The number of jobs for electricians in Colorado will increase dramatically in the midst of a shortage of skilled workers that is stifling the state’s construction boom. The Denver Post reported in 2015 how contractors say that workers are scarce. This shortage threatens the increase in construction which is currently one of the fastest-growing employment sectors in Colorado.
Colorado’s Department of Labor and Employment expects that the number of jobs for electricians in the state will increase by more than 45% during the ten-year period ending in 2024. This level of growth is more than three times greater than the national increase in the number of jobs for electricians.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that nearly 10,000 electricians were employed in the Denver area in 2015. This places Denver as the city with the 7th highest number of electricians of any city in the country.
An analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America released in July 2016 affirms the shortage of available qualified construction workers. Officials of the organization urged Congress to pass laws to increase funding for technical and career education.
Salaries for Residential Electricians Throughout Colorado
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides the range of salaries earned by electricians in Colorado’s urban 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 Colorado’s Major Urban and Rural Areas
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides salaries for a number of different types of specialized electricians that work throughout Colorado (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:
- Boulder: $57,120 – $77.820
- Colorado Springs: $58,760 – $86,390
- Denver: $59,800 – $79,790
- Fort Collins: $63,130 – $94.580
- Greeley: $53,790 – $77.680
- Pueblo: $52,760 -$61,190
Electrical and Electronics Repairers Specializing in Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay:
- Denver: $81,060 – $96,380
Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers:
- Boulder: $77,000 – $97,880
- Colorado Springs: $61,840 – $92,710
- Denver: $70,840 – $96,740
- Fort Collins: $77,130 – $95,650
- Greeley: $32,810 -$90,980
Electronic Home Entertainment Equipment Installers and Repairers:
- Colorado Springs: $55,240 – $77,200
- Denver: $50,290 – $74,630
- Grand Junction: $37,650 – $47,850
Electronic Equipment Installers and Repairers Specializing in Motor Vehicles:
- Colorado Springs: $29,440 – $37,450
- Denver: $31,260 – $44,350
Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers and Repairers:
- Colorado Springs: $57,770 – $76,870
- Denver: $40,580 – $62,460
The statewide average for electricians in these specialized roles is shown in the table below:
Salaries for Electrician Apprentices in the Denver Area
Electrician apprentices in Colorado earned the 4th highest average salary of those in any state in the country as of 2015 according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Denver made the agency’s top 10 list of the highest paying cities for electrician apprentices and ranked 9th that year.
Salary data for the BLS’ occupational classification for “Electrician’s Helpers” in the Denver area is shown here to represent the wages earned during an electrical apprenticeship; 2015: