Lineman salary: what linemans actually make
BLS employer-survey wages for 131,070 electrical power-line installers and repairers nationwide, plus the union scale contractors must pay on federal jobs.
What electrical power-line installers and repairers earn: the full range
The middle half of electrical power-line installers and repairers earn between $32.34 and $52.76 an hour. The top 10% earn more than $61.87 ($128,690 a year); the bottom 10% earn less than $24.74.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry | $24.74 – $32.34 | $51,470 – $67,270 | roughly the 10th–25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $32.34 – $52.76 | $67,270 – $109,740 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master / foreman / specialist | $52.76 – $61.87 | $109,740 – $128,690 | the 75th–90th percentile and above |
Career-stage bands are an approximate reading of the wage distribution, not a BLS classification. Union journeyman scale by county is in the prevailing-wage section below.
Lineman pay by state
Table
| State | Median $/hr | vs US |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $64.59 | 41% above |
| Washington | $63.97 | 40% above |
| Oregon | $63.02 | 38% above |
| California | $62.04 | 35% above |
| Connecticut | $60.99 | 33% above |
| Idaho | $60.29 | 32% above |
| New Jersey | $58.45 | 28% above |
| New York | $58.31 | 27% above |
| Montana | $53.04 | 16% above |
| Massachusetts | $52.99 | 16% above |
| Vermont | $52.17 | 14% above |
| Illinois | $51.98 | 13% above |
| Michigan | $51.39 | 12% above |
| Pennsylvania | $51.07 | 11% above |
| Maryland | $51.01 | 11% above |
| North Dakota | $50.90 | 11% above |
| Wisconsin | $50.88 | 11% above |
| Rhode Island | $50.30 | 10% above |
| Minnesota | $50.09 | 9% above |
| Colorado | $49.99 | 9% above |
| New Hampshire | $49.12 | 7% above |
| Indiana | $49.06 | 7% above |
| Kansas | $48.86 | 7% above |
| District of Columbia | $48.67 | 6% above |
| Utah | $48.66 | 6% above |
| Iowa | $48.17 | 5% above |
| South Dakota | $46.79 | 2% above |
| Delaware | $46.72 | 2% above |
| Nevada | $46.42 | 1% above |
| Missouri | $46.33 | 1% above |
| Wyoming | $45.12 | 2% below |
| Ohio | $44.78 | 2% below |
| Alaska | $44.46 | 3% below |
| Nebraska | $44.30 | 3% below |
| Alabama | $44.24 | 3% below |
| Florida | $41.76 | 9% below |
| West Virginia | $40.29 | 12% below |
| Tennessee | $40.22 | 12% below |
| Maine | $39.95 | 13% below |
| Arkansas | $39.16 | 15% below |
| Georgia | $38.50 | 16% below |
| Texas | $37.95 | 17% below |
| North Carolina | $37.15 | 19% below |
| Kentucky | $37.03 | 19% below |
| South Carolina | $36.96 | 19% below |
| Virginia | $36.82 | 20% below |
| New Mexico | $36.76 | 20% below |
| Louisiana | $36.74 | 20% below |
| Oklahoma | $36.54 | 20% below |
| Mississippi | $36.49 | 20% below |
| Arizona | $36.26 | 21% below |
| State | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | Adjusted rank | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $64.59 | $58.72 | #5 | 600 |
| Washington | $63.97 | $59.79 | #3 | 2,340 |
| Oregon | $63.02 | $60.95 | #2 | 1,640 |
| California | $62.04 | $56.04 | #8 | 8,930 |
| Connecticut | $60.99 | $58.87 | #4 | 940 |
| Idaho | $60.29 | $63.13 | #1 | 860 |
