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The differences between electricians and linemen can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a lineman has an average salary of $78,563, 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 a lineman are safety rules, switches, and CDL.
| Electrician | Lineman | |
| Yearly salary | $48,850 | $78,563 |
| Hourly rate | $23.49 | $37.77 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 17,245 | 2,672 |
| Job satisfaction | 3.86 | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 32% | High School Diploma, 43% |
| Average age | 42 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 12 | - |
An electrician is a skilled tradesman in charge of wirings and systems which provide electric power to a facility. They are trained to design, install, maintain, and troubleshoot electrical wiring systems. There are four basic types of an electrician - residential wiremen, inside wiremen, telecommunications electrician, and outside linemen. Some work on a standard 40-hour week shift while others are on-call duty. In some cases, traveling is also a vital key to their role where they would work for a few days before moving to another location.
The primary job of a lineman is to install, repair, and maintain high-powered electrical lines and systems. They work on transmission and distribution lines from the power sources and extend to individual buildings or homes. Those working as a lineman can repair both overhead and underground electrical wires and cables. In addition, their responsibilities might also include excavating trenches to install underground lines, climbing poles to repair overhead lines, installing the meter, and inspecting power lines for possible repair or replacement.
Electricians and linemen have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electrician | Lineman | |
| Average salary | $48,850 | $78,563 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $73,000 | Between $53,000 And $115,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Reno, NV |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | PBF Energy | NV Energy |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Utilities |
There are a few differences between an electrician and a lineman in terms of educational background:
| Electrician | Lineman | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 32% | High School Diploma, 43% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering Technology | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between electricians' and linemen' demographics:
| Electrician | Lineman | |
| Average age | 42 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4% | Male, 94.7% Female, 5.3% |
| 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, 5.7% Unknown, 3.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.5% Asian, 1.2% White, 75.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 3% | 4% |