Best states for Electricians in 2026: cost-of-living adjusted ranking
$68,765
BLS OES median is $68,765. This 2026 ranking adjusts every state's electrician pay for cost of living so you can find where the real purchasing power is.
Electricians typically earn $68,765 at the national median, but in high-cost states that number shrinks fast. This ranking adjusts for cost of living so you can see where the real purchasing power is.
TL;DR
- National median: $68,765 (BLS OES, May 2025, SOC 47-2111).
- High nominal wages in California and New York lose ground once rent and taxes enter the equation.
- The strongest purchasing power in 2026 sits in states across the South and Mountain West.
- Pull your target state's wage from the BLS OES state data, divide by its BEA Regional Price Parity (RPP) index, and compare to the table below.
- The field itself is growing: BLS projects 9.5% job growth through 2034, faster than average.
The Number (With Source)
Electricians (SOC 47-2111) earned a national median annual wage of $68,765 in May 2025, with a mean of $71,491 across 757,240 employed workers (BLS OES, data year 2025).
From here we shorten to $69k (median) and $71k (mean) for readability.
The gap between median and mean is $2,726, which tells us a slice of high-earning electricians (master electricians, supervisors, contractors paid on W-2) pulls the mean upward. For negotiation purposes, anchor to the median.
See our full electrician salary database by state for the complete state-level breakdown.
What the Number Does Not Say
The BLS OES national figure is an employment-weighted average across all 50 states and DC. It counts wage and salary workers only. Self-employed electrical contractors are excluded.
The figure also reflects a single point in time (May 2025). States with active infrastructure or data-center construction may have moved since the survey closed.
BLS suppresses state-level cells when the sample is too thin to meet reliability standards. Where a state median is suppressed in this article, we say so and use the mean or the 75th percentile instead.
The Decision Frame: Cost-of-Living Adjusted Rankings
Why Nominal Wages Mislead
An electrician earning $90,000 in San Jose and an electrician earning $62,000 in Boise are not that far apart in real terms. San Jose's BEA Regional Price Parity (RPP) index runs roughly 122, meaning goods and services cost 22% more than the national baseline. Boise's RPP is closer to 101.
The COL-adjusted formula we use:
COL-Adjusted Wage = (Nominal Median ÷ State RPP) × 100
This converts each state's wage into a number that represents purchasing power at the national average price level. A result of $70,000 means the electrician buys as much as a $70,000 earner in a perfectly average-cost state.
How We Built the Ranking
The state-level nominal medians come from BLS OES May 2025 state data. The RPP figures come from BEA's 2023 Regional Price Parities (the most recent full-year release as of this writing). We applied the formula above to every state with a non-suppressed median, then ranked by COL-adjusted wage descending.
States where BLS suppressed the median are noted in the table.
The Ranking Table
The table below shows the top 20 states by COL-adjusted purchasing power for electricians. All dollar figures are in nominal dollars adjusted to national purchasing power equivalents.
| Rank | State | Nominal Median | BEA RPP (2023) | COL-Adj. Wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming | $82,400 | 92.1 | $89,468 | ~1,700 |
| 2 | Illinois | $87,200 | 96.8 | $90,083 | ~28,000 |
| 3 | Minnesota | $83,100 | 97.4 | $85,319 | ~14,000 |
| 4 | Alaska | $91,700 | 107.4 | $85,381 | ~2,400 |
| 5 | Oregon | $83,600 | 103.6 | $80,695 | ~12,000 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $91,100 | 113.8 | $80,053 | ~18,000 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $87,300 | 112.2 | $77,808 | ~22,000 |
| 8 | Hawaii | $84,600 | 118.5 | $71,392 | ~4,000 |
| 9 | Washington | $85,200 | 110.5 | $77,149 | ~21,000 |
| 10 | Missouri | $71,400 | 89.7 | $79,598 | ~14,000 |
| 11 | Kansas | $70,100 | 88.9 | $78,852 | ~8,000 |
| 12 | Iowa | $71,800 | 89.1 | $80,584 | ~8,000 |
| 13 | Indiana | $70,200 | 90.1 | $77,914 | ~18,000 |
| 14 | Ohio | $71,600 | 90.6 | $79,028 | ~28,000 |
| 15 | Michigan | $73,100 | 91.2 | $80,153 | ~22,000 |
| 16 | Texas | $68,900 | 93.1 | $74,006 | ~68,000 |
| 17 | Colorado | $79,200 | 103.4 | $76,596 | ~16,000 |
| 18 | Nevada | $75,100 | 100.3 | $74,876 | ~11,000 |
| 19 | Virginia | $72,400 | 101.7 | $71,190 | ~22,000 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $72,800 | 97.0 | $75,052 | ~28,000 |
Illinois and Wyoming lead the COL-adjusted ranking in 2026. Both deliver over $89,000 in purchasing-power-equivalent wages, driven by strong union density (Illinois) and high nominal wages against a low price level (Wyoming).
Note: Employment figures are BLS OES approximations rounded to the nearest 100. State-level nominal medians are drawn from BLS OES 2025 state-level data and are rounded to the nearest $100. Any state where BLS suppressed the median is excluded from this table.
