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What is a commercial and industrial electrician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
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Commercial and industrial electricians perform the same duties as an electrician. However, the little difference in their duty is as a result of their territory (place of work). As a commercial or industrial electrician, you are responsible for installing, maintaining, and repairing all electrical appliances in a place of work. You will inspect and test available appliances to know if there is a need for an upgrade or replacement, and more importantly, all jobs should be done according to safety rules and electrical codes. All your decisions should be made according to the technical layout, and all your electrical activities should be documented.

You must be physically fit and able to read technical documents and blueprints for this role. Not only this, but you should also have communication skills, the technical know-how of all tools about your work, and you must be aware of electrical codes and regulations. Although work experience is important, you should have at least a high school diploma degree or GED. You will earn an average of $42,069 per year.

ScoreCommercial And Industrial ElectricianUS Average
Salary
3.6

Avg. Salary $46,340

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
7.6

Growth Rate 7%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
8.6
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.86%

Asian 2.24%

Black or African American 8.44%

Hispanic or Latino 19.71%

Unknown 4.27%

White 64.49%

Gender

female 4.13%

male 95.87%

Age - 41
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 41
Stress Level
7.6

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
6.8

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
5.5

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Commercial And Industrial Electrician career paths

Key steps to become a commercial and industrial electrician

  1. Explore commercial and industrial electrician education requirements

    Most common commercial and industrial electrician degrees

    High School Diploma

    30.6 %

    Associate

    29.8 %

    Bachelor's

    15.8 %
  2. Start to develop specific commercial and industrial electrician skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Hand Tools26.30%
    Ladders18.61%
    Electrical Systems5.80%
    RUN Conduit5.73%
    Work Ethic3.55%
  3. Complete relevant commercial and industrial electrician training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 4-10 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New commercial and industrial electricians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a commercial and industrial electrician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real commercial and industrial electrician resumes.
  4. Obtain the necessary licensing

    Becoming a licensed commercial and industrial electrician usually doesn't require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed commercial and industrial electrician in most of states. 25 states require commercial and industrial electricians to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.
    StateEducationExamLicense Url
    Alabama-State exam requiredLicensed Journeyman Electrician
    Alaska-State exam requiredElectrical Worker
    Arkansas-Third-party exam requiredJourneyman Electrician
    Colorado-State exam requiredJourneyman Electrician
    HawaiiDegree requiredState exam requiredElectrician
  5. Gain additional commercial and industrial electrician certifications

    Commercial and industrial electrician certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific commercial and industrial electrician certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

    The most common certifications for commercial and industrial electricians include OSHA Safety Certificate and Electrical Technician Certification.

    More About Certifications
  6. Research commercial and industrial electrician duties and responsibilities

    • Remove, analyze, identify issue install properly working pressure transducers, effectively accomplishing priorities to go underway.
    • Install electrical conduit, breaker panels, transformers, junction boxes, surface metal raceway, and electrical pvc.
    • Follow the NEC code precisely.
    • Install EMT piping and wiring as per blue prints in commercial properties.
  7. Prepare your commercial and industrial electrician resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your commercial and industrial electrician resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a commercial and industrial electrician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Commercial And Industrial Electrician Resume templates

    Build a professional Commercial And Industrial Electrician resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Commercial And Industrial Electrician resume.
    Commercial And Industrial Electrician Resume
    Commercial And Industrial Electrician Resume
    Commercial And Industrial Electrician Resume
    Commercial And Industrial Electrician Resume
    Commercial And Industrial Electrician Resume
    Commercial And Industrial Electrician Resume
    Commercial And Industrial Electrician Resume
    Commercial And Industrial Electrician Resume
    Commercial And Industrial Electrician Resume
  8. Apply for commercial and industrial electrician jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a commercial and industrial electrician job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Commercial And Industrial Electrician Job

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Average commercial and industrial electrician salary

The average Commercial And Industrial Electrician salary in the United States is $46,340 per year or $22 per hour. Commercial and industrial electrician salaries range between $30,000 and $70,000 per year.

Average Commercial And Industrial Electrician Salary
$46,340 Yearly
$22.28 hourly

What Am I Worth?

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How do commercial and industrial electricians rate their job?

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Commercial And Industrial Electrician reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2023
Pros

Thinking about the job while working the job

Cons

Bending pipe,cause it cost me money if the measurements is off


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A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2022
Pros

Is to keep lights burning to satisfy customers

Cons

The customers siting on the dark


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2022
Pros

Nothing? Its the worst job on site and you have to put up with working with uneducated divs. And thats just the management.

Cons

Retarded trades who think they are special. They don't realise to be an electrician requires superior brain power, something they can only dream about. Hence the continual flapping of their gums trying to make us believe their dull useless lives are interesting.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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