Lineman salary by state, metro and union scale (2026 data)
- Data
- BLS OEWS May 2025 (SOC 49-9051); DOL Davis-Bacon wage determinations (SAM.gov)
- Period
- May 2025 (OEWS); WD modifications 2026-05-18 to 2026-10-22
- Release used
- 2026-05-15
- Next release
- OEWS is annual (May 2026 estimates next); WDs are modified continuously
- Geography
- United States, 50 states and DC, metro areas
- Sources
- 25 (21 official)
The typical lineman salary in the United States was $95,320 a year, or $45.83 an hour, in May 2025, the BLS median for power-line installers. State medians ran from $36.26 an hour in Arizona to $64.59 in Hawaii. Union outside lineman base rates in 46 current Davis-Bacon areas had a median of $58.49 before fringes.
Lineman salary by state: Hawaii pays a median $64.59 an hour, Arizona $36.26
State medians for SOC 49-9051 spread $28.33 an hour from top to bottom in May 2025. The West Coast and Hawaii lead; the South and Southwest trail, even though those regions hold many of the jobs.
Lineman (SOC 49-9051): BLS counts linemen as electrical power-line installers and repairers, who install or repair cables or wires used in electrical power or distribution systems (BLS OOH). OEWS figures exclude the self-employed and do not separate apprentices from journeymen. Telecom line workers are a separate code (49-9052).
Electrical power-line installers and repairers (SOC 49-9051), straight-time pay
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 state file (released 2026-05-15)
Hawaii had the highest median lineman wage in May 2025 at $64.59 an hour, or $134,340 a year (BLS OEWS state file).
Washington ($63.97), Oregon ($63.02) and California ($62.04) followed. California also had the highest state 90th percentile at $80.33 an hour.
The six lowest state medians in May 2025 were all between $36.26 (Arizona) and $36.82 (Virginia). The top state paid 1.78 times the bottom state.
Show all 51 rows
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 90th pct hourly | 90th pct annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $64.59 | $134,340 | $69.31 | $144,170 | 600 | 1.13 |
| 2 | Washington | $63.97 | $133,060 | $71.06 | $147,810 | 2,340 | 0.78 |
| 3 | Oregon | $63.02 | $131,090 | $73.97 | $153,860 | 1,640 | 0.99 |
| 4 | California | $62.04 | $129,040 | $80.33 | $167,090 | 8,930 | 0.58 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $60.99 | $126,850 | $65.25 | $135,730 | 940 | 0.66 |
| 6 | Idaho | $60.29 | $125,410 | $63.05 | $131,140 | 860 | 1.19 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $58.45 | $121,580 | $60.75 | $126,350 | 1,310 | 0.36 |
| 8 | New York | $58.31 | $121,280 | $67.87 | $141,160 | 5,840 | 0.72 |
| 9 | Montana | $53.04 | $110,320 | $60.10 | $125,010 | 680 | 1.58 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $52.99 | $110,210 | $61.36 | $127,620 | 2,350 | 0.77 |
| 11 | Vermont | $52.17 | $108,520 | $60.42 | $125,680 | 270 | 1.05 |
| 12 | Illinois | $51.98 | $108,120 | $62.13 | $129,230 | 3,090 | 0.60 |
| 13 | Michigan | $51.39 | $106,890 | $63.25 | $131,570 | 2,800 | 0.75 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $51.07 | $106,230 | $58.90 | $122,510 | 4,150 | 0.81 |
| 15 | Maryland | $51.01 | $106,090 | $59.98 | $124,750 | 1,830 | 0.79 |
