BLS OEWS May 2025 · SOC 47-2111
Electrician Salary in Pennsylvania 2026
Snapshot 6 September 2026
$67,600/yr median · $32.50/hr
State Median
$68k
vs. National
+$4k
Top 10%
$123k
COL-Adjusted
$69k
Electrician Salary Range in Pennsylvania
The full wage spread for electricians (occupation 47-2111) in Pennsylvania, 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
$46k
$45,600/yr
Lowest-paid 10%
Median (50th)
$68k
$67,600/yr
Typical electrician
90th percentile
$123k
$122,620/yr
Highest-paid 10%
An electrician in the bottom 10% of Pennsylvania earners makes about $45,600/yr, while the top 10% earn $122,620/yr or more, a range of $77,020. 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 Pennsylvania Ranks
Pennsylvania ranks #21 of 50 states for electrician median wages. The national median is $63,190 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 47-2111). Pennsylvania pays $4,410 above the national average.
Pennsylvania's cost-of-living index is 98 (MERIC 2026, where 100 = US average). After adjustment, the purchasing power of an electrician's salary here is equivalent to $68,980/yr in national-average dollar terms. This is a MERIC 2026 figure, not a BLS one. Cost of living is near the national average.
Pay by Metro Area
Median annual wage for the major metropolitan areas in Pennsylvania. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan wage estimates, occupation 47-2111. Metros are ordered highest to lowest.
| Metro Area | Median Annual | vs. State Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Metro | $74,590 | +7.0k |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $71,820 | +4.2k |
| Scranton-Wilkes-Barre | $69,540 | +1.9k |
| Pittsburgh Metro | $69,340 | +1.7k |
| Allentown-Bethlehem | $66,500 | -1.1k |
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) | $16 - $20/hr | $33,000 - $42,000 |
| Apprentice (Year 4) | $22 - $28/hr | $46,000 - $58,000 |
| Journeyman (Employee) | $28 - $40/hr | $58,000 - $83,000 |
| Master Electrician (Employee) | $35 - $50/hr | $73,000 - $104,000 |
| Self-Employed Contractor | $80 - $150/hr billed | $75,000 - $200,000 net |
Pennsylvania Licensing Requirements
See full 50-state licensing matrix at electriciansalary.com/licensing
Union Presence in Pennsylvania
IBEW Locals: IBEW Local 98 (Philadelphia - one of the most active IBEW locals), Local 5 (Pittsburgh), Local 375 (Allentown), Local 56 (Erie)
Union membership (all workers): In 2025, 10.9% of all wage and salary workers in Pennsylvania were union members and 11.7% 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 Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania electricians have strong near-term prospects from Amazon and Google data center construction in the Lehigh Valley (one of the fastest-growing data center corridors in the US), Amtrak electrification work on the Northeast Corridor, and ongoing industrial modernisation in the Pittsburgh metro. Philadelphia's medical district remains a steady employer.
Major Employers in Pennsylvania
Frequently Asked Questions
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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.