Independent salary reference. Not affiliated with BLS, IBEW, NECA, or any electrical contractor. All wage figures cite the source; individual earnings vary by employer, certifications, and market.
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BLS OEWS May 2025 · SOC 47-2111

Electrician Salary in Oregon 2026

Snapshot 6 September 2026

$101,310/yr median · $48.71/hr

State Median

$101k

vs. National

+$38k

Top 10%

$132k

COL-Adjusted

$90k

Electrician Salary Range in Oregon

The full wage spread for electricians (occupation 47-2111) in Oregon, 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

$60k

$59,550/yr

Lowest-paid 10%

Median (50th)

$101k

$101,310/yr

Typical electrician

90th percentile

$132k

$131,530/yr

Highest-paid 10%

$59,550$101,310 median$131,530

An electrician in the bottom 10% of Oregon earners makes about $59,550/yr, while the top 10% earn $131,530/yr or more, a range of $71,980. 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 Oregon Ranks

Oregon ranks #1 of 50 states for electrician median wages. The national median is $63,190 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 47-2111). Oregon pays $38,120 above the national average.

Oregon's cost-of-living index is 112 (MERIC 2026, where 100 = US average). After adjustment, the purchasing power of an electrician's salary here is equivalent to $90,455/yr in national-average dollar terms. This is a MERIC 2026 figure, not a BLS one. The high cost of living significantly reduces the real value of nominal wages.

Pay by Metro Area

Median annual wage for the major metropolitan areas in Oregon. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan wage estimates, occupation 47-2111. Metros are ordered highest to lowest.

Metro AreaMedian Annualvs. State Avg
Portland-Vancouver Metro$105,090+3.8k
Bend$99,200-2.1k
Salem$98,850-2.5k
Eugene-Springfield$94,680-6.6k
Medford$92,410-8.9k

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.

LevelHourlyAnnual
Apprentice (Year 1)$19 - $24/hr$40,000 - $50,000
Apprentice (Year 4)$26 - $34/hr$54,000 - $71,000
Journeyman (Employee)$33 - $48/hr$69,000 - $100,000
Master Electrician (Employee)$40 - $58/hr$83,000 - $121,000
Self-Employed Contractor$95 - $170/hr billed$95,000 - $240,000 net

Oregon Licensing Requirements

Licensing AuthorityOregon Building Codes Division (BCD) - Electrical and Elevator Section
Journeyman RequirementOregon General Journeyman Electrician (J) license: 8,000 hours documented OJT + 576 hours classroom + pass NEC-based exam. Oregon also issues Limited Journeyman categories (LJM for manufacturing, LJR for residential)
Master RequirementOregon General Supervising Electrician (S) license: 4,000 hours (2 years) as licensed General Journeyman + pass Supervising exam
Fee$240 exam + $90 license issuance (Oregon BCD fee schedule 2026)
ReciprocityOregon has reciprocity for general journeyman with Washington, Idaho, Alaska, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Arizona, Colorado, and Maine (verify specifics with Oregon BCD)

See full 50-state licensing matrix at electriciansalary.com/licensing

Union Presence in Oregon

IBEW Locals: IBEW Local 48 (Portland), Local 280 (Salem-Eugene), Local 932 (Coos Bay / Oregon coast), Local 659 (Medford / Southern Oregon, inside and utility), Local 125 (outside line/utility)

Union membership (all workers): In 2025, 15.1% of all wage and salary workers in Oregon were union members and 16.9% 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 Oregon

Oregon electricians benefit from Portland's continued data center growth (Hillsboro is a major Pacific Northwest data center hub for Amazon, Meta, Apple, Google), semiconductor expansion in Washington County (Intel's D1X campus expansion), and Bonneville Power Administration grid modernisation. Bend's high-tech inflow continues to drive light commercial work. Oregon's strict apprenticeship rules and limited license categories produce a relatively tight licensed-electrician supply.

Major Employers in Oregon

Christenson ElectricCherry City ElectricOregon Electric GroupPortland General Electric (PGE)Bonneville Power Administration

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do electricians make in Oregon?
Electricians in Oregon earn a median of $101,310/yr ($48.71/hr) per BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 47-2111. The lowest published wage point is the 10th percentile at $59,550/yr; the highest is the 90th percentile at $131,530/yr. BLS publishes no separate apprentice, journeyman or master figure under 47-2111.
What is the salary range for electricians in Oregon?
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 47-2111 puts the wage range at $59,550/yr (10th percentile, lowest-paid 10%) to $131,530/yr (90th percentile, highest-paid 10%), with a median of $101,310/yr, a spread of $71,980.
How does Oregon rank for electrician pay?
Oregon ranks #1 of 50 states for electrician median wages. After cost-of-living adjustment (MERIC 2026 index 112), the real purchasing power is $90,455.
Do I need a license to work as an electrician in Oregon?
Oregon General Journeyman Electrician (J) license: 8,000 hours documented OJT + 576 hours classroom + pass NEC-based exam. Oregon also issues Limited Journeyman categories (LJM for manufacturing, LJR for residential). For master level: Oregon General Supervising Electrician (S) license: 4,000 hours (2 years) as licensed General Journeyman + pass Supervising exam.
Are union electricians better paid in Oregon?
On cash wages, the national BLS data points that way. 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. For local union scales, see the IBEW Local pages and the union vs non-union breakdown.
What is the job outlook for electricians in Oregon?
Oregon electricians benefit from Portland's continued data center growth (Hillsboro is a major Pacific Northwest data center hub for Amazon, Meta, Apple, Google), semiconductor expansion in Washington County (Intel's D1X campus expansion), and Bonneville Power Administration grid modernisation. Bend's high-tech inflow continues to drive light commercial work. Oregon's strict apprenticeship rules and limited license categories produce a relatively tight licensed-electrician supply.

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.

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Updated 2026-04-27