US Demand for Skilled Electricians Enters Boom

Demand for electricity to power homes, factories, office buildings, data centers, electric vehicles, utilities and other parts of daily life continues to grow, while the supply of electricians needed to deliver and control electricity continues to fall.

This labor market dilemma threatens to derail the transition to renewable energy, which is crucial to meeting climate goals and reducing carbon emissions, as well as other energy-intensive revolutions, including cryptocurrencies and artificial intelligence. It’s a golden opportunity for tens of thousands of workers to enter a stable career, with many openings in the coming years, and offering good wages.

“The electrical industry is alive and well, and it will be in high demand for more than a decade,” said David Long, CEO of the National Electrical Contractors Association, which represents nearly 4,000 companies that employ members of the International Electrical Workers Union. “There is no aspect of American life that will not be affected by the work of electricians.”

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of electricians is projected to grow 6% annually through 2032—twice the rate of all other occupations—with about 73,500 job openings each year. The BLS reports that there are approximately 762,600 licensed electricians in the United States as of 2022, earning a median salary of $61,590 per year, though the top 10% earn more than $104,000.

Each year, about 10,000 electricians retire or change jobs, but only about 7,000 new workers enter the field. While the shortage has homeowners complaining about how long it takes to find an electrician for wiring projects, entire industries—including construction, manufacturing, renewable energy, technology and utilities—face project delays and rising labor costs.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics doesn’t differentiate between unionized and independent electricians, but experts say the split is roughly even. However, the split can be skewed, depending on geography and job description. Some states have a higher prevalence of unionized workers, especially in larger cities and on public works projects, while other states may see more nonunion electricians, especially in right-to-work states.

The average salary for IBEW electricians is $82,664 per year; their non-union counterparts earn an average of $56,180. The job platform Indeed lists nine different job categories for electricians, with varying annual salaries: $54,000 for a residential electrician, $67,460 for an industrial electrician, $71,800 for a commercial interior electrician and $82,500 for a master electrician. That doesn’t include benefits, such as health insurance and paid vacation.

Because electricians are so critical to so many industries, solving the shortage is happening on multiple fronts. The two main organizations representing unionized and nonunion electricians—the Independent Electrical Workers Union and the Independent Electrical Contractors Union—are expanding their recruiting networks to attract a more diverse workforce, especially women and minorities, to their apprenticeship programs. They are also working to reskill more current electricians who want to work in emerging sectors, such as wind and solar energy, artificial intelligence, and cryptocurrency data centers.

“This is a great opportunity to get the word out about the union,” said Adrian Sauceda, IBEW’s director of internal construction organizing. “We’ve always been active in recruiting in high schools, and now we’re even in middle schools. Whenever we get a chance, we drop off flyers in neighborhoods and at job sites.” Sauceda said IBEW has expanded its marketing by advertising on social media, “especially in areas where we have a shortage of electricians,” adding that the union is also targeting military veterans transitioning to civilian life.

“We’ve seen a huge influx of people entering our industry,” said Thayer Long, IEC’s executive director. “Our training program is expected to jump 15 percent over last year.”

Shift in letters and degrees

High school students have long been prime candidates for apprenticeships, a prerequisite to becoming a professional electrician. Historically, students, parents and teachers viewed skilled trades—electricians, plumbers, welders, HVAC installers and construction workers—as a less desirable alternative to college, but that attitude is changing, says IEC’s Thayer Long.

“We’re tapping into a generation that looks beyond high school and doesn’t see a career going through the traditional four-year college path. There’s been a shift in the mindset in the country about crafts,” he said. “It’s not a last resort.”

High school guidance counselors like Steve Schneider, who has been a student counselor for 28 years and now works at Sheboygan South High School in Wisconsin, are contributing to this shift. “When I started in 1996, college was an easy path for everyone,” he says. “Skilled trades were there, but they weren’t promoted.”

About 12 years ago, Schneider said, Sheboygan South began changing its mentoring program to highlight crafts. He and his colleagues reached out to local manufacturers, including Kohler, American Orthodontics and Rockline Industries, that employ skilled tradespeople. Working with Inspire Wisconsin, a statewide career development group, they created a nine-week paid co-op program. The program gives high school students hands-on training alongside workers from local businesses, exposing them to skilled trades and other trades that can lead to apprenticeships after graduation. “It’s like stealth on steroids,” Schneider said.

What it takes to become an electrician

Becoming a union or non-union master electrician typically requires a high school diploma or GED and four years of apprenticeship, which consists of 8,000 hours of paid on-the-job training under the supervision of a licensed electrician, plus some classroom instruction. With the exception of books and supplies, both the IBEW and the IEC fund the training, leaving apprentices virtually debt-free upon completion.

IBEW, in coordination with NECA, runs the Electrical Training Alliance, a nationwide training and certification program. “We have nearly 300 training centers across America, and we currently have about 55,000 apprentices enrolled,” says David Long of NECA. “Our national curriculum is approved by the Department of Labor, so anyone who graduates can work in any of the 50 states.”

The 70 EPA training centers across the country also offer free training and a similar curriculum. “Our training is very technical and hands-on, but we offer more hybrid learning environments,” including online classes and the use of augmented and virtual reality tools, Thayer Long said. “This is what a new generation of electricians expect. They are digital natives, so we want to respond on their terms.”

Universities, community colleges, and technical schools also participate in filling the electricity pipeline. Some offer pre-training programs, which are short-term training that leads to full-time training. Others combine associate and bachelor’s degrees, which may be required for advanced technical and managerial positions.

The Los Angeles Trades and Technical College offers several classroom training programs for electricians. “We do all the training, but not the hands-on experience,” said Bill Elarton Selig, head of the school’s construction, maintenance and facilities track. “We connect our students and graduates with apprenticeships or with employers who hire them.” Of LATTC’s 12,000 students, 4,600 are currently enrolled in electrical apprenticeships, he said, adding that tuition is about $1,000 a year.

Syracuse University’s College of Professional Studies has developed the Future Ready Workforce Innovation Consortium, which brings together academic programs, skills training and partnership programs in collaboration with the region’s business community, labor unions, high schools, community colleges and other four-year institutions.

The Electricians Track, designed for apprentices seeking academic degrees and existing workers looking to upskill or reskill for new jobs, includes the 43rd branch of the Electrical Workers Union of India. The union expects a hiring boom linked to Micron TechnologyIn 2022, Amazon announced its $100 billion, 20-year project to build four semiconductor factories in nearby Clay, New York. That has spurred interest in the profession, said Alan Marzullo, business manager and financial secretary for Local 43, “and we’re going to expand the project to meet that demand.”

Micron said construction will begin sometime next year, with the first two manufacturing plants expected to be up and running by 2029. “This job alone will require 2,500 electricians,” Marzullo said.

“Electrifying America presents a career opportunity for generations to come,” said NECA’s Long. To modernize the nation’s power grid, power data centers, build electric vehicle chargers, tighten cybersecurity and expand broadband internet, “we know we have to increase power generation capacity,” he said. “And the electric industry has to provide all of those things.”