Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between electrical helpers and maintenance electricians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both an electrical helper and a maintenance electrician. Additionally, a maintenance electrician has an average salary of $62,112, which is higher than the $31,465 average annual salary of an electrical helper.
The top three skills for an electrical helper include hand tools, ladders and EMT. The most important skills for a maintenance electrician are electrical equipment, hand tools, and preventative maintenance.
| Electrical Helper | Maintenance Electrician | |
| Yearly salary | $31,465 | $62,112 |
| Hourly rate | $15.13 | $29.86 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 47,283 | 92,944 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 44% | Associate Degree, 44% |
| Average age | 34 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
An Electrical Helper is responsible for assisting head electricians in conducting electrical repairs and installments for private households or commercial establishments. Electrical Helpers operate various electrical tools and equipment, requiring them to inspect the materials before and after every use to avoid potential hazards and operational failures. They also support the senior electricians in performing troubleshooting procedures, component replacements, and upgrading systems for optimization. An Electrical Helper must have excellent organizational and mechanical skills, especially in fixing broken cables and strictly following safety protocols and regulations.
A maintenance electrician is responsible for monitoring the electrical systems of a building, inspecting the wiring and cables for any malfunctions, and perform preventive maintenance as needed to ensure its safety and efficiency. Maintenance electricians upgrade electrical network systems for optimal performance and replacing faulty wiring, as well as installing new equipment in the building as the management advises. They also analyze schematics and blueprints for electrical line placements and running diagnostic tests to identify possible defects for immediate resolution. A maintenance electrician must have excellent knowledge of the electrical industry, especially on recording maintenance reports and solutions.
Electrical helpers and maintenance electricians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electrical Helper | Maintenance Electrician | |
| Average salary | $31,465 | $62,112 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $36,000 | Between $46,000 And $83,000 |
| Highest paying City | Buffalo, NY | Saint Paul, MN |
| Highest paying state | Maine | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Xcel Energy | PBF Energy |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Automotive |
There are a few differences between an electrical helper and a maintenance electrician in terms of educational background:
| Electrical Helper | Maintenance Electrician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 44% | Associate Degree, 44% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering Technology | Electrical Engineering Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between electrical helpers' and maintenance electricians' demographics:
| Electrical Helper | Maintenance Electrician | |
| Average age | 34 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.6% Female, 8.4% | Male, 96.8% Female, 3.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 14.1% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 23.1% Asian, 2.3% White, 54.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.4% Asian, 2.3% White, 65.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 3% |