Electricians topped the list of professions in Georgia’s “Hot Careers for 2022” that require at least a high school diploma or equivalent. The Georgia Department of Labor prepared this analysis and indicated that an average of 710 jobs for electricians a year will become available in the ten-year period leading up to 2022.
The Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell area employs an unusually large number of electricians according the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This agency ranked the city as 6th in the country for the total number of electricians employed there.
The Associated General Contractors of America conducted a survey of construction firms in 2015 and provided a detailed analysis. More than three quarters of the firms from Georgia expect the construction market to grow again in 2015.
However, this survey indicated a critical shortage of skilled craft workers such as electricians for the state’s construction industry. More than three quarters of the firms in Georgia that were surveyed indicated that “preparing the next generation of skilled construction workers” was the legislative issue most important to them.
This shortage of skilled craft workers is so severe that Georgia’s construction companies find they have to increase pay and or benefits to retain or recruit workers:
- Higher base pay: 61% of firms
- Improved benefits: 18% of firms
- More overtime: 9% of firms
Nearly all of the firms reported that it would either continue or become hard to find and hire skilled workers, and 81% expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of the local pipeline for preparing new craft workers.
Salaries for Residential Electricians in Georgia’s Major Cities and Rural Areas
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides the range of salaries earned by electricians throughout Georgia. Highly skilled master electricians can expect to earn salaries at the highest end of these ranges (2015):
Salaries for Specialty Electricians in Georgia’s Largest Cities
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides salaries for a number of different types of specialized electricians that work throughout Georgia (2015). Those with the most education and experience tend to earn salaries at the upper end of the ranges shown here:
Electrical and Electronics Repairers Specializing in Commercial and Industrial Equipment:
- Albany: $55,470 – $67,160
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell: $51,680 – $78,350
- Augusta-Richmond County: $53,700 – $77,980
- Gainesville: $49,280 – $62,900
- Savannah: $59,980 – $73,070
- Warner Robins: $56,350 – $59,150
Electrical and Electronics Repairers Specializing in Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay:
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell: $71,330 – $98,910
- Macon: $81,200 – $101,640
Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers:
- Albany: $45,560 – $67,650
- Athens-Clarke County: $61,710 – $77,080
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell: $45,230 – $72,090
- Augusta-Richmond County: $63,840 – $77,280
- Columbus: $65,860 – $80,470
- Valdosta: $40,830 – $69,220
Electronic Home Entertainment Equipment Installers and Repairers:
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell: $40,660 – $57,180
- Middle Georgia rural area: $26,400 – $55,910
Electronic Equipment Installers and Repairers Specializing in Motor Vehicles:
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell: $29,000 – $42,430
Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers and Repairers:
- Albany: $31,050 – $41,010
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell: $38,280 – $54,790
- Augusta-Richmond County: $28,670 – $45,540
- Columbus: $36,630 – $55,490
The statewide average for electricians in these specialized roles is shown in the table below:
Salaries for Electrician Apprentices in Georgia’s Major Cities and Rural Areas
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that two areas of Georgia had unusually large numbers of electrician apprentices as of 2015:
- Valdosta had the 5th highest concentration of jobs for electrician apprentices on a population basis of any city in the country
- Rural South Georgia had the 5th highest number of jobs for electrician apprentices of any rural area in the US
Salary data for the BLS’ occupational classification for “Electrician’s Helpers” throughout Georgia is shown here to represent the wages earned during an electrical apprenticeship; 2015: