Electrician vs electrical contractor

The differences between electricians and electrical contractors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become an electrician, becoming an electrical contractor takes usually requires 8-10 years. Additionally, an electrical contractor has an average salary of $66,405, which is higher than the $48,850 average annual salary of an electrician.

The top three skills for an electrician include hand tools, electrical equipment and run conduit. The most important skills for an electrical contractor are electrical conduit, electrical systems, and transformers.

Electrician vs electrical contractor overview

	Electrician	Electrical Contractor
Yearly salary	$48,850	$66,405
Hourly rate	$23.49	$31.93
Growth rate	7%	-
Number of jobs	17,245	46,437
Job satisfaction	3.86	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 32%	Bachelor's Degree, 34%
Average age	42	50
Years of experience	12	10

Electrician vs electrical contractor salary

Electricians and electrical contractors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Electrician	Electrical Contractor
Average salary	$48,850	$66,405
Salary range	Between $32,000 And $73,000	Between $47,000 And $92,000
Highest paying City	Seattle, WA	-
Highest paying state	Alaska	-
Best paying company	PBF Energy	-
Best paying industry	Automotive	-

Differences between electrician and electrical contractor education

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

	Electrician	Electrical Contractor
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 32%	Bachelor's Degree, 34%
Most common major	Electrical Engineering Technology	Electrical Engineering Technology
Most common college	-	-

Electrician vs electrical contractor demographics

Here are the differences between electricians' and electrical contractors' demographics:

	Electrician	Electrical Contractor
Average age	42	50
Gender ratio	Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4%	Male, 90.7% Female, 9.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 20.5% Asian, 2.2% White, 63.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 8.0% White, 70.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage	3%	8%

Differences between electrician and electrical contractor duties and responsibilities

Electrician example responsibilities.

Remove, analyze, identify issue install properly working pressure transducers, effectively accomplishing priorities to go underway.
Diagnose malfunctioning devices including transformers, motor starters, motors, PLC's, VFD's, and light fixtures.
Install and repair receptacles, lights, light switches, ac motors, and panel boards.
Work on the civil underground team work on all the underground for the ac to dc plant.
Install all phases of electrical construction in according to the ADA, NEC, NFPA, as well as project specifications.
Terminate wires to circuit breakers, transformers and/or other components

Electrical contractor example responsibilities.

Coordinate different activity PMs and corrective work orders for HVAC and refrigeration group.
Wire transformers boxes, GFI's, internal and external lighting and emergency fire alarms.
Install and repair electrical wiring and HVAC systems in new and existing residential homes and commercial businesses.
Supply parts, tools, and labor for the job and ensure adherence with the NEC codes and requirements.
Commercial/Residential-Pul MC cable, run EMT/PVC, install fixtures/devices
Maintain dc and ac drives and induction heating equipment and furnaces.

Electrician vs electrical contractor skills

Common electrician skills

Hand Tools, 9%
Electrical Equipment, 9%
RUN Conduit, 6%
Transformers, 6%
Ladders, 5%
Switches, 5%

Common electrical contractor skills

Electrical Conduit, 12%
Electrical Systems, 6%
Transformers, 6%
Safety Codes, 5%
General Contractors, 4%
Payroll, 4%