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The differences between electricians 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 electrician and a maintenance electrician. Additionally, a maintenance electrician has an average salary of $62,112, 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 maintenance electrician are electrical equipment, hand tools, and preventative maintenance.
| Electrician | Maintenance Electrician | |
| Yearly salary | $48,850 | $62,112 |
| Hourly rate | $23.49 | $29.86 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 17,245 | 92,944 |
| Job satisfaction | 3.86 | 4 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 32% | Associate Degree, 44% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 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.
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.
Electricians and maintenance electricians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electrician | Maintenance Electrician | |
| Average salary | $48,850 | $62,112 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $73,000 | Between $46,000 And $83,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Saint Paul, MN |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | PBF Energy | PBF Energy |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Automotive |
There are a few differences between an electrician and a maintenance electrician in terms of educational background:
| Electrician | Maintenance Electrician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 32% | Associate Degree, 44% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering Technology | Electrical Engineering Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between electricians' and maintenance electricians' demographics:
| Electrician | Maintenance Electrician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4% | Male, 96.8% Female, 3.2% |
| 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, 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 | 3% | 3% |