Lead electrical technician education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a lead electrical technician. Lead electrical technicians usually study electrical engineering, electrical engineering technology, or business. 39% of lead electrical technicians hold a associate degree, and 31% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 898 real lead electrical technician resumes to see exactly what lead electrical technician education sections show.

The most common colleges for lead electrical technicians are the University of Houston and the University of Houston.

There are also many online lead electrical technician courses to help get the education required to be a lead electrical technician.

There are certain lead electrical technician certifications that you should consider. These lead electrical technician certifications include OSHA Safety Certificate and Master Certified Electronics Technician (CETma).

What education do you need to become a lead electrical technician?

What degree do you need to be a lead electrical technician?

The most common degree for lead electrical technicians is associate degree, with 39% of lead electrical technicians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 31% and bachelor's degree degree at 13%.

Associate, 39%

Bachelor's, 31%

High School Diploma, 13%

Master's, 6%

Other Degrees, 11%

What should I major in to become a lead electrical technician?

You should major in electrical engineering to become a lead electrical technician. 30% of lead electrical technicians major in electrical engineering. Other common majors for a lead electrical technician include electrical engineering technology and business.

Electrical Engineering, 30%

Electrical Engineering Technology, 24%

Business, 8%

Electrical And Power Transmission Installers, 4%

Other Majors, 34%

Most common colleges for lead electrical technicians

Lead electrical technicians often get their degrees at University of Houston, University of Phoenix, and Saint Leo University. Here are the most common colleges for lead electrical technicians in the US based on their resumes.

Lead electrical technician common college	Percentages
University of Houston	10.64%
University of Phoenix	10.64%
Saint Leo University	6.38%
Schoolcraft College	4.26%
University of Texas at Tyler	4.26%

Show more common lead electrical technician colleges

Best majors for lead electrical technicians

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Electrical Engineering	29.8%
2	Electrical Engineering Technology	24.4%
3	Business	8.5%
4	Electrical And Power Transmission Installers	3.9%
5	Industrial Technology	3.9%

Show more common lead electrical technician majors

Best colleges for lead electrical technicians

The best colleges for lead electrical technicians are Northwestern University, Tufts University, and Northeastern University.

A lead electrical technician with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for lead electrical technicians. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become lead electrical technicians.

1. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

2. Central Connecticut State University

New Britain, CT • Private

In-state tuition

$10,616

Enrollment

9,325

3. New Mexico State University

Las Cruces, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$6,686

Enrollment

11,139

4. Wayne State University

Detroit, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$13,097

Enrollment

17,114

5. Michigan Technological University

Houghton, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,646

Enrollment

5,736

6. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Enrollment

33,495

7. Tufts University

Medford, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,382

Enrollment

5,597

8. Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$42,345

Enrollment

12,886

9. Minnesota State University - Mankato

Mankato, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$8,184

Enrollment

11,675

10. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$3,926

Enrollment

9,835

20 best online courses for lead electrical technicians

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Learn fundamentals of Mechanical & electrical system modeling, simulation and control with this unique practical course!...

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(718)

This course introduces electrical control & protection systems which are a critical part of any electrical substation...

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Learn how to design maps (House Plans), add electrical schematics, and draw 2D shapes using Auto CAD Electrical 2017...

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20. Ultimate Electrical Machines for Electrical Engineering

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Top 10 most affordable universities for lead electrical technicians

The most affordable schools for lead electrical technicians are California State University - Long Beach, suny farmingdale, and california state university - los angeles.

If the best universities for lead electrical technicians are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for lead electrical technicians.

1. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

2. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

3. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

4. West Virginia University Institute of Technology

Beckley, WV • Private

In-state tuition

$7,464

Cost of attendance

17,166

5. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,140

Cost of attendance

14,430

6. Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$4,831

Cost of attendance

19,559

7. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon

Bayamon, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,940

Cost of attendance

13,508

8. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

9. SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,238

Cost of attendance

21,567

10. National University College - Bayamon

Bayamon, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$6,675

Cost of attendance

12,941

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for lead electrical technicians

The hardest universities for lead electrical technicians to get into are Northwestern University, Tufts University, and Northeastern University.

Some great schools for lead electrical technicians are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for lead electrical technicians based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

2. Tufts University

Medford, MA • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,461

3. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

4. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

5. University of Rochester

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,422

6. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

7. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

8. Southern Methodist University

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

51%

SAT average

1,395

9. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

Admissions rate

58%

SAT average

1,309

10. Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

66%

SAT average

1,319

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for lead electrical technicians

The easiest schools for lead electrical technicians to get into are Oregon Institute of Technology, california university of pennsylvania, and capitol technology university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a lead electrical technician without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for lead electrical technicians.

1. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

2. California University of Pennsylvania

California, PA • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,007

3. Capitol Technology University

Laurel, MD • Private

Admissions rate

69%

SAT average

1,070

4. Indiana State University

Terre Haute, IN • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,019

5. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

6. Pennsylvania State University - DuBois

DuBois, PA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,079

7. Central Washington University

Ellensburg, WA • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,062

8. Purdue University Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne, IN • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,080

9. South Dakota State University

Brookings, SD • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,149

10. Pennsylvania State University - Altoona

Altoona, PA • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,094

Average lead electrical technician salary by education level

Lead electrical technicians with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $99,628 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, lead electrical technicians earn a median annual income of $98,917 compared to $97,350 for lead electrical technicians with an High School Diploma degree.

Lead electrical technician education level	Lead electrical technician salary
High School Diploma or Less	$97,350
Bachelor's Degree	$98,917
Some College/ Associate Degree	$99,628

Lead electrical technician education FAQs

What is the best college for Lead Electrical Technicians?

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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