Quick answer: the median U.S. electrician earns $30.38 per hour ($63,190 a year) per the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025 data). Self-employed electricians typically bill well above their wage — a common contractor rule of thumb is 2–3× the technician wage, which puts billed rates around $60–90/hour at the median, before local market adjustments.
What Electricians Earn: The BLS Numbers
| Measure | Annual | ≈ Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $42,640 | $20.5 |
| Median | $63,190 | $30.38 |
| Highest 10% earn more than | $108,510 | $52.17 |
Median annual wage by industry
| Government (excl. education and hospitals) | $79,820 |
| Manufacturing | $74,550 |
| Electrical contractors and wiring installation | $61,570 |
| Employment services | $57,760 |
Data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook — Electricians, May 2025 estimates. 821,000 jobs nationally; projected growth 9% through 2035 (much faster than average). Retrieved September 2026. Wages vary significantly by state and metro — see BLS state data for local figures.
Your Billed-Rate Calculator
A wage is what a technician takes home; a billed rate also has to pay for insurance, licensing, the van, tools, fuel, unpaid drive time, and the quotes that never close. Work backward from what you want to earn:
BLS median is $30.38
Insurance, van, tools, licensing, fuel
Drive time and quoting aren't billable
The business earns this on top of your wage
You should bill about
$—/hour
Once the rate is set, getting paid on time is the other half — send an itemized invoice the day the job is done. We have a free electrician invoice template with the line items and terms typical for electrical work, a free invoice generator (no account needed), and a late fee calculator for when a client runs past the due date.
Electrician Rate FAQs
How much do electricians make per hour?
Per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025), the median electrician wage is $30.38 per hour ($63,190 per year). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $42,640 a year and the highest-paid 10% earn over $108,510 — experience, licensing level (apprentice, journeyman, master), industry, and state drive the spread.
Why do electricians charge more per hour than they earn?
The billed rate has to cover much more than the electrician's wage: insurance and bonding, licensing, a stocked van and fuel, tools, unpaid drive time, and the hours spent quoting jobs that don't close. A common contractor rule of thumb is to bill 2–3× the technician's wage — at the BLS median wage that arithmetic lands in the $60–90/hour billed range before local market adjustments.
How do I set my hourly rate as a self-employed electrician?
Work backward from your target income: divide your desired annual pay plus annual overhead by your realistic billable hours (most solo tradespeople bill 50–70% of their working hours), then add a profit margin for the business itself. The calculator on this page does this math for you.
Should electricians charge flat rates or hourly?
Many electricians quote flat rates for standard jobs (outlet installs, panel work) built on an internal hourly figure, and bill hourly for diagnostics and unpredictable work. Either way, you need to know your true hourly cost — and whichever you choose, put it on a clear, itemized invoice with a due date.
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