The state of Tennessee expects the number of jobs for electricians to increase by nearly 13% during the ten-year period ending in 2024 (Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development).
Tennessee’s construction industry added 249,000 jobs in 2015 (University of Tennessee Economic Report to the Governor for 2016). The report stated that construction is one of the industries that will experience the largest job gains in both 2016 and 2017.
In May 2016, the Tennessean declared that Nashville’s construction market is “white hot.” The article also commented on how labor is stretched thin with the construction market so active. In fact, more than three-quarters of the contractors in Tennessee expected difficulty in hiring skilled craft workers such as electricians during the coming year (Associated General Contractors of America 2015 survey).
The first half of 2016 brought significant construction announcements in Tennessee. Hankook Tire of South Korea plans to set up its North American headquarters in Nashville. The company expects to start production at what will eventually be an $800 million tire manufacturing plant in Clarksville.
The Tennessee State Government reported Governor Haslam’s announcement that GM will be undertaking significant construction at its Spring Hill manufacturing plant:
- Investing more than $788 million in a new high-efficiency energy program
- Modernizing the vehicle programs
Salaries for Residential Electricians Throughout Tennessee
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides the range of salaries earned by electricians in urban and rural parts of Tennessee. Highly skilled master electricians can expect to earn salaries at the highest end of these ranges (2015):
Salaries for Specialty Electricians in Tennessee’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 of Tennessee (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:
- Chattanooga: $72,280 – $88,710
- Clarksville: $66,610 – $77,630
- Jackson: $68,870 – $79,010
- Johnson City: $70,130 – $79,400
- Kingsport-Bristol: $69,970 – $79,540
- Knoxville: $63,120 – $77,340
- Memphis: $66,680 – $77,370
- Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin: $74,780 – $97,080
Electrical and Electronics Repairers Specializing in Commercial and Industrial Equipment:
- Chattanooga: $65,290 – $94,320
- Kingsport-Bristol: $52,260 – $62,560
- Knoxville: $53,610 – $77,560
- Memphis: $52,630 – $78,810
- Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin: $53,630 – $69,050
Electrical and Electronics Repairers Specializing in Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay:
- Knoxville: $78,130 – $84,080
- Memphis: $69,800 – $78,140
- Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin: $69,740 – $78,140
Electrical and Electronics Repairers Specializing in Transportation Equipment:
- Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin: $48,700 – $74,930
Electronic Equipment Installers and Repairers Specializing in Motor Vehicles:
- Memphis: $52,640 – $74,780
Electronic Home Entertainment Equipment Installers and Repairers:
- Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin: $39,940 – $57,060
Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers:
- Chattanooga: $40,600 – $55.880
- Jackson: $43,560 – $57,520
- Knoxville: $38,700 – $53,010
- Memphis: $39,100 – $56,400
- Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin: $45,420 – $73,020
The statewide average for electricians in these specialized roles is shown in the table below:
Salaries for Electrician Apprentices Throughout Tennessee
The state of Tennessee designated electrician apprentices as having a “bright outlook statewide.” The Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development expects the number of jobs for electrician apprentices to increase by nearly one-quarter during the ten-year period ending in 2024.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides salary data for the occupational classification for “Electrician’s Helpers” in the major cities and rural areas of Tennessee. Shown below is information that represents the wages earned during an electrical apprenticeship (2015):