| 16 | North Dakota | $50.90 | $105,870 | $58.65 | $121,990 | 740 | 2.04 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $50.88 | $105,820 | $57.62 | $119,850 | 2,520 | 1.02 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $50.30 | $104,620 | $60.19 | $125,200 | 120 | 0.27 |
| 19 | Minnesota | $50.09 | $104,180 | $58.71 | $122,110 | 2,190 | 0.88 |
| 20 | Colorado | $49.99 | $103,980 | $63.15 | $131,360 | 2,370 | 0.98 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $49.12 | $102,170 | $61.00 | $126,870 | 560 | 0.97 |
| 22 | Indiana | $49.06 | $102,040 | $56.12 | $116,720 | 2,540 | 0.94 |
| 23 | Kansas | $48.86 | $101,620 | $59.12 | $122,970 | 1,610 | 1.33 |
| 24 | District of Columbia | $48.67 | $101,240 | $63.89 | $132,900 | 150 | 0.25 |
| 25 | Utah | $48.66 | $101,220 | $59.70 | $124,180 | 1,030 | 0.70 |
| 26 | Iowa | $48.17 | $100,200 | $52.87 | $109,980 | 1,390 | 1.06 |
| 27 | South Dakota | $46.79 | $97,310 | $56.99 | $118,530 | 740 | 1.91 |
| 28 | Delaware | $46.72 | $97,180 | $57.59 | $119,790 | 330 | 0.82 |
| 29 | Nevada | $46.42 | $96,560 | $64.87 | $134,930 | 920 | 0.71 |
| 30 | Missouri | $46.33 | $96,360 | $55.64 | $115,740 | 3,440 | 1.39 |
| 31 | Wyoming | $45.12 | $93,860 | $57.60 | $119,810 | 670 | 2.83 |
| 32 | Ohio | $44.78 | $93,150 | $53.73 | $111,760 | 4,260 | 0.91 |
| 33 | Alaska | $44.46 | $92,470 | $67.19 | $139,750 | 490 | 1.78 |
| 34 | Nebraska | $44.30 | $92,150 | $56.75 | $118,040 | 1,490 | 1.72 |
| 35 | Alabama | $44.24 | $92,030 | $50.67 | $105,400 | 2,730 | 1.53 |
| 36 | Florida | $41.76 | $86,870 | $52.55 | $109,300 | 6,420 | 0.77 |
| 37 | West Virginia | $40.29 | $83,810 | $55.46 | $115,350 | 1,260 | 2.14 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $40.22 | $83,660 | $50.48 | $105,000 | 3,900 | 1.41 |
| 39 | Maine | $39.95 | $83,090 | $58.63 | $121,950 | 1,160 | 2.15 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $39.16 | $81,450 | $55.34 | $115,120 | 1,510 | 1.37 |
| 41 | Georgia | $38.50 | $80,080 | $56.20 | $116,900 | 4,960 | 1.20 |
| 42 | Texas | $37.95 | $78,940 | $51.71 | $107,550 | 17,280 | 1.46 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $37.15 | $77,270 | $50.69 | $105,430 | 5,650 | 1.36 |
| 44 | Kentucky | $37.03 | $77,020 | $49.23 | $102,400 | 2,930 | 1.74 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $36.96 | $76,870 | $49.45 | $102,860 | 2,690 | 1.38 |
| 46 | Virginia | $36.82 | $76,590 | $51.37 | $106,860 | 2,920 | 0.84 |
| 47 | New Mexico | $36.76 | $76,470 | $50.77 | $105,590 | 1,020 | 1.39 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $36.74 | $76,410 | $56.73 | $117,990 | 2,520 | 1.55 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $36.54 | $76,010 | $56.26 | $117,020 | 3,290 | 2.29 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $36.49 | $75,890 | $47.21 | $98,200 | 2,290 | 2.34 |
| 51 | Arizona | $36.26 | $75,420 | $59.76 | $124,300 | 3,360 | 1.23 |
Ranked by median hourly wage. Annual figures are hourly x 2,080 as published by BLS. Excludes overtime. Employment rounded by BLS. Location quotient above 1 means a higher concentration of line jobs than the U.S.
Source: [1] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
These medians mix apprentices, journeymen and foremen, union and non-union, utility and contractor crews. They are straight-time wages: BLS excludes overtime pay from OEWS (OEWS technical notes). For electricians' pay by state, see the electrician salary by state table.
