Lineman salary in Maine
Median $39.95 an hour for 1,160 linemen, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.
Lineman pay in Maine: the full range
Maine ranks 39th of 51 states for median lineman pay, and 42nd once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $41.19). 1,160 linemen work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.3× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $25.09 – $30.50 | $52,190 – $63,440 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $30.50 – $49.83 | $63,440 – $103,640 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $49.83 – $58.63 | $103,640 – $121,950 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Lineman pay by metro in Maine
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangor | $28.41 | $47.23 | $48.94 | $56.68 | 120 | 18% above |
| Portland | $29.27 | $37.55 | $36.85 | $53.34 | 280 | 6% below |
| Lewiston | $27.98 | $37.08 | $39.16 | $50.76 | 50 | 7% below |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Lineman wages in Maine over time
Table
| Year | Maine $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $18.31 | $35.38 | $20.97 | 550 |
| 2000 | $19.28 | $36.05 | $22.01 | 440 |
| 2001 | $20.01 | $36.38 | $22.70 | 710 |
| 2002 | $20.47 | $36.63 | $23.33 | 650 |
| 2003 | $20.97 | $36.69 | $23.54 | 660 |
| 2004 | $22.21 | $37.85 | $23.61 | 650 |
| 2005 | $22.27 | $36.71 | $24.11 | 460 |
| 2006 | $22.48 | $35.90 | $24.41 | 340 |
| 2007 | $22.96 | $35.65 | $25.27 | 280 |
| 2008 | $24.09 | $36.02 | $26.49 | — |
| 2009 | $24.65 | $36.99 | $27.24 | 330 |
| 2010 | $25.06 | $37.00 | $27.90 | 480 |
| 2011 | $25.42 | $36.38 | $28.94 | 470 |
| 2012 | $25.62 | $35.93 | $30.41 | 450 |
| 2013 | $27.32 | $37.76 | $30.85 | 550 |
| 2014 | $27.62 | $37.56 | $31.70 | 460 |
| 2015 | $28.42 | $38.60 | $31.95 | 550 |
| 2016 | $27.77 | $37.25 | $32.70 | 380 |
| 2017 | $28.11 | $36.92 | $33.36 | 460 |
| 2018 | $25.03 | $32.09 | $34.09 | 520 |
| 2019 | $27.07 | $34.09 | $34.86 | 410 |
| 2020 | $30.28 | $37.67 | $36.07 | 450 |
| 2021 | $35.85 | $42.59 | $37.65 | 690 |
| 2022 | $40.36 | $44.40 | $39.59 | 810 |
| 2023 | $46.86 | $49.51 | $41.07 | 890 |
| 2024 | $39.92 | $40.97 | $44.50 | 860 |
| 2025 | $39.95 | $39.95 | $45.83 | 1,160 |
In today's dollars, the median lineman wage in Maine changed by +3.5% over the last ten years of data and by +17.2% since 2019.
Are there more lineman jobs in Maine?
BLS counted 1,160 linemen in Maine in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 13%. 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 Maine
Maine's labor market agency projects the number of linemen in the state to change by -1.8% between 2024 and 2034, from 910 to 890, with about 60 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 1,160 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Maine labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Is construction work growing in Maine?
Keep comparing
Lineman pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Maine
More on Maine
Questions this page answers
How much do linemen make in Maine?
The median lineman in Maine earned $39.95 an hour ($83,090 a year) in May 2025, 13% below the national median of $45.83. The middle half earn $30.50–$49.83; the top 10% earn more than $58.63.
Where does Maine rank for lineman pay?
Maine ranks 39th of 51 states for lineman pay, with a median of $39.95 an hour, and 42nd after adjusting for Maine's cost of living (BEA price parity 97.0, US = 100).
What is the union lineman rate in Maine?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a lineman classification for most Maine counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many linemen work in Maine?
BLS counted 1,160 linemen in Maine in May 2025, 1.8 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 2.15; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is lineman work growing in Maine?
Maine's labor market agency projects -1.8% growth for linemen between 2024 and 2034, from 910 to 890 jobs.
How many lineman openings a year are there in Maine?
Maine projects about 60 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, Maine 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 2026-11-06. Not the official determination.
- BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
- State projection: Maine labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.