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What is a construction electrician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

Construction electricians are responsible for assembling, installing, and wiring the electrical systems in new homes and buildings. They create the wiring that powers our society, from our homes and workplaces to the lights on our streets. They also ensure the wiring and electrical components are up to code and work efficiently and safely. Construction electricians earn an average salary of $19 per hour, which amounts to $39,000 a year.

Construction electricians are important professionals at a construction site. They diagnose the malfunctioning systems, components, and apparatus, using the testing equipment to locate causes of electrical breakdowns and correct the problem. They also connect wires to the circuit breakers, transformers, conduits, or any other components. A great construction electrician needs to possess good leadership qualities and a strong ethic to work as a leader.

Construction electricians typically hold a GED or high school diploma. However, having a bachelor's degree or vocational diploma is preferred. They are expected to have some years of progressive construction electrical experience or completion of four years of a federally approved technical program.

ScoreConstruction ElectricianUS Average
Salary
3.4

Avg. Salary $44,135

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
7.6

Growth rate 7%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
8.7
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.86%

Asian 2.26%

Black or African American 8.68%

Hispanic or Latino 18.96%

Unknown 4.28%

White 64.96%

Gender

female 7.08%

male 92.92%

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

Construction electrician career paths

Key steps to become a construction electrician

  1. Explore construction electrician education requirements

    Most common construction electrician degrees

    Associate

    36.3 %

    High School Diploma

    27.4 %

    Bachelor's

    20.4 %
  2. Start to develop specific construction electrician skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Transformers8.09%
    Electrical Conduit7.34%
    Hand Tools7.18%
    Ladders5.78%
    Electrical Equipment5.26%
  3. Complete relevant construction electrician training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 4-10 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New construction 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 construction electrician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real construction electrician resumes.
  4. Obtain the necessary licensing

    Becoming a licensed construction electrician usually doesn't require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed construction electrician in most of states. 25 states require construction 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. Research construction electrician duties and responsibilities

    • Manage installation of wire, conduit, switches and receptacles to meet electronic needs in diverse office spaces and facilities.
    • Remove, analyze, identify issue install properly working pressure transducers, effectively accomplishing priorities to go underway.
    • Connect wiring to circuit breakers, transformers, motors, motor control cabinets, PLC's, and variable speed drives.
    • Wire lights, motors, PLC, fire alarm systems, communications, and motor control centers.
  6. Prepare your construction electrician resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your construction 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 construction 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 construction electrician resume templates

    Build a professional construction 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 construction electrician resume.
    Construction Electrician Resume
    Construction Electrician Resume
    Construction Electrician Resume
    Construction Electrician Resume
    Construction Electrician Resume
    Construction Electrician Resume
    Construction Electrician Resume
    Construction Electrician Resume
    Construction Electrician Resume
  7. Apply for construction electrician jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a construction 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 construction electrician job

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Average construction electrician salary

The average construction electrician salary in the United States is $44,135 per year or $21 per hour. Construction electrician salaries range between $28,000 and $67,000 per year.

Average construction electrician salary
$44,135 Yearly
$21.22 hourly

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How do construction electricians rate their job?

-/5

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3 stars

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Construction electrician reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2023
Cons

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

Pros

Thinking about the job while working the job


profile
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


profile
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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