Texas has the most line workers, Wyoming the highest concentration
Line jobs cluster where territory is large and population is thin. The states with the most line work relative to their economy are mostly rural and mostly lower paying.
Texas had 17,280 power-line installer jobs in May 2025, followed by California (8,930) and Florida (6,420). Those three states held 24.9% of the 131,070 U.S. total.
Concentration of power-line installer jobs vs the U.S. (1.00 = national average)
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 state file
By location quotient, the highest concentrations in May 2025 were WY 2.83; MS 2.34; OK 2.29; ME 2.15; WV 2.14. A quotient of 2.00 means line jobs make up twice the national share of all jobs in that state.
Mississippi pairs the second-highest concentration with a median of $36.49 an hour, among the lowest in the country.
San Jose tops metro lineman pay at $75.78 an hour
California, Oregon and Washington metros fill 11 of the top 15. Four of the five largest line labor markets, in Texas, Arizona and Georgia, pay below the national median.
Median hourly wage, metros with 100+ power-line installer jobs
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 metropolitan area file
| Rank | Metro area | Median hourly | Median annual | 90th pct hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $75.78 | $157,620 | $94.56 | 300 |
| 2 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $67.44 | $140,270 | $72.97 | 120 |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $65.95 | $137,180 | $91.34 | 770 |
| 4 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $65.09 | $135,400 | $66.30 | 240 |
| 5 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $65.05 | $135,300 | $77.49 | 810 |
| 6 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $64.94 | $135,080 | $69.31 | 450 |
| 7 | Salem, OR | $64.66 | $134,500 | $75.58 | 180 |
| 8 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $64.50 | $134,150 | $72.99 | 1,010 |
| 9 | Fresno, CA | $64.50 | $134,150 | $75.85 | 230 |
| 10 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $63.00 | $131,050 | $80.10 | 200 |
| 11 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $62.71 | $130,440 | $81.51 | 2,140 |
| 12 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $62.54 | $130,080 | $66.96 | 130 |
| 13 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $61.90 | $128,750 | $78.49 | 1,580 |
| 14 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $61.34 | $127,580 | $63.24 | 460 |
| 15 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $61.29 | $127,490 | $65.12 | 210 |
Median hourly wage of electrical power-line installers and repairers. Metros with fewer than 100 jobs excluded because of wide sampling error.
Source: [2] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had a May 2025 median of $75.78 an hour ($157,620 a year) for 300 line installers (BLS OEWS metro file).
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX employed 4,380 linemen, the most of any metro, at a median of $39.77. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX (3,930 jobs) paid $37.46.
| Metro area | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | 90th pct hourly | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 4,380 | $39.77 | $82,710 | $55.68 | 1.58 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 3,930 | $37.46 | $77,910 | $50.81 | 1.15 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 3,850 | $58.89 | $122,480 | $71.51 | 0.48 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 2,810 | $36.26 | $75,420 | $63.60 | 1.40 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 2,660 | $40.18 | $83,570 | $58.85 | 1.09 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 2,140 | $62.71 | $130,440 | $81.51 | 0.40 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 1,830 | $59.34 | $123,430 | $63.35 | 0.48 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 1,580 | $61.90 | $128,750 | $78.49 | 1.09 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 1,550 | $53.60 | $111,490 | $61.81 | 0.68 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 1,530 | $45.91 | $95,480 | $59.92 | 0.58 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 1,420 | $57.44 | $119,460 | $60.59 | 0.58 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 1,370 | $46.27 | $96,240 | $53.45 | 0.58 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 1,310 | $37.52 | $78,030 | $51.73 | 1.38 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 1,270 | $39.48 | $82,120 | $51.30 | 1.16 |
| Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN | 1,260 | $40.02 | $83,230 | $49.71 | 1.36 |
Sorted by employment.
Source: [2] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Union outside linemen earn a median $58.49 base plus fringes on federal work
Davis-Bacon wage determinations publish the collectively bargained outside lineman rate wherever a union rate prevailed in DOL's survey. In 46 current rate areas the base rate ran above the OEWS state median in most states, and the fringe package added roughly half again on top.
