $67,906

What Skills Can Increase an Electrician I's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 7.55% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
  • Site Survey (Mentioned in 3.88% Job Postings): Site surveys are inspections of an area where work is proposed, to gather information for a design or an estimate to complete the initial tasks required for an outdoor activity. It can determine a precise location, access, best orientation for the site and the location of obstacles. The type of site survey and the best practices required depend on the nature of the project. Examples of projects requiring a preliminary site survey include urban construction, specialized construction (such as the location for a telescope) and wireless network design. In hydrocarbon exploration, for example, site surveys are run over the proposed locations of offshore exploration or appraisal wells. They consist typically of a tight grid of high resolution (high frequency) reflection seismology profiles to look for possible gas hazards in the shallow section beneath the seabed and detailed bathymetric data to look for possible obstacles on the seafloor (e.g. shipwrecks, existing pipelines) using multibeam echosounders.
  • Pneumatics (Mentioned in 1.64% Job Postings): Pneumatics (pronounced new-MATT-ix) is an aspect of physics and engineering that is concerned with using the energy in compressed gas to make something move or work.
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 7.55%
Site Survey 3.88%
Pneumatics 1.64%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Electrician I's salary.

  • Site Survey: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
  • Resilience: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Site Survey $60,611
9%
Resilience $59,498
7%
Collaboration $57,830
4%

Electrician I Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Electrician I salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $62,142. While startup companies pay approximate $52,566.

Electrician I Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $52,566
Growth Stage 51~500 $55,594
Established 501~5000 $60,006
Enterprise 5000+ $62,142

Electrician I Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Electrician I roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Energy & Utilities and Software & Networking sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Electrician positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Electrician I as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Electrician I

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Energy & Utilities$66,727$32.020%
Software & Networking$63,947$31.015%
Insurance$62,279$30.012%
Financial Services$61,167$29.010%
Healthcare$60,054$29.08%

How Education impacts an Electrician I's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Electrician I enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Electrician I with a Bachelor's Degree is between $54,192 and $58,366.

Electrician I Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Electrician I
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 2.5%
High School 65.2%
Associates 21.3%
Bachelors 9.4%
Masters 1.2%
Doctorate 0.4%

Electrician I Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Electrician I's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$49,544
Average $55,606/year
$61,695
$4,129
Average $4,634/month
$5,141
$953
Average $1,069/week
$1,186
$24
Average $27/hour
$30
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $61,695 $5,141 $1,186 $30
Average $55,606 $4,634 $1,069 $27
25th Percentile $49,544 $4,129 $953 $24

Most common benefits for Electrician I

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Electrician I

Here are companies hiring for Electrician I and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Electrician I

1. What are the responsibilities of Electrician I?

Inspects, repairs, installs, and maintains electrical systems, machinery, and equipment. Ensures all work performed meets required safety codes and is properly inspected. Uses a variety of tools and equipment, such as power construction equipment, measuring devices, power tools, and testing equipment. Typically requires a high school diploma. Typically requires Electrician License. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager. Works under the close direction of senior personnel in the functional area. Possesses a moderate understanding of general aspects of the job. May require 0-1 year of general work experience.

2. What are the skills of Electrician I

Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.

1.)

Customer Service: Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.

2.)

Site Survey: Site surveys are inspections of an area where work is proposed, to gather information for a design or an estimate to complete the initial tasks required for an outdoor activity. It can determine a precise location, access, best orientation for the site and the location of obstacles. The type of site survey and the best practices required depend on the nature of the project. Examples of projects requiring a preliminary site survey include urban construction, specialized construction (such as the location for a telescope) and wireless network design. In hydrocarbon exploration, for example, site surveys are run over the proposed locations of offshore exploration or appraisal wells. They consist typically of a tight grid of high resolution (high frequency) reflection seismology profiles to look for possible gas hazards in the shallow section beneath the seabed and detailed bathymetric data to look for possible obstacles on the seafloor (e.g. shipwrecks, existing pipelines) using multibeam echosounders.

3.)

Pneumatics: Pneumatics (pronounced new-MATT-ix) is an aspect of physics and engineering that is concerned with using the energy in compressed gas to make something move or work.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.

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