Post job

Industrial electrician vs electrical helper

The differences between industrial electricians and electrical helpers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both an industrial electrician and an electrical helper. Additionally, an industrial electrician has an average salary of $62,533, which is higher than the $31,465 average annual salary of an electrical helper.

The top three skills for an industrial electrician include electrical equipment, hand tools and ac. The most important skills for an electrical helper are hand tools, ladders, and EMT.

Industrial electrician vs electrical helper overview

Industrial ElectricianElectrical Helper
Yearly salary$62,533$31,465
Hourly rate$30.06$15.13
Growth rate7%4%
Number of jobs23,96347,283
Job satisfaction5-
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 42%High School Diploma, 44%
Average age4234
Years of experience1212

What does an industrial electrician do?

An Industrial Electrician installs, maintains, and repairs electrical systems in industrial facilities. They are usually part of a construction team to put in and check new equipment and systems.

What does an electrical helper do?

An Electrical Helper is responsible for assisting head electricians in conducting electrical repairs and installments for private households or commercial establishments. Electrical Helpers operate various electrical tools and equipment, requiring them to inspect the materials before and after every use to avoid potential hazards and operational failures. They also support the senior electricians in performing troubleshooting procedures, component replacements, and upgrading systems for optimization. An Electrical Helper must have excellent organizational and mechanical skills, especially in fixing broken cables and strictly following safety protocols and regulations.

Industrial electrician vs electrical helper salary

Industrial electricians and electrical helpers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Industrial ElectricianElectrical Helper
Average salary$62,533$31,465
Salary rangeBetween $47,000 And $82,000Between $26,000 And $36,000
Highest paying CitySaint Paul, MNBuffalo, NY
Highest paying stateVermontMaine
Best paying companyThe Washington PostXcel Energy
Best paying industryAutomotiveConstruction

Differences between industrial electrician and electrical helper education

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

Industrial ElectricianElectrical Helper
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 42%High School Diploma, 44%
Most common majorElectrical Engineering TechnologyElectrical Engineering Technology
Most common college--

Industrial electrician vs electrical helper demographics

Here are the differences between industrial electricians' and electrical helpers' demographics:

Industrial ElectricianElectrical Helper
Average age4234
Gender ratioMale, 96.6% Female, 3.4%Male, 91.6% Female, 8.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 2.2% White, 65.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%Black or African American, 14.1% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 23.1% Asian, 2.3% White, 54.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%
LGBT Percentage3%2%

Differences between industrial electrician and electrical helper duties and responsibilities

Industrial electrician example responsibilities.

  • Lead team to retrofit outdate piece of CNC machinery to allow usage for production personnel on a new design part.
  • Install electrical services ranging from 480 volts ac to 24 volts dc.
  • Include the installation of EMT and rigid conduit for branch circuits, fire alarm systems and motor control circuits.
  • Job responsibilities include running conduit wiring transformers and terminating PLC cabinets.
  • Work with voltages ranging from 24 vdc to 2300 vac.
  • Maintain both A/C and D/C main power generation systems.
  • Show more

Electrical helper example responsibilities.

  • Set and wire PDU's and PLC's.
  • Set and terminate PDU's and PLC's.
  • Lay out ac and dc cable in the trenches.
  • Run MC wire and strap accordingly.
  • Maintain ac units and clean outside units and coils.
  • Make up junction boxes, make taps, terminate wires.
  • Show more

Industrial electrician vs electrical helper skills

Common industrial electrician skills
  • Electrical Equipment, 8%
  • Hand Tools, 8%
  • Ac, 4%
  • Dc, 4%
  • Test Equipment, 4%
  • Industrial Maintenance, 4%
Common electrical helper skills
  • Hand Tools, 21%
  • Ladders, 14%
  • EMT, 13%
  • Assist Electricians, 10%
  • RUN Conduit, 8%
  • OSHA, 5%

Browse construction and extraction jobs