| New Jersey | $58.45 | $53.72 | #13 | 1,310 |
| New York | $58.31 | $54.04 | #12 | 5,840 |
| Montana | $53.04 | $56.07 | #7 | 680 |
| Massachusetts | $52.99 | $50.09 | #22 | 2,350 |
| Vermont | $52.17 | $53.23 | #15 | 270 |
| Illinois | $51.98 | $51.98 | #19 | 3,090 |
| Michigan | $51.39 | $53.42 | #14 | 2,800 |
| Pennsylvania | $51.07 | $52.33 | #18 | 4,150 |
| Maryland | $51.01 | $48.58 | #28 | 1,830 |
| North Dakota | $50.90 | $57.19 | #6 | 740 |
| Wisconsin | $50.88 | $54.07 | #11 | 2,520 |
| Rhode Island | $50.30 | $49.17 | #25 | 120 |
| Minnesota | $50.09 | $50.80 | #21 | 2,190 |
| Colorado | $49.99 | $48.49 | #29 | 2,370 |
| New Hampshire | $49.12 | $47.14 | #31 | 560 |
| Indiana | $49.06 | $52.58 | #17 | 2,540 |
| Kansas | $48.86 | $54.23 | #10 | 1,610 |
| District of Columbia | $48.67 | $44.29 | #36 | 150 |
| Utah | $48.66 | $49.20 | #24 | 1,030 |
| Iowa | $48.17 | $54.86 | #9 | 1,390 |
| South Dakota | $46.79 | $52.81 | #16 | 740 |
| Delaware | $46.72 | $46.81 | #32 | 330 |
| Nevada | $46.42 | $46.42 | #33 | 920 |
| Missouri | $46.33 | $51.02 | #20 | 3,440 |
| Wyoming | $45.12 | $48.67 | #27 | 670 |
| Ohio | $44.78 | $48.25 | #30 | 4,260 |
| Alaska | $44.46 | $43.42 | #38 | 490 |
| Nebraska | $44.30 | $49.17 | #26 | 1,490 |
| Alabama | $44.24 | $49.82 | #23 | 2,730 |
| Florida | $41.76 | $40.39 | #44 | 6,420 |
| West Virginia | $40.29 | $45.02 | #35 | 1,260 |
| Tennessee | $40.22 | $43.76 | #37 | 3,900 |
| Maine | $39.95 | $41.19 | #42 | 1,160 |
| Arkansas | $39.16 | $45.06 | #34 | 1,510 |
| Georgia | $38.50 | $39.98 | #45 | 4,960 |
| Texas | $37.95 | $39.08 | #49 | 17,280 |
| North Carolina | $37.15 | $39.40 | #48 | 5,650 |
| Kentucky | $37.03 | $41.05 | #43 | 2,930 |
| South Carolina | $36.96 | $39.45 | #47 | 2,690 |
| Virginia | $36.82 | $36.42 | #50 | 2,920 |
| New Mexico | $36.76 | $39.87 | #46 | 1,020 |
| Louisiana | $36.74 | $41.66 | #40 | 2,520 |
| Oklahoma | $36.54 | $41.62 | #41 | 3,290 |
| Mississippi | $36.49 | $41.94 | #39 | 2,290 |
| Arizona | $36.26 | $36.01 | #51 | 3,360 |
Lineman wages over time
Table
| Year | Nominal $/hr | In 2025 $ | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $20.97 | $40.52 | 99,090 |
| 2000 | $22.01 | $41.15 | 96,200 |
| 2001 | $22.70 | $41.27 | 99,140 |
| 2002 | $23.33 | $41.75 | 96,040 |
| 2003 | $23.54 | $41.19 | 95,190 |
| 2004 | $23.61 | $40.24 | 101,760 |
| 2005 | $24.11 | $39.74 | 106,060 |
| 2006 | $24.41 | $38.98 | 110,520 |
| 2007 | $25.27 | $39.24 | 109,990 |
| 2008 | $26.49 | $39.61 | 111,580 |
| 2009 | $27.24 | $40.88 | 108,980 |
| 2010 | $27.90 | $41.19 | 105,540 |
| 2011 | $28.94 | $41.42 | 105,570 |
| 2012 | $30.41 | $42.64 | 112,450 |
| 2013 | $30.85 | $42.63 | 111,350 |
| 2014 | $31.70 | $43.11 | 114,540 |
| 2015 | $31.95 | $43.40 | 115,380 |
| 2016 | $32.70 | $43.86 | 117,670 |
| 2017 | $33.36 | $43.82 | 116,650 |
| 2018 | $34.09 | $43.71 | 114,800 |
| 2019 | $34.86 | $43.90 | 111,660 |
| 2020 | $36.07 | $44.87 | 114,930 |
| 2021 | $37.65 | $44.73 | 123,940 |
| 2022 | $39.59 | $43.55 | 119,510 |
| 2023 | $41.07 | $43.39 | 120,170 |
| 2024 | $44.50 | $45.67 | 123,680 |
| 2025 | $45.83 | $45.83 | 131,070 |
Adjusted for inflation, the median lineman wage changed by +5.6% over the last ten years.
