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Control electrician vs electrical journeyman

The differences between control electricians and electrical journeymen can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a control electrician and an electrical journeyman. Additionally, an electrical journeyman has an average salary of $61,940, which is higher than the $59,247 average annual salary of a control electrician.

The top three skills for a control electrician include PLC, electrical equipment and hand tools. The most important skills for an electrical journeyman are switches, hand tools, and EMT.

Control electrician vs electrical journeyman overview

Control ElectricianElectrical Journeyman
Yearly salary$59,247$61,940
Hourly rate$28.48$29.78
Growth rate7%7%
Number of jobs46,94939,898
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 43%Associate Degree, 41%
Average age4242
Years of experience1212

What does a control electrician do?

A control electrician primarily installs, repairs, and maintains electrical equipment, fixtures, and wiring. Control electricians maintain serviced and programmed PLC machine and lighting systems. Their tasks may include installing or servicing intercom systems, electrical control systems, or street lights. They make sure that their work complies with the significant codes. Part of their job is to operate power hand tools as well as other electrical equipment. Also, they may work on the external and internal electrical systems including circuit breaker panels and emergency generator circuits.

What does an electrical journeyman do?

Electrical journeymen have the primary responsibility of installing, repairing, and maintaining electrical equipment. They provide their services directly to customers, explaining the extent of the equipment damage and explaining the equipment's proper usage and correct cleaning. They can also train an apprentice who aspires to be a future electrician too. A journeyman may monitor supply count, record inventories, order missing, essential supplies, and make sure the supply is safe to use.

Control electrician vs electrical journeyman salary

Control electricians and electrical journeymen have different pay scales, as shown below.

Control ElectricianElectrical Journeyman
Average salary$59,247$61,940
Salary rangeBetween $43,000 And $81,000Between $43,000 And $87,000
Highest paying City-Bellingham, WA
Highest paying state-Washington
Best paying company-Constellation Energy Partners
Best paying industry-Construction

Differences between control electrician and electrical journeyman education

There are a few differences between a control electrician and an electrical journeyman in terms of educational background:

Control ElectricianElectrical Journeyman
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 43%Associate Degree, 41%
Most common majorElectrical Engineering TechnologyElectrical Engineering Technology
Most common college--

Control electrician vs electrical journeyman demographics

Here are the differences between control electricians' and electrical journeymen' demographics:

Control ElectricianElectrical Journeyman
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 97.3% Female, 2.7%Male, 96.2% Female, 3.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 2.2% White, 66.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.9% Asian, 2.2% White, 64.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage3%3%

Differences between control electrician and electrical journeyman duties and responsibilities

Control electrician example responsibilities.

  • Install electrical conduit (e.g., rigid and EMT piping) and commercial HVAC systems.
  • Inspect, diagnose and repair substations and motor control centers, Allen-Bradley PLC's and ac/dc drives.
  • Bend and install EMT, rigid, PVC, boxes, cabinets, and gutters.
  • Pull wire, hang cable tray, runconduit (robroy, rigid, emt).
  • Develop HMI applications using Wonderware Intouch.
  • Design motor controls to NEC code.
  • Show more

Electrical journeyman example responsibilities.

  • Trouble shoot, diagnose and repair GE statax 3 dc and Siemens ac drive systems.
  • Can run PVC conduit as well as Os-Cal (rubber-coat) for wet installations.
  • Perform some maintenance, tuning, and calibrations on transmitters, control loops, and control valves.
  • Identify leaking hose on hydraulic test stand, avoid $20K EPA fine and secure readiness w/ repair.
  • Work include variable frequency drives, motor starters, controls cabinets, PLC terminations, control consoles and control panels.
  • Perform quality control inspections on contract commercial travel agencies, ensuring contractors stay in compliance of all DOD travel regulations.
  • Show more

Control electrician vs electrical journeyman skills

Common control electrician skills
  • PLC, 14%
  • Electrical Equipment, 11%
  • Hand Tools, 8%
  • Ac Dc, 5%
  • Control Panels, 5%
  • Delta, 5%
Common electrical journeyman skills
  • Switches, 16%
  • Hand Tools, 14%
  • EMT, 9%
  • Circuit Breakers, 6%
  • Electrical Equipment, 4%
  • NEC, 4%

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