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The differences between substation electricians and 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 substation electrician and an electrician. Additionally, a substation electrician has an average salary of $67,906, which is higher than the $48,850 average annual salary of an electrician.
The top three skills for a substation electrician include CDL, transformers and circuit breakers. The most important skills for an electrician are hand tools, electrical equipment, and run conduit.
A Substation Electrician installs control panels and wiring systems, performs emergency repairs and regular maintenance on electrical substations delivering energy to the surrounding buildings and houses. The professionals work hand-in-hand with engineers and architects to create the substation's plan and layout. After completing the blueprints, the Substation Electricians can construct and install electrical equipment and wiring cabinets. Other duties performed may include testing, calibrating, and maintaining relays. They also operate various devices and troubleshoot transformers' issues and provide the right solutions.
An electrician is a skilled tradesman in charge of wirings and systems which provide electric power to a facility. They are trained to design, install, maintain, and troubleshoot electrical wiring systems. There are four basic types of an electrician - residential wiremen, inside wiremen, telecommunications electrician, and outside linemen. Some work on a standard 40-hour week shift while others are on-call duty. In some cases, traveling is also a vital key to their role where they would work for a few days before moving to another location.
Substation electricians and electricians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Substation Electrician | Electrician | |
| Average salary | $67,906 | $48,850 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $98,000 | Between $32,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | - | Alaska |
| Best paying company | - | PBF Energy |
| Best paying industry | - | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a substation electrician and an electrician in terms of educational background:
| Substation Electrician | Electrician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 38% | High School Diploma, 32% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering Technology | Electrical Engineering Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between substation electricians' and electricians' demographics:
| Substation Electrician | Electrician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.5% Female, 7.5% | Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 2.3% White, 64.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 20.5% Asian, 2.2% White, 63.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 3% | 3% |