Highest-paying metros for linemans
| Metro | Median $/hr | 90th pct | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $65.95 | $91.34 | 770 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $65.05 | $77.49 | 810 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $64.50 | $72.99 | 1,010 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $62.71 | $81.51 | 2,140 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $61.90 | $78.49 | 1,580 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $61.14 | $78.13 | 650 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $59.34 | $63.35 | 1,830 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $58.89 | $71.51 | 3,850 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $58.11 | $76.38 | 740 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $57.44 | $60.59 | 1,420 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $53.60 | $61.81 | 1,550 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $52.40 | $58.24 | 530 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $51.52 | $61.22 | 930 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $51.37 | $58.81 | 1,130 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $50.76 | $57.29 | 1,030 |
Union scale and prevailing wage for linemans
Federal construction projects must pay the Davis-Bacon rate for each county. Where the rate comes from a union contract it is the local journeyman scale: base wage plus fringe (health, pension, training). Where it comes from a survey, it is often older and lower. This table summarises the Building-construction determination for linemans in every state.
| State | Counties with a union rate | Typical union package (base + fringe, $/hr) | Typical survey rate | Counties with a rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 100% | $108.24 | — | 30/30 |
| Illinois | 100% | $99.39 | — | 8/102 |
| New York | 100% | $97.77 | — | 36/62 |
| Pennsylvania | 100% | $95.46 | — | 5/67 |
| California | 93% | $94.87 | $24.88 | 56/58 |
| Nevada | 20% | $93.51 | $84.32 | 5/17 |
| Hawaii | 100% | $89.71 | — | 5/5 |
| Massachusetts | 100% | $88.60 | — | 12/14 |
| Indiana | 100% | $28.60 | — | 21/92 |
Source: SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions, Building construction type. Not the official determination; see each state page for county detail and links to the official text.
Job outlook
The BLS Employment Projections program expects electrical power-line installers and repairers employment to change by +10.3% over 2025-35, with about 10,900 openings a year from growth and people leaving the occupation. Typical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Compare lineman pay with other trades
Questions this page answers
How much do linemans make?
The median lineman earned $45.83 an hour, or $95,320 a year, in May 2025 according to the BLS employer survey of 131,070 jobs. Half earn more and half earn less; the middle 50% earn between $32.34 and $52.76 an hour.
How much do linemans make an hour?
Hourly pay runs from about $24.74 at the 10th percentile to $61.87 at the 90th, with a median of $45.83. Overtime, per-diem and union fringe benefits are not included in these figures.
What does a starting or apprentice lineman make?
Entry-level pay sits near the bottom of the distribution: roughly $24.74 to $32.34 an hour ($51,470 to $67,270 a year). Registered apprentices usually start at a fixed percentage of the local journeyman rate and step up every six to twelve months.
Which state pays linemans the most?
Hawaii had the highest median at $64.59 an hour in May 2025, followed by Washington ($63.97) and Oregon ($63.02). Adjusted for cost of living the order changes; see the state table.
Are lineman wages going up?
In today's dollars the median lineman wage changed by +5.6% over the last ten years of data (CPI-adjusted). The nominal median rose from $31.95 to $45.83.
Is lineman a good career?
By the numbers: median pay of $95,320 a year, a 90th percentile of $128,690, projected growth of +10.3% and about 10,900 openings a year. Whether it fits you depends on the work itself; this site only reports the pay and demand data.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 49-9051 (Electrical power-line installers and repairers). Wages exclude overtime and benefits.
- Inflation adjustment: BLS CPI-U annual averages, 2025 base.
- Cost-of-living adjustment: BEA Regional Price Parities, all items, latest year.
- Prevailing wage: SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions. Not the official determination.
- BLS Employment Projections, national. Public-domain data; Skilled Wages is not affiliated with BLS.