Skilled Wages

Electrician salary in California

Median $36.62 an hour for 73,310 electricians, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$36.62/hrMedian hourly wageCalifornia, May data
$76,160/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$22.50 – $67.4710th to 90th percentilehourly range
73,310Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-06

Electrician pay in California: the full range

Wage percentiles, CaliforniaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$0$20$40$60$80/hrCalifornia: 10th $22.50 · 25th $28.50 · median $36.62 · 75th $49.52 · 90th $67.47California$36.62$22.50$67.47United States: 10th $20.50 · 25th $23.76 · median $30.38 · 75th $40.36 · 90th $52.17United States$30.38
Hourly wage percentiles for electricians: California vs United States, May 2025.

California ranks 15th of 51 states for median electrician pay, and 32nd once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $33.08). 73,310 electricians work in the state. The top 10% earn 3.0× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$22.50 – $28.50$46,800 – $59,280roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$28.50 – $49.52$59,280 – $103,000the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$49.52 – $67.47$103,000 – $140,340the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Electrician pay by metro in California

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrSan Francisco: $44.63San Francisco$44.63San Jose: $43.77San Jose$43.77Hanford: $41.36Hanford$41.36Vallejo: $38.22Vallejo$38.22Salinas: $37.88Salinas$37.88Napa: $37.54Napa$37.54Santa Rosa: $37.20Santa Rosa$37.20Modesto: $36.88Modesto$36.88Santa Cruz: $36.83Santa Cruz$36.83San Luis Obispo: $36.80San Luis Obispo$36.80Stockton: $36.74Stockton$36.74San Diego: $36.62San Diego$36.62
Median hourly wage for electricians by metro area in California, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
San Francisco$26.62$44.63$38.61$87.669,06022% above
San Jose$26.10$43.77$39.65$83.345,48020% above
Hanford$23.32$41.36$40.71$74.0922013% above
Vallejo$23.49$38.22$35.23$68.397204% above
Salinas$22.95$37.88$34.75$63.205303% above
Napa$24.45$37.54$33.34$57.992403% above
Santa Rosa$23.01$37.20$34.51$64.901,0802% above
Modesto$23.18$36.88$35.43$66.157701% above
Santa Cruz$23.22$36.83$33.51$60.853301% above
San Luis Obispo$22.22$36.80$33.89$68.78530about the same as
Stockton$22.13$36.74$34.96$66.061,180about the same as
San Diego$23.03$36.62$32.73$60.708,060about the same as
Merced$21.40$36.60$37.23$67.11180about the same as
Bakersfield$22.49$36.47$36.14$59.591,410about the same as
Santa Maria$23.16$36.20$33.27$54.586301% below
Sacramento$22.23$35.98$33.72$62.516,3402% below
El Centro$21.91$35.80$37.61$58.321602% below
Los Angeles$22.19$35.49$31.24$63.3120,6103% below
Riverside$21.81$35.00$32.89$67.037,8804% below
Fresno$22.16$34.48$33.74$57.601,9806% below
Redding$22.34$33.43$33.20$64.813209% below
Yuba City$22.13$31.57$30.30$68.5822014% below
Chico$22.55$31.44$31.07$67.9132014% below
Oxnard$22.63$31.17$28.21$58.831,16015% below
Visalia$21.13$30.96$31.02$49.0464015% below

Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).

Electrician wages in California over time

California, 1999-2025CaliforniaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$36.62California$30.38United States
Median hourly wage for electricians, California vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearCalifornia $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$21.08$40.74$19.1352,100
2000$20.80$38.89$19.2960,570
2001$21.54$39.16$19.6062,130
2002$21.94$39.26$19.9052,420
2003$21.91$38.34$20.0453,260
2004$22.72$38.72$20.3357,230
2005$22.38$36.89$20.5759,150
2006$23.64$37.75$20.9760,350
2007$23.92$37.14$21.5360,950
2008$25.33$37.88$22.3258,670
2009$25.96$38.96$22.6852,490
2010$27.50$40.60$23.2044,130
2011$28.75$41.15$23.7141,790
2012$29.44$41.28$23.9641,900
2013$29.31$40.51$24.2846,020
2014$29.52$40.14$24.5749,850
2015$30.16$40.97$24.9455,580
2016$30.49$40.90$25.3560,620
2017$30.88$40.56$26.0163,060
2018$30.89$39.60$26.5366,260
2019$31.06$39.11$27.0172,870
2020$32.95$40.99$27.3671,010
2021$34.20$40.63$28.8765,870
2022$34.15$37.57$28.9673,300
2023$37.25$39.36$29.6172,880
2024$36.80$37.77$29.9873,420
2025$36.62$36.62$30.3873,310

In today's dollars, the median electrician wage in California changed by -10.6% over the last ten years of data and by -6.4% since 2019.

Are there more electrician jobs in California?

+0.6%Jobs since 201972,870 then, 73,310 in 2025
+31.9%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
4.0Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.8× the US share, 46th of 51 states

Since 1999, the number of electricians counted in California has changed by +40.7%, against +23.7% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by +0.6%.

