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The differences between senior electricians and apprentices can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a senior electrician and an apprentice. Additionally, a senior electrician has an average salary of $55,615, which is higher than the $37,107 average annual salary of an apprentice.
The top three skills for a senior electrician include electrical equipment, hand tools and ladders. The most important skills for an apprentice are PET, customer service, and basic math.
| Senior Electrician | Apprentice | |
| Yearly salary | $55,615 | $37,107 |
| Hourly rate | $26.74 | $17.84 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 17,633 | 13,014 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 37% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A senior electrician needs to be aware of the various electric problems that occur within their company's system. Using a variety of testing devices, they identify potential electrical problems. They replace wiring equipment or fixtures and work with voltages ranging from 12V DC to 12470V AC. They must have the ability to read electrical diagrams and blueprints of any electrical system.
An apprentice is responsible for learning specialized tasks on their chosen field through actual job training under the supervision of tenured staff. An apprentice's duties include performing administrative tasks as needed, creating observation reports of daily operations, providing possible recommendations on improving productivity, and adhering to the business' safety standards and regulatory procedures. An apprentice must be detail-oriented, fast-learner, and enthusiastic. An apprentice should also know how to accept constructive criticisms and feedback to improve performance and skill development.
Senior electricians and apprentices have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Electrician | Apprentice | |
| Average salary | $55,615 | $37,107 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $81,000 | Between $26,000 And $51,000 |
| Highest paying City | Stockton, CA | Worcester, MA |
| Highest paying state | Vermont | Alaska |
| Best paying company | JELD-WEN | Mid-South Management |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a senior electrician and an apprentice in terms of educational background:
| Senior Electrician | Apprentice | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 37% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering Technology | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between senior electricians' and apprentices' demographics:
| Senior Electrician | Apprentice | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.0% Female, 4.0% | Male, 78.4% Female, 21.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 2.3% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.3% Asian, 2.2% White, 64.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 3% | 3% |