How To Become An Electrical Mechanic: What It Is and Career Path

What is an electrical mechanic and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Ronald Widdoss

Electrical mechanics maintain, test, patch, and repair electric motors, transformers, switchgear, and other electrical appliance. They get hired by independent electrical repair shops, service shops of electrical devices manufacturers, and manufacturing companies' maintenance departments. Their main job is to repair various types of electrical appliances.

To become an electrical mechanic, you need to get primary education and training through vocational schools or community colleges. While some schools offer certificate programs that can be completed in less than a year, becoming an electrical technician typically requires a two-year associate's degree.

According to per BLS report, an electric mechanic makes an average of $64,330 annually. These programs might feature internships and further specialization options, so the salary may vary according to your skill level.

What general advice would you give to an electrical mechanic?

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 MechanicUS Average

Salary

4.8

Avg. Salary $61,714

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity

2.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.15%

Asian 8.05%

Black or African American 6.26%

Hispanic or Latino 10.43%

Unknown 4.32%

White 70.79%

Gender

female 3.78%

male 96.22%

Age - 52

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 - 52

Stress level

5.9

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

7.3

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

5.0

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an electrical mechanic

Explore electrical mechanic education requirements

Most common electrical mechanic degrees

High School Diploma

31.5 %

Associate

28.1 %

Bachelor's

17.6 %

Start to develop specific electrical mechanic skills

Skills	Percentages
Hand Tools	9.59%
Electrical Systems	7.43%
Cranes	7.39%
Electrical Equipment	5.93%
Electrical Conduit	5.91%

Complete relevant electrical mechanic training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New electrical mechanics 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 mechanic based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real electrical mechanic resumes.

Obtain the necessary licensing

Becoming an licensed electrical mechanic usually doesn't require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed electrical mechanic in most of states. 25 states require electrical mechanics to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.

State	Education	Exam	License url
Alabama	-	State exam required	Licensed Journeyman Electrician
Alaska	-	State exam required	Electrical Worker
Arkansas	-	Third-party exam required	Journeyman Electrician
Colorado	-	State exam required	Journeyman Electrician
Hawaii	Degree required	State exam required	Electrician

Research electrical mechanic duties and responsibilities

Maintain & change out DC switches, extension arms, and arching & roller contacts in a mercury cell chlorine plant.
Operate and control PLC /HMI equipment to properly diagnose PLC's repairs and modifications
Programme, edit, and enhance PLC codes to help improve machine operation and efficiency.
Used portable ladders, elevators, fall protections, and other relevant personal protection equipment including breathing apparatus.

Prepare your electrical mechanic resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your electrical mechanic 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 mechanic 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 mechanic resume templates

Build a professional electrical mechanic 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 mechanic resume.