Davis-Bacon union rate identifier: In a wage determination, a code such as ELEC0702-004 means the collectively bargained rate of electrical workers' local numbered in the code prevailed for that classification; the date beside it is the effective date of the latest negotiated rate (WD OH20260001 explanatory notes).
Of 56 union lineman rate areas found in active WDs, 46 had a rate effective in 2024 or later. Their median base was $58.49 an hour and the median total package was $85.94 (SAM.gov WD search).
The highest current base was $74.55 under ELEC0702-004 in southeast Missouri (WD MO20260001). Alaska's ELEC1547-005 paid $72.59 plus $35.65 in fringes (WD AK20260001).
The lowest current base was $36.75 (ELEC0816-001, Kentucky). Texas had one union lineman area, ELEC0220-001, at $41.31, 1.09 times the Texas OEWS median (WD TX20260016).
Median of current Davis-Bacon union lineman base rates and OEWS May 2025 median, by state
Sources: U.S. DOL Wage and Hour Division wage determinations via SAM.gov (checked 2026-10-27); BLS OEWS May 2025
| State | Current union areas | Median union base | Median union total package | OEWS median hourly | Union base minus OEWS median | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AK | 1 | $72.59 | $108.24 | $44.46 | $28.13 | 1.63 |
| NV | 2 | $65.09 | $93.79 | $46.42 | $18.67 | 1.40 |
| DE | 1 | $65.10 | $95.97 | $46.72 | $18.38 | 1.39 |
| MO | 3 | $58.15 | $86.51 | $46.33 | $11.82 | 1.26 |
| CO | 2 | $61.41 | $76.30 | $49.99 | $11.42 | 1.23 |
| IL | 7 | $62.90 | $93.37 | $51.98 | $10.92 | 1.21 |
| PA | 5 | $61.84 | $95.46 | $51.07 | $10.77 | 1.21 |
| UT | 1 | $58.83 | $80.04 | $48.66 | $10.17 | 1.21 |
| CA | 1 | $70.16 | $94.87 | $62.04 | $8.12 | 1.13 |
| KS | 1 | $53.68 | $80.12 | $48.86 | $4.82 | 1.10 |
| MA | 1 | $58.41 | $88.60 | $52.99 | $5.42 | 1.10 |
| KY | 2 | $40.30 | $54.84 | $37.03 | $3.27 | 1.09 |
| ND | 1 | $55.35 | $79.90 | $50.90 | $4.45 | 1.09 |
| TX | 1 | $41.31 | $57.03 | $37.95 | $3.36 | 1.09 |
| MI | 3 | $54.41 | $77.69 | $51.39 | $3.02 | 1.06 |
| NE | 1 | $47.07 | $69.58 | $44.30 | $2.77 | 1.06 |
| NY | 1 | $61.56 | $97.77 | $58.31 | $3.25 | 1.06 |
| OH | 4 | $46.55 | $66.58 | $44.78 | $1.77 | 1.04 |
| IN | 4 | $50.28 | $72.55 | $49.06 | $1.22 | 1.02 |
| OR | 1 | $64.17 | $88.71 | $63.02 | $1.15 | 1.02 |
| NJ | 1 | $57.65 | $107.42 | $58.45 | -$0.80 | 0.99 |
| DC | 1 | $44.56 | $62.06 | $48.67 | -$4.11 | 0.92 |
| HI | 1 | $56.55 | $89.71 | $64.59 | -$8.04 | 0.88 |
Median of current union lineman base rates in each state compared with the OEWS May 2025 state median hourly wage. Sorted by ratio.
Source: [9][1] U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, via SAM.gov; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
The median union base was 1.15 times the OEWS state median and the median total package was 1.66 times. The comparison is not like for like: the union figure is a journeyman rate, while the OEWS median includes apprentices, groundmen classed as line installers, and non-union crews.
Davis-Bacon rates lag the contracts. California's own 2026 journeyman lineman rate was $74.43, $4.27 above the $70.16 ELEC1245 rate still printed in the federal WD (California DIR C-61-X-3). 10 of 56 areas carry rates effective before 2024.
