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Electricians in California: what they earn
Electricians in California earned a median $76,160 a year in May 2025, $36.62 an hour. 73,310 people held the job, 4.0 for every 1,000 jobs in the state. That median is 21% above the national figure of $63,190, and California ranks 15 of 51 by pay for this trade.
How to become an electrician in California — license tiers, required hours, exam and fees, sourced from California DIR, Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (Electrician Certification Unit). ↓
The full wage spread in California
| Point | Hourly | Annual | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $22.50 | $46,800 | A tenth of the workforce earns less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $28.50 | $59,280 | A quarter earn less. |
| Median | $36.62 | $76,160 | Half earn less, half earn more. |
| 75th percentile | $49.52 | $103,000 | A quarter earn more. |
| 90th percentile | $67.47 | $140,340 | A tenth earn more than this. |
| Mean | $41.28 | $85,860 | The average. Pulled up by the top earners. |
Annual figures are the hourly rate times 2,080 hours, BLS's full-time year. Overtime is inside the survey's earnings but not separated out.
California against its neighbors on the pay ladder
| # | State | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | Montana | $76,760 | 2,750 |
| 13 | Wisconsin | $76,540 | 14,310 |
| 14 | Michigan | $76,270 | 23,530 |
| 15 | California | $76,160 | 73,310 |
| 16 | Wyoming | $76,120 | 2,960 |
| 17 | Maine | $75,380 | 3,780 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $74,090 | 2,420 |
The complete ranking is on the Electricians page.
Against the national figure
| California | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $76,160 | $63,190 |
| Median hourly | $36.62 | $30.38 |
| 10th percentile, annual | $46,800 | $42,640 |
| 90th percentile, annual | $140,340 | $108,510 |
| Employed | 73,310 | 757,220 |
Other trades in California
Plumbers and pipefitters ($72,830) · HVAC technicians ($72,560) · Welders ($58,060) · Truck drivers (CDL) ($60,230)
See all five ranked by pay in California.
How to become an electrician in California
California certifies individual electricians through the DIR (documented hours plus a state exam) to work for a licensed contractor — separate from the C-10 Electrical Contractor license the state's Contractors State License Board issues to a business. The licensing authority is California DIR, Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (Electrician Certification Unit).
| License | What it takes | Experience | Exam | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Electrician (state certification) | 8,000 documented on-the-job hours across approved categories and a passing state exam (100 questions). Required to work as an electrician for a C-10 contractor. | 8,000 hrs (≈ 4 yrs) | General Electrician Certification Exam | $175 |
| Residential Electrician (state certification) | 4,800 documented on-the-job hours across approved categories and a passing state exam (80 questions). | 4,800 hrs (≈ 2.5 yrs) | Residential Electrician Certification Exam | $175 |
| C-10 Electrical Contractor (CSLB) | Business license to bid work and pull permits: four years of journey-level experience, the C-10 trade exam plus the Business and Law exam, and application fees. Renews every two years. | — | C-10 trade exam + Business and Law exam | $450 |
Reciprocity. For the CSLB C-10 contractor license (not the individual certification), California has reciprocity agreements with Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada and North Carolina.
Renewal. Every 3 years for the state certification (the CSLB C-10 contractor license renews every 2 years), with 32 hours of continuing education.
Licensing sources: DLSE Electrician Certification Program (retrieved 2026-09-16) · DLSE Electrician Certification FAQ (retrieved 2026-09-16) · CSLB C-10 classification (retrieved 2026-09-16). Requirements change — confirm with California DIR, Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (Electrician Certification Unit) before you act.
Compare the time and cost to get licensed across trades and states →
Common questions
Do you need a license to work as an electrician in California?
California certifies individual electricians through the DIR (documented hours plus a state exam) to work for a licensed contractor — separate from the C-10 Electrical Contractor license the state's Contractors State License Board issues to a business.
What does it cost to get licensed as an electrician in California?
Application and license fees run from about $175 to $450 depending on the tier, with separate exam fees in some cases — see the table above.
How long does it take to become an electrician in California?
You can be licensed as Residential Electrician after about 2.5 years of on-the-job training (4,800 hours); higher tiers take longer.
The pay and employment figures above are the May 2025 BLS estimates; the licensing detail is sourced separately from the state authority and dated inline. See how the numbers are built.