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The differences between service electricians and lead 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 lead electrician. Additionally, a service electrician has an average salary of $57,731, which is higher than the $56,709 average annual salary of a lead electrician.
The top three skills for a service electrician include customer service, ladders and electrical systems. The most important skills for a lead electrician are electrical equipment, hand tools, and electrical systems.
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.
A Lead Electrician is the one who does the maintenance, inspection, and repair, and installation of needed equipment and other electric-related things. They are the one who supervises and monitors the job of the Electrician, plans and takes action to every happening and problem that they can encounter. They also do the planning of schedule and the process of conducting an equipment check-up and maintenance. Also, they need to be knowledgeable when it comes to repairing and installing needed material and equipment.
Service electricians and lead electricians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Service Electrician | Lead Electrician | |
| Average salary | $57,731 | $56,709 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $83,000 | Between $38,000 And $84,000 |
| Highest paying City | Edison, NJ | Berkeley, CA |
| Highest paying state | Vermont | Vermont |
| Best paying company | Tesla | Ameresco |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Energy |
There are a few differences between a service electrician and a lead electrician in terms of educational background:
| Service Electrician | Lead Electrician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 34% | Associate Degree, 33% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering Technology | Electrical Engineering Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between service electricians' and lead electricians' demographics:
| Service Electrician | Lead Electrician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 97.6% Female, 2.4% | Male, 97.4% Female, 2.6% |
| 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, 8.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.5% Asian, 2.2% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 3% | 3% |