The median annual wage of electricians was $48,250 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $29,400, and the top 10 percent earned more than $80,890.
The starting pay for apprentices usually is between 30 percent and 50 percent of what fully trained electricians make, receiving pay increases as they gain more skill.
About one-third of electricians are union members. Although there is no single union, the largest organizer for electricians is the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
Almost all electricians work full time, which may include evenings and weekends. During scheduled maintenance, inside electricians can expect to work overtime. Overtime is also common on construction worksites, where meeting deadlines is critical.
About 10 percent of electricians were self-employed in 2010. Self-employed workers may have the ability to set their own schedule.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition