by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Electrician covers Electrician. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Apply Technical Knowledge And Skills To Install, Operate, Maintain, And Repair Electric Apparatus And Systems Such As Residential, Commercial, And Industrial Electric-Power Wiring; And Dc And Ac Motors, Controls, And Electrical Distribution Panels. Includes Instruction In The Principles Of Electronics And Electrical Systems, Wiring, Power Transmission, Safety, Industrial And Household Appliances, Job Estimation, Electrical Testing And Inspection, And Applicable Codes And Standards. Examples: [Construction Electrician], [Industrial Electrician]. Continue reading for the key facts every electrician student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering electrician programs.
Nationwide, electrician is a popular field of study, with 30,349 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Electrician Schools ranking analyzes these 494 schools to determine the best overall colleges for electrician students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of electrician programs later in this article.
Studies in Electrician build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations electrician graduates commonly enter.
The skill set emphasized by a electrician program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a electrician major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several electrician degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 15,907 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 3,003 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 10,118 |
People currently working in careers related to electrician tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or equivalent | 33.6% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 27.5% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 17.4% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 7.9% |
| Some college courses | 7.8% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 5.7% |
| First professional degree | 0.2% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in electrician careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in electrician can lead to a variety of career paths. Below are some of the most common occupations related to electrician.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to electrician.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | 646,091 | 3.6% |
| Solar Energy Installation Managers | 484,877 | 9.2% |
| Electricians | 259,862 | -2.9% |
| Signal and Track Switch Repairers | 182,380 | 10.2% |
| Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers | 132,549 | 5.2% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of electrician graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $39,714 |
| 4 years | $47,108 |
| 5 years | $52,808 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for electrician graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers electrician grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers | $88,342 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $83,555 |
| Solar Energy Installation Managers | $57,985 |
| Electricians | $57,376 |
| Signal and Track Switch Repairers | $53,048 |
With 494 different electrician programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased electrician school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in electrician, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Lineworker | 2,731 |
| Electrical and Power Transmission Installation/Installer, General | 2,334 |
| Electrical and Power Transmission Installers, Other | 163 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
