The number of jobs for electricians in Washington should grow by nearly 22% during the ten-year period ending in 2024 according to the state’s Employment Security Department. In fact, Bremerton-Silverdale had the 8th highest of jobs for electricians of any city in the country as of 2015 according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
A Seattle Times article from mid 2015 was titled “Construction powers Washington state job growth.” The increase in jobs in Washington’s construction industry helped the state add the 2nd highest number of jobs in the country over the previous year according to figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The construction industry fares so well in Washington State that it faces a shortage of skilled workers. More than 70% of the state’s contractors reported that they expected to face difficulty in finding and hiring skilled craft workers such as electricians during the next year (Associated General Contractors of America 2015 survey).
The Seattle area’s construction boom shows no signs of slowing down, and the Seattle Times listed a number of construction “megaprojects” in Seattle alone:
- Washington State Convention Center major expansion
- Elliott Bay seawall project
- Highway 99 tunnel projects
- Light-rail lines for Sound Transit
- Port of Seattle construction
Other major projects outside of city limits are taking place at:
- Boeing’s new 777X facilities in Everett
- Naval Base Kitsap on Hood Canal
- Office space in Bellevue
- Puget Sound oil refineries
Salaries for Residential Electricians Throughout Washington
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides the range of salaries earned by electricians in Washington’s major cities and rural areas. Highly skilled master electricians can expect to earn salaries at the highest end of these ranges (2015):
Salaries for Specialty Electricians in Washington’s Major Cities
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides salaries for a number of different types of specialized electricians that work in the major cities in Washington (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:
- Kennewick-Richland: $88,660 – $104,160
- Seattle-Bellevue-Everett: $88,670 – $101,310
- Spokane-Spokane Valley: $89,130 – $109,040
- Tacoma-Lakewood: $65,900 – $95,300
- Walla Walla: $87,350 – $99,130
- Wenatchee: $86,670 – $100,250
- Yakima: $78,770 – $94,490
Electrical and Electronics Repairers Specializing in Commercial and Industrial Equipment:
- Bremerton-Silverdale: $64,060 – $71,280
- Kennewick-Richland: $84,390 – $104,290
- Mount Vernon-Anacortes: $68,790 – $79,700
- Olympia-Tumwater: $67,360 – $100,420
- Seattle-Bellevue-Everett: $70,730 – $98,650
- Tacoma-Lakewood: $69,370 – $79,710
Electrical and Electronics Repairers Specializing in Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay:
- Seattle-Bellevue-Everett: $97,570 – $122,250
Electrical and Electronics Repairers Specializing in Transportation Equipment:
- Seattle-Bellevue-Everett: $65,510 – $82,850
Electronic Home Entertainment Equipment Installers and Repairers:
- Kennewick-Richland: $36,290 – $51,020
- Seattle-Bellevue-Everett: $49,420 – $61,480
Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers:
- Seattle-Bellevue-Everett: $47,990 – $62,940
- Spokane-Spokane Valley: $44,140 – $57,190
- Tacoma-Lakewood: $53,620 – $84,220
The statewide average for electricians in these specialized roles is shown in the table below:
Salaries for Electrician Apprentices in Seattle and Spokane
Electrician apprentices in Washington State earned the highest average salary in the country as of 2015 according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. In fact, electrician apprentices in Seattle earned the highest average salary of electrician apprentices in any city in the country that year.
The Bureau provides salary data for the occupational classification for “Electrician’s Helpers” in the Seattle and Spokane areas. Shown below is information that represents the wages earned during an electrical apprenticeship (2015):