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Electricians in Ohio: what they earn
Electricians in Ohio earned a median $64,700 a year in May 2025, $31.11 an hour. 28,950 people held the job, 5.2 for every 1,000 jobs in the state. That median is 2% above the national figure of $63,190, and Ohio ranks 27 of 51 by pay for this trade.
How to become an electrician in Ohio — license tiers, required hours, exam and fees, sourced from Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB), Ohio Department of Commerce. ↓
The full wage spread in Ohio
| Point | Hourly | Annual | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $19.59 | $40,750 | A tenth of the workforce earns less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $24.10 | $50,120 | A quarter earn less. |
| Median | $31.11 | $64,700 | Half earn less, half earn more. |
| 75th percentile | $38.70 | $80,500 | A quarter earn more. |
| 90th percentile | $47.73 | $99,280 | A tenth earn more than this. |
| Mean | $33.09 | $68,840 | 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.
Ohio against its neighbors on the pay ladder
| # | State | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | North Dakota | $65,710 | 3,570 |
| 25 | Missouri | $65,410 | 12,780 |
| 26 | West Virginia | $64,810 | 4,290 |
| 27 | Ohio | $64,700 | 28,950 |
| 28 | Delaware | $63,700 | 2,260 |
| 29 | Vermont | $63,430 | 1,270 |
| 30 | Idaho | $63,000 | 5,690 |
The complete ranking is on the Electricians page.
Against the national figure
| Ohio | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $64,700 | $63,190 |
| Median hourly | $31.11 | $30.38 |
| 10th percentile, annual | $40,750 | $42,640 |
| 90th percentile, annual | $99,280 | $108,510 |
| Employed | 28,950 | 757,220 |
Other trades in Ohio
Plumbers and pipefitters ($63,330) · HVAC technicians ($62,510) · Welders ($50,340) · Truck drivers (CDL) ($59,800)
See all five ranked by pay in Ohio.
How to become an electrician in Ohio
Ohio licenses electrical contractors for commercial work at the state level through the OCILB; individual journeyman electricians are licensed locally by municipalities. The licensing authority is Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB), Ohio Department of Commerce.
| License | What it takes | Experience | Exam | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Journeyman Electrician (local, not state-issued) | Ohio issues no state journeyman license; municipalities license individual electricians. An active journeyman card counts toward the state contractor license. | — | — | — |
| Electrical Contractor (state, commercial — OCILB) | At least 18; five years' experience in the electrical trade; pass both sections of the OCILB exam (PSI); carry at least $500,000 liability insurance. Application fee $25. | — | OCILB electrical exam (trade + business and law, PSI) | $25 |
Reciprocity. Reciprocity without exam is possible only where Ohio has a written agreement with a state whose requirements it finds substantially equal; the specific states are not named in statute.
Renewal. Annual, with 10 hours of continuing education.
Licensing sources: Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (retrieved 2026-09-16) · Ohio Revised Code 4740.06 (license qualifications) (retrieved 2026-09-16). Requirements change — confirm with Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB), Ohio Department of Commerce 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 Ohio?
Ohio licenses electrical contractors for commercial work at the state level through the OCILB; individual journeyman electricians are licensed locally by municipalities.
What does it cost to get licensed as an electrician in Ohio?
The main application or license fee is $25; separate exam or endorsement fees can apply, as noted in the table above.
How long does it take to become an electrician in Ohio?
It depends on which credential you need and the training and testing each step takes — the full path is in the table above.
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.