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The differences between journeyman linemen and electricians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a journeyman lineman and an electrician. Additionally, a journeyman lineman has an average salary of $77,257, which is higher than the $48,850 average annual salary of an electrician.
The top three skills for a journeyman lineman include CDL, switches and customer service. The most important skills for an electrician are hand tools, electrical equipment, and run conduit.
A journeyman lineman specializes in the installation, repair, and maintenance of electrical systems and other supplementary equipment. Their responsibilities typically revolve around climbing up and working on power lines and electrical cables, reading and understanding wiring systems, reporting progress or issues to supervisors, performing regular inspections and providing corrective measures, and removing any obstructions in wires or power lines. Because of the risks surrounding the job, it is crucial to adhere to all the safety policies and regulations to maintain a safe and productive work environment.
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.
Journeyman linemen and electricians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Journeyman Lineman | Electrician | |
| Average salary | $77,257 | $48,850 |
| Salary range | Between $52,000 And $114,000 | Between $32,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | Eureka, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Pacific Gas and Electric | PBF Energy |
| Best paying industry | Utilities | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a journeyman lineman and an electrician in terms of educational background:
| Journeyman Lineman | Electrician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 47% | High School Diploma, 32% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering Technology | Electrical Engineering Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between journeyman linemen' and electricians' demographics:
| Journeyman Lineman | Electrician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 97.7% Female, 2.3% | Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.7% Asian, 2.2% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | 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 | 3% | 3% |