E&I First Class Salary in the United States

How much does an E&I First Class make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for an E&I First Class in the United States is $54,708 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $26.

However, an E&I First Class's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $64,062
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $48,454 to $59,605
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $42,760
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Paid Annually Paid Monthly Paid Semimonthly Paid Biweekly Paid Weekly Paid Hourly
View as table View as graph 25% $48,454 10% $42,760 90% $64,062 75% $59,605 $54,708 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

E&I First Class Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $59,605 $4,967 $1,146 $29
Average $54,708 $4,559 $1,052 $26
25th Percentile $48,454 $4,038 $932 $23
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Key Factors That Influence E&I First Class Salaries

An E&I First Class'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 E&I First Class Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an E&I First Class'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:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $53,865
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $54,492
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $55,572
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $55,788
  • Expert (over 8 years): $55,932
Levels Salary
Entry Level E&I First Class$53,865
Intermediate Level E&I First Class$54,492
Senior Level E&I First Class$55,572
Specialist Level E&I First Class$55,788
Expert Level E&I First Class$55,932
$53,865 0 yr
$54,492 < 2 yrs
$55,572 2-4 yrs
$55,788 5-8 yrs
$55,932 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

How Do E&I First Class Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract E&I First Classes. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $60,573.
  • California: $60,343.
  • Massachusetts: $59,539.

Top Paying Cities for E&I First Classes

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: $69,004
  • San Francisco: $68,325
  • Oakland: $66,810

What Skills Can Increase an E&I First Class's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Troubleshooting (Mentioned in 10.4% Job Postings): Troubleshooting is a form of problem solving, often applied to repair failed products or processes on a machine or a system. It is a logical, systematic search for the source of a problem in order to solve it, and make the product or process operational again. Troubleshooting is needed to identify the symptoms. Determining the most likely cause is a process of elimination—eliminating potential causes of a problem. Finally, troubleshooting requires confirmation that the solution restores the product or process to its working state. In general, troubleshooting is the identification or diagnosis of "trouble" in the management flow of a system caused by a failure of some kind. The problem is initially described as symptoms of malfunction, and troubleshooting is the process of determining and remedying the causes of these symptoms. A system can be described in terms of its expected, desired or intended behavior (usually, for artificial systems, its purpose). Events or inputs to the system are expected to generate specific results or outputs. (For example, selecting the "print" option from various computer applications is intended to result in a hardcopy emerging from some specific device). Any unexpected or undesirable behavior is a symptom. Troubleshooting is the process of isolating the specific cause or causes of the symptom. Frequently the symptom is a failure of the product or process to produce any results. (Nothing was printed, for example). Corrective action can then be taken to prevent further failures of a similar kind.
  • Preventative Maintenance (Mentioned in 2.94% Job Postings): Developing and implementing maintenance strategies to increase equipment life expectancy and avoid unplanned downtime.
  • Data Acquisition (Mentioned in 1.7% Job Postings): Data acquisition is the process of sampling signals that measure real-world physical conditions and converting the resulting samples into digital numeric values that can be manipulated by a computer.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Troubleshooting 10.4%
Preventative Maintenance 2.94%
Data Acquisition 1.7%
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 E&I First Class's salary.
  • Coordination: Can increase your salary by up to 16%.
  • Wiring Diagram: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
  • Instrumentation and Control: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Coordination
 $63,462
16%
Wiring Diagram
 $61,273
12%
Instrumentation and Control
 $60,726
11%
Programming
 $59,632
9%
EHS
 $59,632
9%
Verbal Communication
 $59,632
9%
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How Education impacts an E&I First Class's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many E&I First Classes enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate 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 E&I First Class with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $49,620 and $53,987).

E&I First Class Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for E&I First Class
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.7%
High School 34.5%
Associates 37.9%
Bachelors 24.1%
Masters 1.7%
Doctorate 0.0%
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E&I First Class Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an E&I First Class'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.

  • Hourly
  • Monthly
  • Weekly
  • Yearly
  • Table View
Last Updated on January 01, 2026
$48,454
Average $54,708/year
$59,605
$4,038
Average $4,559/month
$4,967
$932
Average $1,052/week
$1,146
$23
Average $26/hour
$29
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $59,605 $4,967 $1,146 $29
Average $54,708 $4,559 $1,052 $26
25th Percentile $48,454 $4,038 $932 $23

Salaries of jobs related to E&I First Class

Salary Trends for E&I First Class

Salaries for an E&I First Class can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $48,453 in 2023 to around $48,000 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of E&I First Class salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of E&I First Class Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$48,453
2024
$48,416
2025
$48,000
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $48,453
2024 $48,416
2025 $48,000
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for E&I First Class

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for E&I First Class

Here are companies hiring for E&I First Class and their salaries, click below for more details.

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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