Lineman salary in Indiana
Median $49.06 an hour for 2,540 linemen, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.
Lineman pay in Indiana: the full range
Indiana ranks 22nd of 51 states for median lineman pay, and 17th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $52.58). 2,540 linemen work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.2× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $25.62 – $35.12 | $53,290 – $73,060 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $35.12 – $52.68 | $73,060 – $109,570 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $52.68 – $56.12 | $109,570 – $116,720 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Lineman pay by metro in Indiana
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $35.01 | $59.34 | $57.28 | $63.35 | 1,830 | 21% above |
| Indianapolis | $25.05 | $50.63 | $52.90 | $55.43 | 650 | 3% above |
| South Bend | $36.73 | $49.90 | $53.71 | $60.21 | 130 | 2% above |
| Fort Wayne | $29.97 | $48.95 | $52.86 | $56.26 | 100 | about the same as |
| Cincinnati | $29.26 | $44.79 | $46.95 | $57.24 | 730 | 9% below |
| Louisville | $22.84 | $37.03 | $39.77 | $51.02 | 650 | 25% below |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Lineman wages in Indiana over time
Table
| Year | Indiana $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $19.74 | $38.15 | $20.97 | 3,760 |
| 2000 | $20.65 | $38.61 | $22.01 | 2,530 |
| 2001 | $22.63 | $41.14 | $22.70 | 2,250 |
| 2002 | $23.59 | $42.22 | $23.33 | 1,850 |
| 2003 | $25.06 | $43.85 | $23.54 | 1,380 |
| 2004 | $24.79 | $42.25 | $23.61 | 1,540 |
| 2005 | $23.98 | $39.53 | $24.11 | 1,960 |
| 2006 | $25.19 | $40.23 | $24.41 | 2,380 |
| 2007 | $25.68 | $39.87 | $25.27 | 2,150 |
| 2008 | $27.68 | $41.39 | $26.49 | 1,940 |
| 2009 | $28.55 | $42.84 | $27.24 | 1,840 |
| 2010 | $30.38 | $44.85 | $27.90 | 1,680 |
| 2011 | $30.85 | $44.15 | $28.94 | 1,890 |
| 2012 | $31.54 | $44.23 | $30.41 | 2,590 |
| 2013 | $31.22 | $43.15 | $30.85 | 2,390 |
| 2014 | $31.85 | $43.31 | $31.70 | 2,360 |
| 2015 | $32.58 | $44.25 | $31.95 | 2,090 |
| 2016 | $31.46 | $42.20 | $32.70 | 2,310 |
| 2017 | $31.10 | $40.85 | $33.36 | 2,390 |
| 2018 | $31.76 | $40.72 | $34.09 | 2,790 |
| 2019 | $35.08 | $44.18 | $34.86 | 3,100 |
| 2020 | $35.63 | $44.32 | $36.07 | 3,520 |
| 2021 | $38.02 | $45.17 | $37.65 | 3,820 |
| 2022 | $37.76 | $41.54 | $39.59 | 3,750 |
| 2023 | $46.18 | $48.79 | $41.07 | 3,440 |
| 2024 | $48.20 | $49.47 | $44.50 | 2,440 |
| 2025 | $49.06 | $49.06 | $45.83 | 2,540 |
In today's dollars, the median lineman wage in Indiana changed by +10.9% over the last ten years of data and by +11.1% since 2019.
Are there more lineman jobs in Indiana?
BLS counted 2,540 linemen in Indiana in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 10%. With fewer than 3,000 jobs or a wide margin of error, year-to-year changes are within the survey's noise and are not shown as a trend.
