BLS OEWS May 2025 · SOC 47-2111
Electrician Salary in North Carolina 2026
Snapshot 6 September 2026
$56,800/yr median · $27.31/hr
State Median
$57k
vs. National
-$6k
Top 10%
$75k
COL-Adjusted
$60k
Electrician Salary Range in North Carolina
The full wage spread for electricians (occupation 47-2111) in North Carolina, from the lowest-paid 10% to the highest-paid 10%. All three figures are reported directly by BLS. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 47-2111. Snapshot taken 6 September 2026.
10th percentile
$40k
$40,130/yr
Lowest-paid 10%
Median (50th)
$57k
$56,800/yr
Typical electrician
90th percentile
$75k
$75,060/yr
Highest-paid 10%
An electrician in the bottom 10% of North Carolina earners makes about $40,130/yr, while the top 10% earn $75,060/yr or more, a range of $34,930. The 10th percentile is a published BLS wage observation (it typically reflects apprentices and newly-licensed journeymen). OEWS publishes no separate entry-level figure, so none is shown.
Where North Carolina Ranks
North Carolina ranks #48 of 50 states for electrician median wages. The national median is $63,190 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 47-2111). North Carolina pays $6,390 below the national average.
North Carolina's cost-of-living index is 94 (MERIC 2026, where 100 = US average). After adjustment, the purchasing power of an electrician's salary here is equivalent to $60,426/yr in national-average dollar terms. This is a MERIC 2026 figure, not a BLS one. The below-average cost of living means electricians here retain more purchasing power than the nominal wage suggests.
Pay by Metro Area
Median annual wage for the major metropolitan areas in North Carolina. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan wage estimates, occupation 47-2111. Metros are ordered highest to lowest.
| Metro Area | Median Annual | vs. State Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $59,220 | +2.4k |
| Charlotte Metro | $59,080 | +2.3k |
| Greensboro-High Point | $58,380 | +1.6k |
| Raleigh-Cary | $56,800 | +0.0k |
| Winston-Salem | $56,100 | -0.7k |
Pay by Experience Level
Editorial estimates built from state apprenticeship wage schedules and IBEW/IEC agreement rates. Not BLS: OEWS reports all electricians together under 47-2111 and publishes no apprentice, journeyman or master split.
| Level | Hourly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Apprentice (Year 1) | $14 - $18/hr | $29,000 - $37,000 |
| Apprentice (Year 4) | $20 - $26/hr | $42,000 - $54,000 |
| Journeyman (Employee) | $25 - $36/hr | $52,000 - $75,000 |
| Master Electrician (Employee) | $31 - $44/hr | $64,000 - $92,000 |
| Self-Employed Contractor | $70 - $135/hr billed | $65,000 - $175,000 net |
North Carolina Licensing Requirements
See full 50-state licensing matrix at electriciansalary.com/licensing
Union Presence in North Carolina
IBEW Locals: IBEW Local 379 (Charlotte), Local 553 (Raleigh-Durham), Local 342 (Greensboro), Local 238 (Asheville)
Union membership (all workers): In 2025, 2.5% of all wage and salary workers in North Carolina were union members and 3.1% were covered by a union contract (BLS, all occupations, not electricians alone).
Union pay gap: Nationally in 2025, full-time union members in construction and extraction occupations had median weekly earnings of $1,561, against $1,004 for non-union workers, about 55% higher before benefits (BLS). BLS does not publish this split for electricians alone or by state.
Source: BLS, Union Members 2025 (Current Population Survey annual averages), Tables 4 and 5. BLS publishes no electrician-only union rate by state.
Full IBEW wage scale breakdown and union vs non-union analysis
Job Outlook in North Carolina
North Carolina electricians benefit from the Research Triangle data center expansion (Wake County and Durham County), Apple's Research Triangle campus build, and a continued banking-sector commercial presence in Charlotte. Toyota's $13.9 billion battery plant in Liberty (Randolph County) and the Wolfspeed silicon-carbide chip campus in Chatham County are creating multi-year industrial electrical demand. Wilmington benefits from offshore wind staging and the Brunswick Nuclear Station.
Major Employers in North Carolina
Frequently Asked Questions
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How does North Carolina rank for electrician pay?
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Are union electricians better paid in North Carolina?
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Related Pages
State 10th-percentile, median and 90th-percentile wage figures: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 47-2111. Snapshot taken 6 September 2026. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Metro figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan wage estimates, occupation 47-2111. Cost-of-living index: MERIC cost of living index, 2026 (100 = US average), a separate non-BLS source. Pay-by-level ladder: Editorial estimates built from state apprenticeship wage schedules and IBEW/IEC agreement rates. Not BLS: OEWS reports all electricians together under 47-2111 and publishes no apprentice, journeyman or master split. IBEW local agreements 2025-2026.