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The differences between residential electricians and journeyman plumbers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a residential electrician, becoming a journeyman plumber takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a residential electrician has an average salary of $60,514, which is higher than the $54,678 average annual salary of a journeyman plumber.
The top three skills for a residential electrician include work ethic, hand tools and electrical equipment. The most important skills for a journeyman plumber are plumbing, hand tools, and work ethic.
| Residential Electrician | Journeyman Plumber | |
| Yearly salary | $60,514 | $54,678 |
| Hourly rate | $29.09 | $26.29 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 22,406 | 10,869 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 38% | High School Diploma, 48% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
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.
A journeyman plumber is responsible for conducting basic plumbing tasks, such as installing and repairing plumbing lines under the supervision of a head plumber. Journeyman plumbers connect pipes and ensure the stability of plumbing lines to avoid potential hazards and possible defects. They handle the maintenance and replacement of fixtures and identify the source of failure to adjust pressure and seal connections as needed. A journeyman plumber must be able to detect irregularities immediately and provide estimate costing to the customers for repairs.
Residential electricians and journeyman plumbers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Residential Electrician | Journeyman Plumber | |
| Average salary | $60,514 | $54,678 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $90,000 | Between $36,000 And $81,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Portland, OR |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Oregon |
| Best paying company | Constellation Energy Partners | Constellation Energy Partners |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Construction |
There are a few differences between a residential electrician and a journeyman plumber in terms of educational background:
| Residential Electrician | Journeyman Plumber | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 38% | High School Diploma, 48% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering Technology | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between residential electricians' and journeyman plumbers' demographics:
| Residential Electrician | Journeyman Plumber | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.7% Female, 3.3% | Male, 97.1% Female, 2.9% |
| 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, 8.9% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 18.5% Asian, 1.9% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 3% | 2% |