Outlook for linemen in Indiana
Indiana's labor market agency projects the number of linemen in the state to change by +8.1% between 2024 and 2034, from 2,440 to 2,640, with about 210 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +10.3% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed and use a different base year, so they do not match the 2,540 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Indiana labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Union scale and prevailing wage for linemen in Indiana
On federally funded construction in Indiana, contractors must pay linemen at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 21 of the 21 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $28.60 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $49.06.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake | Union ELEC1393-003 2025-01-02 | $50.28 | $22.16 | $72.44 | IN20260001 |
| LaPorte | Union ELEC1393-003 2025-01-02 | $50.28 | $22.16 | $72.44 | IN20260001 |
| Porter | Union ELEC1393-003 2025-01-02 | $50.28 | $22.16 | $72.44 | IN20260001 |
| St. Joseph | Union ELEC1393-003 2025-01-02 | $50.28 | $22.16 | $72.44 | IN20260001 |
| Brown | Union ELEC0369-009 2025-05-31 | $22.25 | $6.35 | $28.60 | IN20260004 |
| Clark | Union ELEC0369-009 2025-05-31 | $22.25 | $6.35 | $28.60 | IN20260004 |
| Dearborn | Union ELEC0369-009 2025-05-31 | $22.25 | $6.35 | $28.60 | IN20260004 |
| Decatur | Union ELEC0369-009 2025-05-31 | $22.25 | $6.35 | $28.60 | IN20260004 |
| Fayette | Union ELEC0369-009 2025-05-31 | $22.25 | $6.35 | $28.60 | IN20260004 |
| Floyd | Union ELEC0369-009 2025-05-31 | $22.25 | $6.35 | $28.60 | IN20260004 |
| Franklin | Union ELEC0369-009 2025-05-31 | $22.25 | $6.35 | $28.60 | IN20260004 |
| Harrison | Union ELEC0369-009 2025-05-31 | $22.25 | $6.35 | $28.60 | IN20260004 |
| Henry | Union ELEC0369-009 2025-05-31 | $22.25 | $6.35 | $28.60 | IN20260004 |
| Jennings | Union ELEC0369-009 2025-05-31 | $22.25 | $6.35 | $28.60 | IN20260004 |
| Ohio | Union ELEC0369-009 2025-05-31 | $22.25 | $6.35 | $28.60 | IN20260004 |
| Randolph | Union ELEC0369-009 2025-05-31 | $22.25 | $6.35 | $28.60 | IN20260004 |
| Ripley | Union ELEC0369-009 2025-05-31 | $22.25 | $6.35 | $28.60 | IN20260004 |
| Rush | Union ELEC0369-009 2025-05-31 | $22.25 | $6.35 | $28.60 | IN20260004 |
| Switzerland | Union ELEC0369-009 2025-05-31 | $22.25 | $6.35 | $28.60 | IN20260004 |
| Union | Union ELEC0369-009 2025-05-31 | $22.25 | $6.35 | $28.60 | IN20260004 |
| Wayne | Union ELEC0369-009 2025-05-31 | $22.25 | $6.35 | $28.60 | IN20260004 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Indiana prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.
Is construction work growing in Indiana?
Keep comparing
Lineman pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Indiana
More on Indiana
Questions this page answers
How much do linemen make in Indiana?
The median lineman in Indiana earned $49.06 an hour ($102,040 a year) in May 2025, 7% above the national median of $45.83. The middle half earn $35.12–$52.68; the top 10% earn more than $56.12.
Where does Indiana rank for lineman pay?
Indiana ranks 22nd of 51 states for lineman pay, with a median of $49.06 an hour, and 17th after adjusting for Indiana's cost of living (BEA price parity 93.3, US = 100).
What is the union lineman rate in Indiana?
Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for linemen in 21 counties, with a typical package of $28.60 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.
How many linemen work in Indiana?
BLS counted 2,540 linemen in Indiana in May 2025, 0.8 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.94; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is lineman work growing in Indiana?
Indiana's labor market agency projects +8.1% growth for linemen between 2024 and 2034, from 2,440 to 2,640 jobs.
How many lineman openings a year are there in Indiana?
Indiana projects about 210 openings a year for linemen over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 10,900 a year.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Indiana and metro areas, SOC 49-9051. 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 2026-11-13. Not the official determination.
- BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
- State projection: Indiana labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.