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What is an electrical journeyman and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Ronald Widdoss

Journeyman electricians are responsible for performing electrical installation and repair work. They evaluate each problem and apply their years of experience and learned knowledge to determine what remedial measures are appropriate to get the system up and running. They also maintain strict adherence to relevant industry and employer safety standards. Journeyman electricians earn an average salary of $33 per hour, which amounts to $70,000 per year.

Journeyman electricians are highly skilled professionals who are familiar with the installation of the power supply wiring and troubleshooting of both commercial and residential types of electrical components. They respond to service calls quickly and within the expected timeframe and follow specifications on blueprints or technical drawings for installations. They also conduct all repairs and installations according to code.

In terms of academic qualifications, journeyman electricians typically hold a high school diploma or its equivalent. They are expected to have some years of experience as an electrician and extensive experience in both commercial and residential work. Some employers prefer candidates with a current journeyman electrician license and the ability to read blueprints.

What general advice would you give to an electrical journeyman?

Ronald Widdoss

Be a sponge. Learn all you can and prove to your employer you can be taught and that your up for the challenge.
ScoreElectrical JourneymanUS Average
Salary
4.8

Avg. Salary $61,940

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
7.6

Growth rate 7%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
8.6
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.85%

Asian 2.19%

Black or African American 7.81%

Hispanic or Latino 20.91%

Unknown 4.24%

White 64.01%

Gender

female 3.85%

male 96.15%

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

Electrical journeyman career paths

Key steps to become an electrical journeyman

  1. Explore electrical journeyman education requirements

    Most common electrical journeyman degrees

    Associate

    40.7 %

    High School Diploma

    26.6 %

    Bachelor's

    21.0 %
  2. Start to develop specific electrical journeyman skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Switches15.95%
    Hand Tools14.23%
    EMT8.82%
    Circuit Breakers5.67%
    Electrical Equipment4.18%
  3. Complete relevant electrical journeyman training and internships

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

    Becoming an licensed electrical journeyman usually doesn't require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed electrical journeyman in most of states. 25 states require electrical journeymen 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 electrical journeyman duties and 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.
  6. Prepare your electrical journeyman resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your electrical journeyman 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 an electrical journeyman resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable electrical journeyman resume templates

    Build a professional electrical journeyman 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 electrical journeyman resume.
    Electrical Journeyman Resume
    Electrical Journeyman Resume
    Electrical Journeyman Resume
    Electrical Journeyman Resume
    Electrical Journeyman Resume
    Electrical Journeyman Resume
    Electrical Journeyman Resume
    Electrical Journeyman Resume
    Electrical Journeyman Resume
  7. Apply for electrical journeyman jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an electrical journeyman 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 electrical journeyman job

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Average electrical journeyman salary

The average electrical journeyman salary in the United States is $61,940 per year or $30 per hour. Electrical journeyman salaries range between $43,000 and $87,000 per year.

Average electrical journeyman salary
$61,940 Yearly
$29.78 hourly

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How do electrical journeymen rate their job?

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Electrical journeyman reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2022
Pros

It's challenging job, because I learn every day.

Cons

If you don't focus you will get yourself in danger.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2022
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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A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2020
Cons

Not being able to solve any type of troubleshooting problem. I love a good challenge, but I hate to lose.


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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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