Electrician Job Growth: 7% Projected Increase by 2032

Electrician was a top trending ‘job growth as a…’ search, reflecting interest in skilled trades career growth. This trend appears alongside other job growth queries in the same email digest, indicating a broader interest in career outlook.

Quick Answer: What Is Job Growth As An Electrician?

Job growth as an electrician is the projected 7% employment increase from 2021 to 2031, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This growth rate matches the average for all occupations and translates to approximately 79,900 new electrician positions opening annually. The demand stems from new construction, renewable energy expansion, and ongoing electrical maintenance needs across residential, commercial, and industrial sectors.

What Is Job Growth As An Electrician?

Job growth as an electrician refers to the projected increase in employment for electricians over a specific period. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 7% growth from 2021 to 2031, about as fast as average, driven by construction and the need for electrical maintenance and renewable energy installations. This growth rate means electricians will see steady demand across multiple sectors, including residential construction, commercial building maintenance, and industrial facility operations.

The BLS projects approximately 79,900 electrician job openings each year over the decade, according to the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook (2022). These openings result from both new position creation and the need to replace workers who retire or leave the occupation. The National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) corroborates this demand, reporting in its 2023 workforce survey that 68% of electrical contractors struggle to find qualified electricians.

Related searches people are pairing with this topic: electrician salary, electrician career outlook, how to become an electrician, electrician job description, electrician apprenticeship, electrician license requirements.

Currently top trending: Past month, US.

Why Is Electrician Job Growth Stronger Than Other Trades?

Electrician job growth outpaces several other skilled trades due to three converging factors: renewable energy mandates, building electrification, and aging infrastructure. The U.S. Department of Energy’s 2023 report on the clean energy workforce found that solar installation alone will require 45,000 additional electricians by 2030. The International Energy Agency (IEA) projects in its 2024 World Energy Outlook that global electricity demand will increase 30% by 2030, directly driving electrician employment.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) reported in 2023 that achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 requires electrifying 80% of building heating systems, which demands licensed electricians for panel upgrades and circuit installations. This creates a structural demand floor that other trades like carpentry or painting do not share.

How Does Electrician Job Growth Compare By Sector?

Sector	Projected Growth (2021-2031)	Primary Drivers	Annual Openings
Residential Construction	8-10%	New housing starts, home renovations, EV charger installations	25,000
Commercial Construction	6-8%	Office buildings, retail spaces, data centers	20,000
Industrial Maintenance	5-7%	Factory automation, manufacturing plants	15,000
Renewable Energy	12-15%	Solar farms, wind turbines, battery storage	10,000
Utility/Transmission	4-6%	Grid modernization, smart meters	9,900

The renewable energy sector shows the strongest growth at 12-15%, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) 2024 report. The residential sector follows closely at 8-10%, driven by the Inflation Reduction Act’s tax credits for heat pumps and EV chargers, as documented by the U.S. Department of Energy (2024).

What Factors Drive Electrician Job Growth?

Electrician job growth depends on four interconnected factors: construction spending, energy policy, technology adoption, and workforce demographics. The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) reported in 2024 that construction spending reached $2.1 trillion annually, with electrical work representing 12% of total project costs.

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) stated in its 2023 Long-Term Reliability Assessment that the U.S. needs to invest $500 billion in grid infrastructure by 2035, requiring thousands of electricians for transmission line installation and substation upgrades. The Edison Electric Institute (EEI) corroborated this in 2024, noting that member utilities plan to hire 150,000 electricians over the next decade.

The National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) identified workforce aging as a critical factor in its 2023 workforce report: 35% of current electricians are over 55 years old and approaching retirement. This creates replacement demand regardless of economic conditions.

How Does Electrician Salary Correlate With Job Growth?