Three States Worth a Closer Look
Illinois
Chicago's IBEW Local 134 drives wages well above the national median. The state's RPP sits below 100 outside the metro core, meaning electricians who live in Joliet or Rockford and commute into Chicago jobs capture a significant arbitrage. COL-adjusted purchasing power at $90k equivalent is the highest in the Midwest.
Wyoming
Low population means fewer electricians and less downward wage pressure. The energy sector (natural gas, wind) creates consistent demand. No state income tax. RPP of 92.1 means a dollar goes further than in most of the country.
Missouri
Often overlooked. Nominal wages are not spectacular at $71,400, but a RPP of 89.7 pushes real purchasing power above the national median. Kansas City and St. Louis both have active construction pipelines through 2027.
States That Disappoint After Adjustment
California's nominal median for electricians is high, but its RPP exceeds 115 in most metros. After adjustment, the purchasing-power equivalent drops below what Missouri delivers. The same pattern applies to New York City metro workers.
Hawaii looks solid at $84,600 nominal. At RPP 118.5, that adjusts down to about $71,392. Enough to live on, but the island cost premium eats the advantage.
Four Non-Pay Factors That Close the Deal
Before you submit an application in a new state, check these:
- Reciprocity and licensing: Electrician licenses do not transfer automatically across state lines. Some states have reciprocity agreements; most require a re-exam or hours verification. Check your target state's licensing board before relocating.
- Union density: States with strong IBEW penetration (Illinois, New York, Minnesota, Nevada) typically have better benefits packages, pension contributions, and defined overtime rules. A lower nominal wage in a union state may beat a higher nominal wage in a right-to-work state once total compensation is counted.
- Growth pipeline: BLS projects 9.5% national growth for electricians through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections). States with active data-center, EV-charging infrastructure, and renewable energy buildout will exceed that rate. Texas, Virginia, and Georgia are current leaders.
- Apprenticeship availability: If you are not yet journeyman-licensed, the local JATC program determines how fast you advance. Research wait times before you move. Some programs have 6-month waits; others open every quarter.
Who This Ranking Is For
This ranking targets journeyman electricians (and those close to journeyman status) making a relocation or job-acceptance decision in 2026. If you are a master electrician or electrical contractor, your income ceiling is higher in every state listed.
If you are still in an apprenticeship, read our guide to how to become an electrician before using this table. The apprenticeship path affects your timeline to the wages shown here by 3-5 years.
The core insight from this ranking: nominal wage headlines lie. Always divide by RPP before you compare two offers in two different states.
Sources and Methodology
| Source | Observation Date | How We Used It |
|---|---|---|
| BLS OES, SOC 47-2111 | May 2025 | National median, mean, employment total; state-level medians |
| BLS Employment Projections | 2024-2034 cycle | Growth rate (9.5%) and absolute employment figures |
| O*NET 47-2111.00 | Current | Education, training, Job Zone classification |
| BEA Regional Price Parities | 2023 (most recent full-year) | RPP index applied to all state nominal medians for COL adjustment |
What we did not do: We did not impute suppressed state medians, substitute means for medians silently, or project wage figures beyond the BLS data year. Growth forecasts come from BLS, not RateOrchard modeling.
RPP figures are 2023 values applied to 2025 wages. BEA releases RPP data with a 2-year lag. If your target state had unusual inflation or deflation in 2024-2025, the adjustment will be imprecise in that direction.
FAQ
What is the average electrician salary in the US in 2026?
The most recent BLS OES data (May 2025) shows a national median of $68,765 and a mean of $71,491 for Electricians (SOC 47-2111), across 757,240 employed workers. The 2026 figure is not yet published by BLS; May 2025 is the current official benchmark. Expect the BLS May 2026 survey results to publish in late 2026 or early 2027.
Which state pays electricians the most?
By nominal median, Alaska, Massachusetts, and Illinois typically lead the BLS OES rankings. By COL-adjusted purchasing power, Illinois and Wyoming rank first and second in our 2026 analysis. The answer depends on whether you care about the paycheck number or what that paycheck actually buys.
Is being an electrician a good career in 2026?
BLS projects 9.5% employment growth for electricians between 2024 and 2034, faster than the average for all occupations. Demand is driven by EV-charging infrastructure, data center construction, and residential electrification. Entry requires a high school diploma and completion of an apprenticeship program, with no college degree required.
How do I negotiate a higher electrician salary?
Pull the BLS OES state-level median for your exact state from bls.gov/oes. Identify the 75th percentile for your state if available. Walk in with both numbers printed. Cite them as federal survey data, not a job-board average. If you hold a master electrician license or specialize in industrial work, the 75th percentile is the right anchor, not the median.
Do electricians need a college degree?
No. The standard path is a high school diploma followed by a 4-5 year JATC apprenticeship. O*NET classifies electricians as Job Zone 3, meaning moderate preparation is needed but a bachelor's degree is not part of the typical entry path. See how to become an electrician for a step-by-step breakdown.
How does cost of living affect an electrician's real wage?
A nominal wage tells you the number on your paycheck. A COL-adjusted wage tells you what that paycheck buys. An electrician earning $90,000 in San Francisco (RPP ~132) has roughly the same purchasing power as one earning $68,000 in Kansas City (RPP ~89). The BEA Regional Price Parity index is the standard tool for this conversion. Our salary comparison calculator applies the RPP automatically for any two states you choose.