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Senior electrician vs electrical supervisor

The differences between senior electricians and electrical supervisors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a senior electrician, becoming an electrical supervisor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an electrical supervisor has an average salary of $90,972, which is higher than the $55,615 average annual salary of a senior electrician.

The top three skills for a senior electrician include electrical equipment, hand tools and ladders. The most important skills for an electrical supervisor are electrical systems, PLC, and electrical equipment.

Senior electrician vs electrical supervisor overview

Senior ElectricianElectrical Supervisor
Yearly salary$55,615$90,972
Hourly rate$26.74$43.74
Growth rate7%-
Number of jobs17,63333,839
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 37%Bachelor's Degree, 34%
Average age4249
Years of experience124

What does a senior electrician do?

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.

What does an electrical supervisor do?

The electrical supervisor oversees electricians' performance, training them for the repair and maintenance of equipment. They are responsible for enhancing their skills to create and design electrical operating systems in order to prevent malfunctions causing electric short circuits or shock. They also initiate the monitoring of electrical equipment. They are to help electricians install electrical equipment in establishments and homes, following standard safety protocols imposed by the state. When a defect is observed, they can quickly troubleshoot and start repair.

Senior electrician vs electrical supervisor salary

Senior electricians and electrical supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.

Senior ElectricianElectrical Supervisor
Average salary$55,615$90,972
Salary rangeBetween $37,000 And $81,000Between $66,000 And $124,000
Highest paying CityStockton, CAWashington, DC
Highest paying stateVermontNevada
Best paying companyJELD-WENMicron Technology
Best paying industryEnergyEnergy

Differences between senior electrician and electrical supervisor education

There are a few differences between a senior electrician and an electrical supervisor in terms of educational background:

Senior ElectricianElectrical Supervisor
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 37%Bachelor's Degree, 34%
Most common majorElectrical Engineering TechnologyElectrical Engineering
Most common college-Stanford University

Senior electrician vs electrical supervisor demographics

Here are the differences between senior electricians' and electrical supervisors' demographics:

Senior ElectricianElectrical Supervisor
Average age4249
Gender ratioMale, 96.0% Female, 4.0%Male, 95.7% Female, 4.3%
Race ratioBlack 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, 8.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 2.1% White, 68.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage3%4%

Differences between senior electrician and electrical supervisor duties and responsibilities

Senior electrician example responsibilities.

  • Terminate primary and secondary leads of transformers.
  • Install many PLC changes for safety and quality improvements.
  • Service PLC operate electroplating lines, CNC mills and lathes, injection molding and vacuum presses.
  • Supervise small construction teams in the installation of electrical hardware and associate components according to NEC guidelines for residential new construction.
  • Replace motors and gearboxes upon management request.

Electrical supervisor example responsibilities.

  • Manage electrical & technical crew, supervise ABB DCS & gauging system and entire maintenance department, as needed.
  • Design and implement layouts for electrical projects using ladders, aerial lifts and other equipment.
  • Start switchgear and circuit breaker maintenance and testing on schedule outages.
  • Diagnose problems with bad encoders and feedback equipment on CNC machines.
  • Repair and maintain motor switchgear, MCC's and various types of load centers.
  • Install all infrastructures for the HVAC system, pull cables and terminate control cabinets and relays.
  • Show more

Senior electrician vs electrical supervisor skills

Common senior electrician skills
  • Electrical Equipment, 9%
  • Hand Tools, 9%
  • Ladders, 6%
  • Circuit Breakers, 5%
  • Preventative Maintenance, 5%
  • Switches, 5%
Common electrical supervisor skills
  • Electrical Systems, 9%
  • PLC, 7%
  • Electrical Equipment, 6%
  • Preventive Maintenance, 6%
  • Control Systems, 5%
  • OSHA, 4%

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