Electrician Salary in California

$37/hr

Compare California electrician employee wages across experience bands, then weigh electrical duties, outage schedules and benefits in each offer.

Change trade or state

What Electricians Earn in California

California electricians earn $22.50–$67.47/hr across the reported wage range, or $46,800–$140,340 a year. Building wiring, lighting and motor-control assignments draw on different experience. Ask which systems you will handle and how much troubleshooting the job includes. Employee wages exclude premium pay and benefits, so compare overtime arrangements, health coverage and retirement contributions separately when assessing an offer.

Hourly rates by level in California

What each rung of the trade is paid, before overtime and per diem.

Apprentice · 0–2 yrs
$22.50–$28.50/hr
▼ 0.49% from last year
Journeyman · 4–8 yrs
$28.50–$49.52/hr
▼ 0.49% from last year
Master · 8+ yrs
$49.52–$67.47/hr
▼ 0.49% from last year

Find Electrician jobs in California.

Browse open jobs

Where do you stand?

Enter your hourly rate to see how it compares to other electricians in California.

What are you making?

Type your hourly rate. Nothing is saved or sent anywhere — it stays in your browser.

$/ hr

Use your base rate, not what you take home after overtime.

You're right around the middle

$28.00 is above roughly 46% of this market. The top quarter starts at $36.00, and the median sits at $29.00.

10th
$18
25th
$23
Median
$29
75th
$36
90th
$45
YOU · $28.00
Your percentile
46th
Among this market
Your annual · 40 hrs
$58,240
Before overtime and per diem
Gap to median
−$2,080
Below the median

Calculate pay with extra credentials

Pick your level, add certifications, select shift — the estimate updates live.

1Your level

2Certifications you hold

3Shift & work type

4Overtime & per diem

Weekly overtime hours8 hrs
Per diem (per day away)$0

An estimate, not an offer. Overtime is paid at time and a half past forty hours.

American RecruitsEstimate
Journeyman Electrician
California · Day Shift
Base rate$39.01
+ WECA Electrical Apprenticeship - Commercial Inside Wireman (journeyperson)$6.70
+ IBEW Local 11 / LA NECA Inside Wireman Apprenticeship (journeyperson)$9.75
+ California General Electrician Certification (DIR/DLSE)$1.44
Effective hourly$56.90
Straight · 40 hrs$2,276
Overtime · 8 hrs @ 1.5×$683
Weekly gross$2,959
Annualised · 50 weeks
$147,940
8 OT hrs/week · California

Who pays the most in California

These national sector figures help compare electrical work settings when reviewing California vacancies. Ask about the employer's systems, project locations and shutdown schedule.

01 / 03$35.24/hr

Utility System Construction

Pumping stations and utility infrastructure need electrical installations. For California project offers, discuss travel between sites and coordination with excavation crews. Ask whether assignments involve new installations or maintenance within existing utility facilities, since access and shutdown planning differ.

+ Infrastructure work
+ Equipment variety
– Outdoor exposure
– Travel demands
02 / 03$30.77/hr

Nonresidential Building Construction

Commercial building employers coordinate electrical installations with other trades. Ask how inspection deadlines and shutdowns affect your California project's working hours. Request a description of the installation stage you will join, from initial conduit layout through final testing and handover.

+ Larger installations
+ Team coordination
– Schedule pressure
– Trade congestion
03 / 03$29.64/hr

Building Equipment Contractors

Electrical contracting sits within this broader equipment group. Compare California C-10 employers' installation and service duties, including responsibility for diagnosing faults. Discuss the balance of planned construction and customer callouts, then ask who supplies test instruments and schedules emergency coverage.

+ Electrical specialization
+ Service variety
– Changing sites
– Callout demands

Which states pay electricians the most

Median hourly across every state with a published guide for this trade. Cost of living is not netted out — compare take-home, not just the rate.

  1. 01Californiathis page$36.62/hr
  2. 02Virginia$30.24/hr
  3. 03Texas$28.71/hr
  4. 04Ohio$28.71/hr

What each certification is worth

Sorted by payback speed.

CertificationRate bumpExtra / yearCostPayback
WECA Electrical Apprenticeship - Commercial Inside Wireman (journeyperson)+$6.70$13,936$00 weeks
IBEW Local 11 / LA NECA Inside Wireman Apprenticeship (journeyperson)+$9.75$20,280$00 weeks
OSHA 30-Hour Construction+$1.35$2,808$1593 weeks
California General Electrician Certification (DIR/DLSE)+$1.44$2,995$1754 weeks
OSHA 10-Hour Construction+$0.45$936$594 weeks
CSLB Contractor License (C-10) - Electrical+$1.44$2,995$72913 weeks

What overtime actually adds

Past forty hours the rate is time and a half. Built from the rate above. At $36.62/hr.

40 hr week
$1,465
No OT
50 hr week
$2,014
+$27,465/yr
60 hr week
$2,563
+$54,930/yr
70 hr week
$3,113
+$82,395/yr

Questions workers ask

Are electrician trainees owed the state minimum wage?▾
Yes. Trainees are employees, so the Labor Commissioner's statewide minimum of $16.90 an hour in 2026 applies, or a higher local minimum where one exists. Ask the employer for its trainee pay steps in writing.
When does electrical construction work earn overtime?▾
Under the Labor Commissioner's overtime rules, nonexempt work generally earns overtime after eight daily or 40 weekly hours. Alternative workweeks and qualifying collective agreements have specific provisions. Record required preparation and cleanup alongside installation time so payroll reflects the full assignment.
How should I compare public works offers?▾
Ask for the project's applicable DIR prevailing-wage determination, classification and benefit treatment. Statewide survey ranges do not establish the legal rate for a particular public project. Match the offer to the electrical duties and work location listed in the determination.

See Open Electrician Jobs in California

Verified positions matching this trade and location.

See Open JobsBuild My Profile — Free

Current BLS California employee wages for Electricians, SOC 47-2111; May 2025 estimates exclude premium pay, benefits and self-employed contractor revenue.

Last updated October 23, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.