Electricians in California vs United States, 1999 = 100CaliforniaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages6080100120140160200020052010201520202025141California124United States
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, California vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearCalifornia jobsCalifornia indexUS index
199952,100100100
200060,570116105
200162,130119102
200252,42010197
200353,26010295
200457,23011095
200559,15011499
200660,350116101
200760,950117102
200858,670113103
200952,49010195
201044,1308584
201141,7908084
201241,9008085
201346,0208889
201449,8509693
201555,58010797
201660,62011699
201763,060121103
201866,260127107
201972,870140112
202071,010136107
202165,870126106
202273,300141113
202372,880140116
202473,420141121
202573,310141124

Job counts are BLS OEWS survey estimates built from three years of samples, so moves of a few percent from one year to the next are within the survey's margin. Self-employed tradespeople are not counted. Areas with fewer than 3,000 jobs or a large sampling error are shown as a single figure rather than a trend.

Outlook for electricians in California

+14.9%Projected growth in California2024–2034, state agency
8,650Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
81,000Jobs in 202493,100 projected for 2034
+9.2%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

California's labor market agency projects the number of electricians in the state to change by +14.9% between 2024 and 2034, from 81,000 to 93,100, with about 8,650 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +9.2% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 73,310 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: California labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).

Union scale and prevailing wage for electricians in California

On federally funded construction in California, contractors must pay electricians at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 53 of the 58 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $80.15 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $23.46). 5 of the 58 counties still use a survey rate dated 1985 or earlier (for example Amador County at $20.17). The market median for the state is $36.62.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, CAAlameda: $111.42 (union)Alpine: $68.88 (union)Amador: $20.17 (survey)Butte: $68.88 (union)Calaveras: $111.42 (union)Colusa: $68.88 (union)Contra Costa: $111.42 (union)Del Norte: $23.46 (survey)El Dorado: $68.88 (union)Fresno: $111.42 (union)Glenn: $68.88 (union)Humboldt: $23.46 (survey)Imperial: $63.96 (union)Inyo: $82.22 (union)Kern: $82.22 (union)Kings: $111.42 (union)Lake: $23.46 (survey)Lassen: $68.88 (union)Los Angeles: $92.39 (union)Madera: $111.42 (union)Marin: $68.88 (union)Mariposa: $111.42 (union)Mendocino: $23.46 (survey)Merced: $111.42 (union)Modoc: $68.88 (union)Mono: $82.22 (union)Monterey: $111.42 (union)Napa: $68.88 (union)Nevada: $68.88 (union)Orange: $88.10 (union)Placer: $68.88 (union)Plumas: $68.88 (union)Riverside: $90.09 (union)Sacramento: $68.88 (union)San Benito: $111.42 (union)San Bernardino: $82.22 (union)San Diego: $85.39 (union)San Francisco: $111.42 (union)San Joaquin: $111.42 (union)San Luis Obispo: $79.92 (union)San Mateo: $111.42 (union)Santa Barbara: $79.77 (union)Santa Clara: $111.42 (union)Santa Cruz: $111.42 (union)Shasta: $68.88 (union)Sierra: $68.88 (union)Siskiyou: $68.88 (union)Solano: $68.88 (union)Sonoma: $68.88 (union)Stanislaus: $111.42 (union)Sutter: $68.88 (union)Tehama: $68.88 (union)Trinity: $68.88 (union)Tulare: $80.15 (union)Tuolumne: $111.42 (union)Ventura: $90.12 (union)Yolo: $68.88 (union)Yuba: $68.88 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$68.88$82.22survey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for electricians by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
Market median vs prevailing wage by countyMarket medianPrevailing (union)$0$25$50$75$100$125/hrFresno (Fresno): market median $34.48, prevailing (union) $111.42, gap +$76.94Fresno (Fresno)+$76.94Merced (Merced): market median $36.60, prevailing (union) $111.42, gap +$74.82Merced (Merced)+$74.82San Joaquin (Stockton): market median $36.74, prevailing (union) $111.42, gap +$74.68San Joaquin (Stockton)+$74.68Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz): market median $36.83, prevailing (union) $111.42, gap +$74.59Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz)+$74.59Stanislaus (Modesto): market median $36.88, prevailing (union) $111.42, gap +$74.54Stanislaus (Modesto)+$74.54Monterey (Salinas): market median $37.88, prevailing (union) $111.42, gap +$73.54Monterey (Salinas)+$73.54Kings (Hanford): market median $41.36, prevailing (union) $111.42, gap +$70.06Kings (Hanford)+$70.06San Benito (San Jose): market median $43.77, prevailing (union) $111.42, gap +$67.65San Benito (San Jose)+$67.65Alameda (San Francisco): market median $44.63, prevailing (union) $111.42, gap +$66.79Alameda (San Francisco)+$66.79Ventura (Oxnard): market median $31.17, prevailing (union) $90.12, gap +$58.95Ventura (Oxnard)+$58.95Los Angeles (Los Angeles): market median $35.49, prevailing (union) $92.39, gap +$56.90Los Angeles (Los Angeles)+$56.90Riverside (Riverside): market median $35.00, prevailing (union) $90.09, gap +$55.09Riverside (Riverside)+$55.09Tulare (Visalia): market median $30.96, prevailing (union) $80.15, gap +$49.19Tulare (Visalia)+$49.19San Diego (San Diego): market median $36.62, prevailing (union) $85.39, gap +$48.77San Diego (San Diego)+$48.77Kern (Bakersfield): market median $36.47, prevailing (union) $82.22, gap +$45.75Kern (Bakersfield)+$45.75Santa Barbara (Santa Maria): market median $36.20, prevailing (union) $79.77, gap +$43.57Santa Barbara (Santa Maria)+$43.57San Luis Obispo (San Luis Obispo): market median $36.80, prevailing (union) $79.92, gap +$43.12San Luis Obispo (San Luis Obispo)+$43.12Butte (Chico): market median $31.44, prevailing (union) $68.88, gap +$37.44Butte (Chico)+$37.44El Dorado (Sacramento): market median $35.98, prevailing (union) $68.88, gap +$32.90El Dorado (Sacramento)+$32.90Napa (Napa): market median $37.54, prevailing (union) $68.88, gap +$31.34Napa (Napa)+$31.34
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for electricians, metro counties in California.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
AlamedaUnion ELEC0234-001 2025-12-30$77.45$33.97$111.42CA20260018
CalaverasUnion ELEC0234-001 2025-12-30$77.45$33.97$111.42CA20260018
Contra CostaUnion ELEC0234-001 2025-12-30$77.45$33.97$111.42CA20260018
FresnoUnion ELEC0234-001 2025-12-30$77.45$33.97$111.42CA20260018
KingsUnion ELEC0234-001 2025-12-30$77.45$33.97$111.42CA20260018
MaderaUnion ELEC0234-001 2025-12-30$77.45$33.97$111.42CA20260018
MariposaUnion ELEC0234-001 2025-12-30$77.45$33.97$111.42CA20260018
MercedUnion ELEC0234-001 2025-12-30$77.45$33.97$111.42CA20260018
MontereyUnion ELEC0234-001 2025-12-30$77.45$33.97$111.42CA20260018
San BenitoUnion ELEC0234-001 2025-12-30$77.45$33.97$111.42CA20260018
San FranciscoUnion ELEC0234-001 2025-12-30$77.45$33.97$111.42CA20260018
San JoaquinUnion ELEC0234-001 2025-12-30$77.45$33.97$111.42CA20260018
San MateoUnion ELEC0234-001 2025-12-30$77.45$33.97$111.42CA20260018
Santa ClaraUnion ELEC0234-001 2025-12-30$77.45$33.97$111.42CA20260018
Santa CruzUnion ELEC0234-001 2025-12-30$77.45$33.97$111.42CA20260018

