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The differences between handymen and electricians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a handyman, becoming an electrician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, an electrician has an average salary of $48,850, which is higher than the $44,648 average annual salary of a handyman.
The top three skills for a handyman include plumbing, customer service and drywall repair. The most important skills for an electrician are hand tools, electrical equipment, and run conduit.
| Handyman | Electrician | |
| Yearly salary | $44,648 | $48,850 |
| Hourly rate | $21.47 | $23.49 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 3,371 | 17,245 |
| Job satisfaction | 4.5 | 3.86 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 41% | High School Diploma, 32% |
| Average age | 47 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
A handyman can perform various repair and maintenance tasks involving electricity, carpentry, plumbing, and even appliance installation. Most handymen work independently, but they can also choose to be part of a company. Furthermore, a handyman must also discuss the extent of repairs to clients, even sharing insights on maintaining facilities in good condition. There are instances when a handyman may be required to work in a group setting, which requires an active line of communication and coordination.
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.
Handymen and electricians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Handyman | Electrician | |
| Average salary | $44,648 | $48,850 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $61,000 | Between $32,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | Silver Spring, MD | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | The American Musical and Dramatic Academy | PBF Energy |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a handyman and an electrician in terms of educational background:
| Handyman | Electrician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 41% | High School Diploma, 32% |
| Most common major | Business | Electrical Engineering Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between handymen' and electricians' demographics:
| Handyman | Electrician | |
| Average age | 47 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.8% Female, 4.2% | Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 22.4% Asian, 4.3% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 3% |