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How to become an electrician in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania has no statewide electrician license; the state does not license most construction trades, so cities set their own rules. Philadelphia, for example, licenses electrical contractors. Electricians in Pennsylvania earned a median $67,600 a year in May 2025 ($32.50 an hour).
Electrician licensing in Pennsylvania
The pages each row was read from are listed under the table, with the date each was read.
| License | What it takes | Experience | Exam | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide (no license) | Pennsylvania has no state licensure or certification for electricians; requirements are set locally by each municipality. | — | — | none required |
| Philadelphia Electrical Contractor (city example) | Four years working in electrical for a licensed company, pass the Philadelphia Electrical Contractor exam (ICC), carry the required insurance, and hold a Business Income & Receipts Tax number and Commercial Activity License. Renewed annually, with proof of at least 8 hours of NFPA 70 coursework earned during the previous license period. | — | Philadelphia Electrical Contractor Examination (International Code Council) | $262 |
Reciprocity. No state license means no statewide reciprocity; recognition is set municipality by municipality.
Renewal. Annual (Philadelphia city license), with 8 hours of continuing education.
Licensing sources: PA L&I Contractor Licensing (Uniform Construction Code) (retrieved 2026-09-16) · City of Philadelphia Electrical Contractor License (retrieved 2026-09-16). Requirements change; confirm with the city or county where you will work before you act.
The steps in order, with exams, fees and renewal → · Every fee here, itemised and totalled → · Compare time and cost across trades and states →
Common questions
Do you need a license to work as an electrician in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has no statewide electrician license; the state does not license most construction trades, so cities set their own rules. Philadelphia, for example, licenses electrical contractors.
What does it cost to get licensed as an electrician in Pennsylvania?
The published fee in the table above is $262. It is charged by Philadelphia, not by the state. Read each tier's requirements for any exam or license-issue fee charged on top.
How long does it take to become an electrician in Pennsylvania?
It depends on which credential you need and the training and testing each step takes; the full path is in the table above.
How much do electricians make in Pennsylvania?
Electricians in Pennsylvania earned a median $67,600 a year in May 2025, $32.50 an hour. That median is 7% above the national figure of $63,190, and Pennsylvania ranks 22 of 51 by pay for this trade.
How much do apprentice electricians make in Pennsylvania?
In fiscal 2023 (October 2022 to September 2023), among registered apprentices in Pennsylvania under the occupation titles the U.S. Department of Labor maps to electricians, 698 apprentices started, at a median $16.84 an hour across the 698 whose starting wage DOL counts. Those who completed that year were paid a median $39.02 an hour at completion (438 completers with an exit wage DOL counts). Wages are in that year's dollars.
What electricians earn in Pennsylvania
Electricians in Pennsylvania earned a median $67,600 a year in May 2025, $32.50 an hour. 22,730 people held the job, 3.7 for every 1,000 jobs in the state. That median is 7% above the national figure of $63,190, and Pennsylvania ranks 22 of 51 by pay for this trade.
The full wage spread in Pennsylvania
| Point | Hourly | Annual | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $21.92 | $45,600 | A tenth of the workforce earns less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $26.51 | $55,140 | A quarter earn less. |
| Median | $32.50 | $67,600 | Half earn less, half earn more. |
| 75th percentile | $45.92 | $95,500 | A quarter earn more. |
| 90th percentile | $58.95 | $122,620 | A tenth earn more than this. |
| Mean | $36.43 | $75,770 | 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.
Pay by metro area in Pennsylvania
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD employs the most electricians of the 16 metro areas based in Pennsylvania that BLS publishes, 10,090, at a median $74,590 a year. The best-paid is Reading, PA at $75,070.
| Metro | Employed | Median annual | 10th pct | 90th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 10,090 | $74,590 | $46,980 | $132,610 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 5,210 | $69,340 | $45,780 | $106,840 |
| Lancaster, PA | 1,220 | $63,490 | $41,000 | $133,150 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | 1,100 | $66,500 | $48,290 | $122,400 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | 1,050 | $71,820 | $38,860 | $129,510 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | 1,050 | $69,540 | $42,210 | $118,180 |
| Reading, PA | 820 | $75,070 | $45,930 | $129,830 |
| York-Hanover, PA | 770 | $65,370 | $46,860 | $108,900 |
| Erie, PA | 420 | $65,820 | $37,890 | $94,280 |
| Lebanon, PA | 230 | $60,710 | $38,380 | $86,690 |
| State College, PA | 180 | $57,600 | $44,320 | $75,740 |
| Altoona, PA | 170 | $58,620 | $37,380 | $102,770 |
| Chambersburg, PA | 150 | $61,290 | $36,020 | $79,080 |
| Johnstown, PA | 140 | $59,390 | $39,310 | $98,120 |
| Williamsport, PA | 130 | $61,570 | $44,200 | $84,410 |
| Gettysburg, PA | 110 | $60,900 | $36,230 | $77,570 |
Metropolitan statistical areas as BLS publishes them in the same May 2025 estimates. A metro that crosses a state line is listed only under its primary state, so part of a neighboring state's metro can sit outside this table. Areas outside any metro are not shown.
Pennsylvania against its neighbors on the pay ladder
| # | State | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | Nevada | $73,570 | 8,350 |
| 20 | Maryland | $73,490 | 13,690 |
| 21 | Indiana | $68,490 | 19,020 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $67,600 | 22,730 |
| 23 | Kansas | $65,860 | 6,350 |
| 24 | North Dakota | $65,710 | 3,570 |
| 25 | Missouri | $65,410 | 12,780 |
The complete ranking is on the Electricians page.
Against the national figure
| Figure | Pennsylvania | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $67,600 | $63,190 |
| Median hourly | $32.50 | $30.38 |
| 10th percentile, annual | $45,600 | $42,640 |
| 90th percentile, annual | $122,620 | $108,510 |
| Employed | 22,730 | 757,220 |
Apprenticeships in Pennsylvania
U.S. Department of Labor records list 2,689 registered apprentices active in Pennsylvania in fiscal year 2024 (October 2023 to September 2024) under the occupation titles DOL maps to electricians (SOC 47-2111). The file's fiscal 2024 records largely stop after February 2024. In fiscal 2023, the latest year the file holds in full, 698 apprentices started, at a median $16.84 an hour across the 698 whose starting wage DOL counts. Those who completed that year were paid a median $39.02 an hour at completion (438 completers with an exit wage DOL counts).
Find a registered program: DOL's Apprenticeship Finder → · What those wages come to at your hours a week → · Every state's count and wages for this trade →
Wages are DOL's own hourly figures in the dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation. Which wages DOL counts, which titles count and how the state is assigned are on the data page.
Other trades in Pennsylvania
Plumbers and pipefitters ($68,080) · HVAC technicians ($62,400) · Welders ($52,900) · Truck drivers (CDL) ($58,580) · Lineworkers (power-line installers) ($106,230) · Elevator installers ($117,250) · Ironworkers ($82,970) · Sheet metal workers ($61,400) · Carpenters ($59,370) · Brickmasons and blockmasons ($69,560) · Auto service technicians ($49,800) · Diesel mechanics ($61,740) · Heavy equipment operators ($60,530) · Machinists ($57,810)
See all 15 ranked by pay in Pennsylvania.
The pay and employment figures on this page are the May 2025 BLS estimates, apart from the apprenticeship figures, which are DOL's; the licensing detail is read from the pages listed in the licensing section, each with the date it was read. See how the numbers are built.