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The differences between residential 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 a residential electrician and an electrical helper. Additionally, a residential electrician has an average salary of $60,514, which is higher than the $31,465 average annual salary of an electrical helper.
The top three skills for a residential electrician include work ethic, hand tools and electrical equipment. The most important skills for an electrical helper are hand tools, ladders, and EMT.
| Residential Electrician | Electrical Helper | |
| Yearly salary | $60,514 | $31,465 |
| Hourly rate | $29.09 | $15.13 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 22,406 | 47,283 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 38% | High School Diploma, 44% |
| Average age | 42 | 34 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
Residential Electricians are skilled tradespersons responsible for inspecting, repairing, installing, and maintaining wiring and electrical systems in residential buildings. Their duties include interpreting blueprints and technical drawings, examining electrical components, diagnosing electrical systems and wiring problems as well as installing new wiring and electrical components. Besides that, they also ensure that electrical systems are installed to adhere to local and national directives. They must know about utilizing devices to detect electrical problems. Residential electricians assist in training workers in inspection, repairing, and installation work.
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.
Residential electricians and electrical helpers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Residential Electrician | Electrical Helper | |
| Average salary | $60,514 | $31,465 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $90,000 | Between $26,000 And $36,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Buffalo, NY |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Maine |
| Best paying company | Constellation Energy Partners | Xcel Energy |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Construction |
There are a few differences between a residential electrician and an electrical helper in terms of educational background:
| Residential Electrician | Electrical Helper | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 38% | High School Diploma, 44% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering Technology | Electrical Engineering Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between residential electricians' and electrical helpers' demographics:
| Residential Electrician | Electrical Helper | |
| Average age | 42 | 34 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.7% Female, 3.3% | Male, 91.6% Female, 8.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 21.3% Asian, 2.2% White, 63.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | 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 Percentage | 3% | 2% |