The Washington metropolitan area had the 7th highest number of jobs for electricians of any city in the country as of 2015 according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nearly 10,000 electricians were employed in DC at that time.
The number of jobs for electricians in the District will increase further according to the DC.gov Department of Employment Services which predicts more than 11% job growth for electricians in the ten-year period ending in 2024.
Construction continues unabated in the District. Utility system construction ranked 6th on the DC.gov’s list of the fastest growing industries through 2024. As of 2014, 1.8 million square-feet of retail space was under construction according to the Washington, DC Economic Partnership. This organization reported the development of 15 new hotel projects in the District as of June 2016.
Urban Turf reported a large number of new condos and apartments that will be coming to the DC metropolitan area as of July 15, 2016. Some of the many developments being planned that will provide opportunities for electricians include:
- McMillan Redevelopment—677 units planned for Pleasant Plains/Bloomingdale
- Bowie Redevelopment—153 units planned for Hill East
- Stone Hill—36 units planned for Capitol Hill
- Buchanan Park—82 condos planned for Hill East
- 1401-1433 Pennsylvania Ave SE—170 units planned for Hill East
- Congress Heights Metro Development—200 rentals planned for Congress Heights
Salaries for Residential Electricians in the District of Columbia
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides the range of salaries earned by electricians in Washington, DC. Highly skilled master electricians can expect to earn salaries at the highest end of these ranges (2015):
Salaries for Specialty Electricians in DC
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides salaries for a number of different types of specialized electricians that work in the metropolitan area of Washington, DC that extends into Maryland and West Virginia (2015). Those with the most education and experience tend to earn salaries at the upper end of the ranges shown here:
- Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers: $66,550 – $84,890
- Electrical and Electronic Installers and Repairers Specializing in Transportation Equipment: $64,840 – $100,200
- Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers: $44,310 – $64,820
- Electrical and Electronic Repairers Specializing in:
- Commercial and Industrial Equipment: $69,260 – $94,260
- Motor Vehicles: $37,740 – $48,220
- Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay: $75,990 – $94,870
The average salary for electricians in these specialized roles who work within the boundaries of Washington, DC is shown in the table below:
Salaries for Electrician Apprentices in Washington, DC
The DC.gov Department of Employment Services predicts that the number of electrician apprentices in the District will increase by 25% in the ten-year period ending in 2024. In fact, DC had the 5th highest number of electrician apprentices of any city in the country as of 2015 according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
This agency provides salary data for the occupational classification for “Electrician’s Helpers” in Washington, DC. This information is shown here to represent the wages earned during an electrical apprenticeship; 2015: