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The differences between electricians and plumbers 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 a plumber takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a plumber has an average salary of $55,337, 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 plumber are plumbing, hand tools, and plumbers.
| Electrician | Plumber | |
| Yearly salary | $48,850 | $55,337 |
| Hourly rate | $23.49 | $26.60 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 17,245 | 12,307 |
| Job satisfaction | 3.86 | 4.4 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 32% | High School Diploma, 53% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
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.
Plumbers specialize in assembling, detecting issues, maintaining, and repairing pipes and systems that can either involve water or gas distribution in a home or establishment, ensuring that they function efficiently. Additionally, Plumbers can also install various materials such as kitchen or bathroom sinks, toilets, appliances, and more. Among the tasks may revolve around training other plumbers or coordinating with other workers involved on a project, clearing obstructions and handling waste disposal, informing clients about the costs and process of repairs, and building rapport with them.
Electricians and plumbers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electrician | Plumber | |
| Average salary | $48,850 | $55,337 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $73,000 | Between $36,000 And $84,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Oregon |
| Best paying company | PBF Energy | Kern Community College District |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Finance |
There are a few differences between an electrician and a plumber in terms of educational background:
| Electrician | Plumber | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 32% | High School Diploma, 53% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering Technology | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between electricians' and plumbers' demographics:
| Electrician | Plumber | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4% | Male, 96.5% Female, 3.5% |
| 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, 9.5% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.2% Asian, 1.9% White, 63.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 3% | 2% |