Straight answers on electrician licensing, pay, and exams
We read the state licensing boards and the federal wage data so you don’t have to — and we link the source on every page, so you can check it yourself.
Independent resource — not a school, union, or licensing board.
What electricians earn
National figures, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Median annual wage
$63,190
Top 10% earn more than
$108,510
Lowest 10% earn less than
$42,640
Projected job growth, 2024–34
+9%
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, and Employment Projections. Pay varies by experience and by state — see the full salary breakdown or guide for your state.
Where are you starting from?
The path into the electrical trade looks different depending on where you already are. Pick the one that fits.
Considering the trade
What the work involves, how long training takes, and what it costs to get started.
Apprenticing now
Finding a program, the tools you actually need, and keeping your hours straight.
Testing for a license
What the exams cover, and code-navigation practice against the 2023 NEC.
Licensing rules, state by state
There is no national electrician’s license. Requirements are set by each state — and in some states, by individual cities. Every guide is built from the licensing board’s own rules, fee schedules, and forms, with links straight to them.
24 state guides published so far. More are in progress, and we revisit published guides when a board changes its rules.
Free to use
Practice finding it in the code book
Licensing exams are typically open-book, and they are won or lost on how fast you can navigate the National Electrical Code. Our timed practice test drills exactly that — every question points at a real section of the 2023 NEC.
Ten questions, scored at 70% to pass, with a full review of what you missed and where to look it up. No account needed.
An EV charger over 60 A or over 150 V to ground needs a disconnecting means. Which section requires it?
A real question from the free question pool. In the app the wrong answers are generated fresh each time, so no two runs look alike.
What to read, and what to skip
Code references, exam-prep guides, and theory books — there is a lot on the shelf and most apprentices buy the wrong things first. Our running guide covers what is worth the money at each stage of the trade, and what can wait.
How we research this site
Licensing and pay information is scattered across dozens of boards and databases, much of it out of date. Sorting that out is the whole job here.
Primary sources only. State and municipal licensing boards for requirements, fees, and forms. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for wages and job outlook. We link them directly so you can check our work.
Dated and revisited. Every guide shows when it was published, and we go back through them when a board changes its rules or the BLS publishes new wage data — the May 2025 federal wage figures were pushed through every page on this site that cites them.
Clear about what we are. Electrician Authority is an independent publisher — not a licensing authority, trade school, union, or employer, and not a licensed electrical contractor. Nothing here is electrical advice. Always confirm current requirements with your own state or local licensing authority before you act on them.
Recently published
New guides, and older ones brought back up to date.
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How to Become an Electrician in Pennsylvania (2026 Guide)
Pennsylvania has no statewide electrician license — here is how municipal licensing works, what Philadelphia and Pittsburgh each require, and the 2026 code change…
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How to Become an Electrician in Michigan (2026 Guide)
Michigan licenses electricians statewide through LARA — here is how to register as an apprentice, log 8,000 hours, pass the journeyman exam, and move…
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How to Become an Electrician in Ohio (2026 Guide)
Last updated: July 2026 The short version Ohio has no statewide journeyman or master license. The state licenses only electrical contractors doing commercial work,…