Master Electrician Salary: All You Need To Know

ZenTrades

Master Electrician Salary: All You Need To Know

ZenElectrical
October 14, 2024
9 Min Read

If you’re planning to join the electrical trade business and set your career trajectory towards being a skilled electrician, then you are probably here looking for scopes and salary ranges for the highest level of certification in electrical works.

Whether you are an industrial electrician or just an apprentice electrician going on about their daily training under supervision, being a master electrician comes with a great career opportunity along with a high-income scope.

In this blog, we will examine the pay structure for master electricians and the scope of growth for these individuals who have achieved the highest level of certification in the electrical trade.

What is a Master Electrician?

Master electricians hold the highest level of licensure in the electrical field. They are adept at complex electrical work, drafting blueprints for electrical systems, and expertise with power tools.

Electricians in the highest or master stage – are highly skilled professionals who are the best at their jobs in particular fields and are responsible for the highest level of work, such as installing, maintaining, and repairing electrical systems. Their workload also includes managing, leading, and supervising a team of junior-level electricians.

Master electricians ensure that all your electrical systems comply with safety codes and regulation standards to function optimally. These individuals are required to be adept at National Electrical Codes (NEC) and are responsible for handling complex electrical projects.

Use our free estimate template now

Make winning quotes in minutes—for any industry and any job.

Education and Training Requirements

Transitioning from an apprentice electrician to a journeyman and then leveling up to become a master electrician requires years of hands-on training, handling electrical projects, and continuous education. To be eligible to sit for master electrician licensure, individuals need to complete their apprenticeship and pass their journeyman electrician exam for a professional license. The master electrician exam is more challenging than the journeyman electrician exam, considering the complexity of the syllabus and the level of expertise required by master electricians to grasp.

Before deciding to become a master electrician, there are prior steps where completing the action is a top priority. Typically requires a high school diploma or GED, followed by an apprenticeship program for a minimum of four to five years. If not an apprenticeship program, trade school works fine if you’re getting adequate knowledge and training. As an apprenticeship electrician, you need at least 800 hours of classroom training and 8000 hours of on-field experience supervised by a senior electrician. After the apprenticeship, it’s time to review if you are eligible to be a journeyman electrician by taking the licensure examination. Once licensure is received as a journeyman electrician, you must gain an additional 4000 hours of training to be eligible for the master electrician examination.

Average Master Electrician Salary

The salary of a master electrician varies by location, expertise, experience, and industry. According to Indeed, a very popular job site, the average yearly salary of a master electrician in the United States is around $70,000 to $85,000, with an average hourly rate ranging from $35 to $40.

As sourced by ZipRecruiter, the company has identified the top 10 cities with above-the-national average master electrician salaries. The top three are Berkeley, CA, Bumpass, VA, and Bailey’s Crossroads, VA. With cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement as a master electrician showcase a worthwhile future.

Factors Affecting Salary and Job Outlook

The demand for master electricians is high, driven by the need for skilled professionals to install and maintain complex electrical systems. The job outlook for master electricians is positive, with a projected growth rate of 10% over the next decade.

Factors such as location, experience, and industry can affect a master electrician’s salary and job prospects.

Get posts like this in your inbox.

Keep learning how to run a 5-star business with our bi-weekly newsletter.

Benefits of Being a Master Electrician

Master electricians enjoy a range of benefits, including a competitive salary, job security, and opportunities for advancement. They also have the satisfaction of working on complex projects and ensuring the safety of electrical systems. Master electricians may also have access to benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off.

Top Paying Industries for Master Electricians

Industrial electricians are in high demand, particularly in industries such as manufacturing, construction, and energy.
Master electricians working in these industries can earn higher salaries, with average salaries ranging from $70,000 to over $100,000 per year.
Other top-paying industries for master electricians include government, transportation, and telecommunications.

Conclusion

Master electricians play a critical role in ensuring the safety and efficiency of electrical systems. With a competitive salary, job security, and opportunities for advancement, being a master electrician can be a rewarding and challenging career. By understanding the average master electrician’s salary, education, and training requirements, as well as certification and licensing requirements, you can make informed decisions about pursuing a career as a master electrician.

If you need more resources and guides on how to ace your master electrician exam and require additional details on salary and job outlooks for beginner-level and senior-level electricians, you can check out more of our blogs, which go in-depth on master electricians and everything spinning around it.