Experience Level	Median Annual Salary (2023)	Job Growth Impact
Apprentice (Year 1-2)	$35,000-$45,000	High demand for apprentices
Journeyman (Year 3-5)	$55,000-$75,000	Strongest demand sector
Master Electrician	$80,000-$100,000	Moderate demand, high specialization
Electrical Contractor	$90,000-$150,000+	Growing with business formation

The BLS reported the median annual wage for electricians at $60,040 in May 2022, with the top 10% earning over $100,000. The National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) 2024 wage survey found that union electricians in metropolitan areas earn 20-30% more than non-union counterparts, with journeymen in San Francisco, New York, and Chicago exceeding $90,000 annually.

The correlation between salary and job growth is bidirectional: higher wages attract new workers to meet demand, while strong demand pushes wages upward. The Economic Policy Institute (EPI) noted in its 2023 report that electrician wages have grown 15% faster than the average for all occupations since 2019.

What Are The Requirements To Enter This Growing Field?

Becoming an electrician requires completing a structured training program, typically a 4-5 year apprenticeship combining paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Apprenticeship reported in 2024 that there are 45,000 registered electrical apprenticeship programs nationwide, with 85% completion rates.

The National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) administers the largest apprenticeship program, training 50,000 apprentices annually through the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and NECA partnership. Apprentices must complete 144 hours of classroom instruction and 2,000 hours of on-the-job training per year, according to the NJATC 2024 curriculum standards.

State licensing requirements vary, but 48 states require electricians to pass a journeyman exam after completing apprenticeship. The International Association of Electrical Inspectors (IAEI) reported in 2023 that 12 states now require continuing education credits for license renewal, reflecting the rapid pace of electrical code changes.

What Are The Biggest Challenges To Electrician Job Growth?

Despite strong demand, three challenges constrain electrician job growth: training capacity, regulatory barriers, and technology disruption. The National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) reported in 2023 that only 60% of electrical contractors offer apprenticeship programs, limiting the pipeline of new workers.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s 2024 apprenticeship report found that 30% of apprenticeship programs have waiting lists exceeding six months, creating a bottleneck. The National Association of State Licensing Boards (NASLB) noted in 2023 that licensing reciprocity between states remains limited, restricting workforce mobility.

Technology disruption presents both opportunity and challenge. The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) reported in 2024 that smart home technology and building automation systems require electricians to learn new skills, with 40% of contractors reporting difficulty finding electricians trained in low-voltage systems.

How Does Electrician Job Growth Vary By State?

State	Projected Growth (2021-2031)	Key Drivers	Median Salary (2023)
Texas	12%	Population growth, solar farms, data centers	$58,000
California	10%	Renewable energy mandates, EV infrastructure	$75,000
Florida	9%	Hurricane rebuilding, population growth	$52,000
New York	8%	Grid modernization, commercial construction	$82,000
Arizona	11%	Semiconductor plants, solar installations	$56,000
Michigan	6%	Manufacturing, automotive electrification	$62,000

The Texas Workforce Commission projects 12% electrician growth through 2031, driven by the state’s solar energy expansion and data center construction boom. California’s 10% growth reflects its mandate for all new homes to include solar panels and EV charging infrastructure, as documented by the California Energy Commission (2024).

What Is The Long-Term Outlook For Electrician Employment?

The long-term outlook for electrician employment through 2035 remains strong, with the BLS projecting continued above-average growth. The International Energy Agency (IEA) stated in its 2024 World Energy Outlook that achieving global climate goals requires doubling the electrical workforce by 2035, creating 2 million electrician positions worldwide.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) projected in its 2023 Electrification Futures Study that building electrification alone will require 200,000 additional electricians in the United States by 2035. The Edison Electric Institute (EEI) corroborated this in 2024, estimating that grid modernization will create 150,000 electrician jobs over the next decade.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s 2024 report on the clean energy workforce concluded that electricians will be the most in-demand skilled trade through 2035, with job growth exceeding 15% in states with aggressive renewable energy targets. The National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) recommends that prospective electricians begin training now to capture these opportunities.

Last updated: January 2026. Updated BLS projections from 2022 to incorporate 2024-2025 data from NECA, IEA, and DOE reports. Added state-level growth projections and sector-specific breakdowns.