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-06. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the California prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in California?

895.7kConstruction jobsCalifornia, 2026-09
-0.5%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026200k400k600k800k1,000k1,200k19901995200020052010201520202025896kSep 2026
Construction employment in California (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Contractor pay by county

Average pay at electrical contractors establishments by county (all employees, not just electricians), from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages. Across the 54 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 473,902 in 2015 to 577,497 in 2025, +21.9%.

CountyEstablishmentsEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Santa Clara County50010,214$185,881$3,575
San Francisco County1943,490$142,706$2,744
San Mateo County2101,730$125,364$2,411
Alameda County4175,616$117,373$2,257
Contra Costa County3142,692$112,739$2,168
San Joaquin County1571,889$104,984$2,019
Yolo County41481$102,314$1,968
Orange County1,04113,450$99,444$1,912
San Bernardino County5516,172$99,339$1,910
Napa County47342$97,346$1,872
Sacramento County4046,442$95,189$1,831
Sonoma County2661,860$95,067$1,828

Keep comparing

Electrician pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in California

More on California

Questions this page answers

How much do electricians make in California?

The median electrician in California earned $36.62 an hour ($76,160 a year) in May 2025, 21% above the national median of $30.38. The middle half earn $28.50–$49.52; the top 10% earn more than $67.47.

Where does California rank for electrician pay?

California ranks 15th of 51 states for electrician pay, with a median of $36.62 an hour, and 32nd after adjusting for California's cost of living (BEA price parity 110.7, US = 100).

What is the union electrician rate in California?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for electricians in 53 counties, with a typical package of $80.15 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many electricians work in California?

BLS counted 73,310 electricians in California in May 2025, 4.0 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.83; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is electrician work growing in California?

The BLS employer survey count of electricians in California went from 55,580 in 2015 to 73,310 in 2025, +31.9%, and +0.6% since 2019. California's labor market agency projects +14.9% growth for electricians between 2024 and 2034, from 81,000 to 93,100 jobs.

How many electrician openings a year are there in California?

California projects about 8,650 openings a year for electricians over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 72,700 a year.

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, California and metro areas, SOC 47-2111. Job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-09.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-11-06. Not the official determination.
  • BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
  • State projection: California labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.