The state of Ohio expects the number of jobs for electricians to increase by 16% in the ten-year period ending in 2022—a rate that is higher than the national average (Ohio Department of Job and Family Services). A number of types of construction made the list of Top 30 Industries with the Fastest Job Growth prepared by this agency:
- Utility System Construction—30% increase in jobs
- Residential Building Construction—27.6% increase in jobs
- Nonresidential Building Construction—26.1% increase in jobs
Continued growth in the construction industry in Ohio is taxing the ability of contractors to find enough workers to complete the projects available. More than 90% of the contractors surveyed in 2015 expected to have difficulty finding and hiring skilled craft workers such as electricians over the coming year (Associated General Contractors of America).
A sharp increase in construction in Ohio during 2015 helped the state to rank among the top three states in the country for economic growth according to Columbus Business First. A number of regions of Ohio made substantial progress in increasing construction activity.
Central Ohio. Construction is one of the industries expected to have the best gains in jobs for 2016 in central Ohio according to the economist Bill LaFayette who was quoted in the Columbus Dispatch. The construction industry should add about 1,300 jobs in the region during this year.
The Dayton Area. The Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce summarized the “huge growth” of the construction industry in the area:
- Wright-Patterson Air Force Base announced that it will build a new $6.6 billion satellite pharmacy
- Construction started on a $4.5 million townhome project in downtown Dayton
- The Chamber expects continued progress at several sites:
- The Mall at Fairfield Commons
- Cornerstone
- Austin Landing
Northeastern Ohio. The Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland reported exceptionally high job growth in construction in three cities in Northeastern Ohio during the year leading up to June 2015:
- Toledo: more than double that of any other type of industry
- Cincinnati: higher than that for any other type of industry
- Columbus: high at 3.5%
In addition, rural North Northeastern Ohio had the 3rd highest number of jobs for electricians of any rural area in the country in 2015 according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Salaries for Residential Electricians in Urban and Rural Ohio
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides the range of salaries earned by electricians throughout Ohio. Highly skilled master electricians can expect to earn salaries at the highest end of these ranges (2015):
Salaries for Specialty Electricians in Ohio’s Major Cities
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides salaries for a number of different types of specialized electricians that work in Ohio’s largest cities (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:
- Akron: $66,080 – $83,920
- Canton-Massillon: $66,080 – $78,600
- Cincinnati: $66.650 – $78,420
- Cleveland-Elyria: $66,930 – $78,130
- Columbus: $64,630 – $92,000
- Dayton: $61,970 – $78,170
- Toledo: $63,370 – $77,280
- Youngstown-Warren-Boardman: $72,390 – $80,380
Electrical and Electronics Repairers Specializing in Commercial and Industrial Equipment:
- Akron: $53,700 – $69,140
- Canton-Massillon: $42,640 – $61,900
- Cincinnati: $56,780 – $76,920
- Cleveland-Elyria: $58,980 – $76,040
- Columbus: $56,820 – $76,410
- Dayton: $56,960 – $76,950
- Lima: $53,730 – $73,510
- Toledo: 456,180 – $75,000
- Youngstown-Warren-Boardman: $44,310 – $67,040
Electrical and Electronics Repairers Specializing in Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay:
- Akron: $72,000 – $80,500
- Cincinnati: $65,660 – $77,170
- Cleveland-Elyria: $71,990 – $79,940
- Columbus: $75,320 – $96,400
- Dayton: $68,980 – $79,770
- Youngstown-Warren-Boardman: $72,070 – $80,430
Electrical and Electronics Repairers Specializing in Transportation Equipment:
- Cleveland-Elyria: $53,180 – $62,010
- Columbus: $47,670 – $60,190
Electronic Equipment Installers and Repairers Specializing in Motor Vehicles:
- Cincinnati: $28,660 – $37,770
- Cleveland-Elyria: $38,620 – $55,700
- Columbus: $34,990 – $54,520
- Toledo: $37,830 – $55,120
Electronic Home Entertainment Equipment Installers and Repairers:
- Akron: $33,030 – $46,470
- Cincinnati: $33,790 – $48,760
- Cleveland-Elyria: $36,550 – $45,330
- Columbus: $39,090 – $47,660
- Dayton: $34,460 – $39,140
- Toledo: $32,290 – $50,920
- Youngstown-Warren-Boardman: $30,740 – $49,620
Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers:
- Akron: $48,120 – $73,010
- Canton-Massillon: $41,140 – $70,620
- Cincinnati: $45,840 – $74,260
- Cleveland-Elyria: $38,420 – $57,430
- Columbus: $44,070 – $60,240
- Dayton: $41,570 – $55,760
- Toledo: $40,540 – $49,590
- Youngstown-Warren-Boardman: $38,850 – $51,260
The statewide average for electricians in these specialized roles is shown in the table below:
Salaries for Electrician Apprentices in Ohio’s Major Cities and Rural North Northeastern Ohio
Electrician apprentices in rural North Northeastern Ohio earned the 3rd highest average salary in the country during 2015 according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This agency provides salary data for the occupational classification for “Electrician’s Helpers” in Ohio’s four largest cities and rural North Northeastern Ohio. Shown below is information that represents the wages earned during an electrical apprenticeship: