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Construction electrician vs apprentice electrician

The differences between construction electricians and apprentices electrician can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a construction electrician and an apprentice electrician. Additionally, a construction electrician has an average salary of $44,135, which is higher than the $38,799 average annual salary of an apprentice electrician.

The top three skills for a construction electrician include transformers, electrical conduit and hand tools. The most important skills for an apprentice electrician are hand tools, run conduit, and EMT.

Construction electrician vs apprentice electrician overview

Construction ElectricianApprentice Electrician
Yearly salary$44,135$38,799
Hourly rate$21.22$18.65
Growth rate7%7%
Number of jobs41,81421,335
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 36%High School Diploma, 44%
Average age4242
Years of experience1212

What does a construction electrician do?

Construction electricians work on installing, wiring, and assembling electrical systems in residential and commercial buildings. To ensure that wires won't be dangling around the house, they install them upon partial completion of the building. They work with engineers to discuss how and where they can position the wires. These electricians install a building's electrical system for air conditioning, power, heat, etc. They set up transformers, circuit breakers, and fuse boxes to connect wires while following state and local wiring regulations.

What does an apprentice electrician do?

An Apprentice Electrician is responsible for conducting electrical repairs and faults under the supervision and guidelines of a Master Electrician. The duties of an Apprentice will vary while still under training; however, it will mostly revolve around assisting the Master Electrician or carrying out given tasks. Furthermore, an Apprentice Electrician may be responsible for clearing out sites, carrying or loading materials, procuring required supplies, understanding and interpreting various types of blueprints, handling wiring systems, and coordinating with multiple workers, even including the clients.

Construction electrician vs apprentice electrician salary

Construction electricians and apprentices electrician have different pay scales, as shown below.

Construction ElectricianApprentice Electrician
Average salary$44,135$38,799
Salary rangeBetween $28,000 And $67,000Between $28,000 And $52,000
Highest paying CitySeattle, WALos Angeles, CA
Highest paying stateWashingtonHawaii
Best paying companyTri-State G&TDell
Best paying industryFinanceConstruction

Differences between construction electrician and apprentice electrician education

There are a few differences between a construction electrician and an apprentice electrician in terms of educational background:

Construction ElectricianApprentice Electrician
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 36%High School Diploma, 44%
Most common majorElectrical Engineering TechnologyElectrical Engineering Technology
Most common college--

Construction electrician vs apprentice electrician demographics

Here are the differences between construction electricians' and apprentices electrician' demographics:

Construction ElectricianApprentice Electrician
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 92.9% Female, 7.1%Male, 95.3% Female, 4.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 2.3% White, 65.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%Black or African American, 6.8% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 22.8% Asian, 2.1% White, 63.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage3%3%

Differences between construction electrician and apprentice electrician duties and responsibilities

Construction electrician example 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.
  • Bend EMT, IMC, and RMC conduit, with both hand hold and hydraulic benders.
  • Bend EMT conduit and rigid pipe.
  • Show more

Apprentice electrician example responsibilities.

  • Remove, analyze, identify issue install properly working pressure transducers, effectively accomplishing priorities to go underway.
  • Experience with underground installations and installing PVC, EMT, MC, wire pulling, trimming, device and panel makeup.
  • Pull cables on main tray from PLC to junction boxes, including motor control center to motors and on/off switches.
  • Perform grind up industrial electrical construction, running above grind EMT and rigid conduit, underground PVC conduit and pulling wire.
  • Copper & brass fitting & brazing.
  • Weather seal and caulking, around glass panes interior and exterior of buildings.
  • Show more

Construction electrician vs apprentice electrician skills

Common construction electrician skills
  • Transformers, 8%
  • Electrical Conduit, 7%
  • Hand Tools, 7%
  • Ladders, 6%
  • Electrical Equipment, 5%
  • NEC, 5%
Common apprentice electrician skills
  • Hand Tools, 13%
  • RUN Conduit, 12%
  • EMT, 7%
  • Electrical Systems, 7%
  • Work Ethic, 6%
  • Electrical Components, 5%

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