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The differences between service electricians and construction electricians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a service electrician and a construction electrician. Additionally, a service electrician has an average salary of $57,731, which is higher than the $44,135 average annual salary of a construction electrician.
The top three skills for a service electrician include customer service, ladders and electrical systems. The most important skills for a construction electrician are transformers, electrical conduit, and hand tools.
A service electrician specializes in installing and repairing electrical systems and equipment in commercial and residential areas. They typically meet with clients to identify and understand their needs, perform installations and inspections, troubleshoot problems, replace or fix wirings, and perform regular maintenance checks to ensure efficiency and client safety. Most service electricians work as an independent contractor, although there are instances where they work with a team of other electricians and specialists. Moreover, they must build positive relationships with clients for a strong client base.
Construction electricians work on installing, wiring, and assembling electrical systems in residential and commercial buildings. To ensure that wires won't be dangling around the house, they install them upon partial completion of the building. They work with engineers to discuss how and where they can position the wires. These electricians install a building's electrical system for air conditioning, power, heat, etc. They set up transformers, circuit breakers, and fuse boxes to connect wires while following state and local wiring regulations.
Service electricians and construction electricians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Service Electrician | Construction Electrician | |
| Average salary | $57,731 | $44,135 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $83,000 | Between $28,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | Edison, NJ | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Vermont | Washington |
| Best paying company | Tesla | Tri-State G&T |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Finance |
There are a few differences between a service electrician and a construction electrician in terms of educational background:
| Service Electrician | Construction Electrician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 34% | Associate Degree, 36% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering Technology | Electrical Engineering Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between service electricians' and construction electricians' demographics:
| Service Electrician | Construction Electrician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 97.6% Female, 2.4% | Male, 92.9% Female, 7.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.8% Asian, 2.2% White, 63.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 2.3% White, 65.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 3% | 3% |