Electrician vs lineman: who earns more
Pay, range, growth and a state map of which trade earns more, from BLS May 2025 data.
Electrician vs lineman: the numbers
| Electrician | Lineman | |
|---|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $30.38 | $45.83 |
| Median annual pay | $63,190 | $95,320 |
| 10th percentile (entry) | $20.50 | $24.74 |
| 90th percentile (top) | $52.17 | $61.87 |
| Jobs nationwide | 757,220 | 131,070 |
| Projected growth 2025-35 | +9.2% | +10.3% |
| Openings per year | 72,700 | 10,900 |
| 10-year real wage change | -10.3% | +5.6% |
| States where this trade pays more | 0 | 51 |
| States about even (within $0.50) | 0 | 0 |
Which pays more where you live
| State | Electrician $/hr | Lineman $/hr | Pays more, by how much |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho | $30.29 | $60.29 | Lineman +$30.00 |
| California | $36.62 | $62.04 | Lineman +$25.42 |
| Connecticut | $37.28 | $60.99 | Lineman +$23.71 |
| Vermont | $30.49 | $52.17 | Lineman +$21.68 |
| New Jersey | $37.14 | $58.45 | Lineman +$21.31 |
| New York | $37.86 | $58.31 | Lineman +$20.45 |
| Colorado | $29.92 | $49.99 | Lineman +$20.07 |
| North Dakota | $31.59 | $50.90 | Lineman +$19.31 |
| Iowa | $29.26 | $48.17 | Lineman +$18.91 |
| New Hampshire | $30.21 | $49.12 | Lineman +$18.91 |
| Utah | $29.81 | $48.66 | Lineman +$18.85 |
| Pennsylvania | $32.50 | $51.07 | Lineman +$18.57 |
| Hawaii | $46.38 | $64.59 | Lineman +$18.21 |
| Washington | $45.78 | $63.97 | Lineman +$18.19 |
| Alabama | $26.78 | $44.24 | Lineman +$17.46 |
| South Dakota | $29.51 | $46.79 | Lineman +$17.28 |
| Kansas | $31.66 | $48.86 | Lineman +$17.20 |
| Montana | $36.90 | $53.04 | Lineman +$16.14 |
| Indiana | $32.93 | $49.06 | Lineman +$16.13 |
| Delaware | $30.63 | $46.72 | Lineman +$16.09 |
| Maryland | $35.33 | $51.01 | Lineman +$15.68 |
| Arkansas | $23.59 | $39.16 | Lineman +$15.57 |
| Nebraska | $29.24 | $44.30 | Lineman +$15.06 |
| Missouri | $31.45 | $46.33 | Lineman +$14.88 |
| Massachusetts | $38.18 | $52.99 | Lineman +$14.81 |
| Michigan | $36.67 | $51.39 | Lineman +$14.72 |
| Rhode Island | $35.62 | $50.30 | Lineman +$14.68 |
| Oregon | $48.71 | $63.02 | Lineman +$14.31 |
| Florida | $27.52 | $41.76 | Lineman +$14.24 |
| Wisconsin | $36.80 | $50.88 | Lineman +$14.08 |
| Ohio | $31.11 | $44.78 | Lineman +$13.67 |
| Minnesota | $37.58 | $50.09 | Lineman +$12.51 |
| Nevada | $35.37 | $46.42 | Lineman +$11.05 |
| Tennessee | $29.37 | $40.22 | Lineman +$10.85 |
| District of Columbia | $37.97 | $48.67 | Lineman +$10.70 |
| Georgia | $28.04 | $38.50 | Lineman +$10.46 |
| North Carolina | $27.31 | $37.15 | Lineman +$9.84 |
| Texas | $28.16 | $37.95 | Lineman +$9.79 |
| West Virginia | $31.16 | $40.29 | Lineman +$9.13 |
| South Carolina | $28.24 | $36.96 | Lineman +$8.72 |
| New Mexico | $28.07 | $36.76 | Lineman +$8.69 |
| Wyoming | $36.59 | $45.12 | Lineman +$8.53 |
| Kentucky | $28.71 | $37.03 | Lineman +$8.32 |
| Mississippi | $29.26 | $36.49 | Lineman +$7.23 |
| Oklahoma | $29.33 | $36.54 | Lineman +$7.21 |
| Louisiana | $29.59 | $36.74 | Lineman +$7.15 |
| Arizona | $29.36 | $36.26 | Lineman +$6.90 |
| Virginia | $30.24 | $36.82 | Lineman +$6.58 |
| Illinois | $47.87 | $51.98 | Lineman +$4.11 |
| Maine | $36.24 | $39.95 | Lineman +$3.71 |
| Alaska | $43.00 | $44.46 | Lineman +$1.46 |
Questions this page answers
Who makes more, electricians or linemen?
Nationally, Linemen: a median of $45.83 an hour against $30.38 for electricians, a gap of $15.45 an hour in May 2025. Electricians earn more in 0 states, linemen in 51, and the two are within $0.50 an hour in 0.
Which has the better outlook, electricians or linemen?
BLS projects +9.2% growth for electricians and +10.3% for linemen over 2025-35, with 72,700 and 10,900 openings a year respectively.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; BLS Employment Projections; CPI-U.