Show all 56 rows
| State | Union identifier | Area covered | Rate effective | Base | Fringe | Total package | OEWS state median | Base / median | WD (mod, published) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AK | ELEC1547-005 | 26 counties in WD coverage | 2025-04-01 | $72.59 | $35.65 | $108.24 | $44.46 | 1.63 | AK20260001 (mod 4, 2026-10-15) |
| CA | ELEC1245-001, ELEC1245-002, ELEC1245-004 | 1 county in WD coverage | 2025-01-01 | $70.16 | $24.71 | $94.87 | $62.04 | 1.13 | CA20260014 (mod 7, 2026-10-15) |
| CA | ELEC0659-008 | Del Norte, Modoc & Siskiyou Counties | 2023-02-01 | $60.54 | $24.87 | $85.41 | $62.04 | 0.98 | CA20260007 (mod 5, 2026-09-03) |
| CO | ELEC0111-001 | 12 counties in WD coverage | 2025-09-01 | $61.46 | $14.90 | $76.36 | $49.99 | 1.23 | CO20260002 (mod 1, 2026-05-18) |
| CO | ELEC0111-002 | 52 counties in WD coverage | 2025-09-01 | $61.36 | $14.88 | $76.24 | $49.99 | 1.23 | CO20260003 (mod 1, 2026-05-18) |
| DC | ELEC0070-001 | 1 county in WD coverage | 2024-05-05 | $44.56 | $17.50 | $62.06 | $48.67 | 0.92 | DC20260001 (mod 6, 2026-08-27) |
| DE | ELEC0126-003 | 1 county in WD coverage | 2025-06-02 | $65.10 | $30.87 | $95.97 | $46.72 | 1.39 | DE20260010 (mod 1, 2026-05-18) |
| HI | ELEC1186-002 | 5 counties in WD coverage | 2025-08-24 | $56.55 | $33.16 | $89.71 | $64.59 | 0.88 | HI20260001 (mod 4, 2026-10-15) |
| ID | ELEC0291-008 | 1 county in WD coverage | 2021-03-01 | $51.02 | $17.93 | $68.95 | $60.29 | 0.85 | ID20260108 (mod 2, 2026-05-18) |
| IL | ELEC0649-002 | 11 counties in WD coverage | 2026-01-05 | $66.70 | $30.84 | $97.54 | $51.98 | 1.28 | IL20260017 (mod 5, 2026-07-30) |
| IL | ELEC0702-002 | Alexander, Clay, Crawford, Edwards, Effingham, Franklin, Fayette (Excludes Porti | 2025-01-06 | $65.52 | $27.85 | $93.37 | $51.98 | 1.26 | IL20260016 (mod 2, 2026-07-30) |
| IL | ELEC0309-009 | Randolph County (Red Bud Township | 2025-01-06 | $64.83 | $29.01 | $93.84 | $51.98 | 1.25 | IL20260016 (mod 2, 2026-07-30) |
| IL | ELEC0193-010, ELEC0193-011 | Cass, Logan, Mason (Townships Of Lynchburg, Bath, Kilbourne, Crane Creek, Salt C | 2025-01-01 | $62.90 | $26.06 | $88.96 | $51.98 | 1.21 | IL20260015 (mod 2, 2026-07-30) |
| IL | ELEC0009-001, ELEC0009-002, ELEC0009-003 | Will County | 2024-05-26 | $62.10 | $37.29 | $99.39 | $51.98 | 1.19 | IL20260008 (mod 3, 2026-10-22) |
| IL | ELEC0051-001 | Ford, Iroquois, Lasalle, Livingston, Mclean, Marshall, Putnam, And Woodford Coun | 2024-03-04 | $61.36 | $27.19 | $88.55 | $51.98 | 1.18 | IL20260013 (mod 1, 2026-05-18) |
| IL | ELEC0196-001, ELEC0196-002 | 10 counties in WD coverage | 2023-03-06 | $59.17 | $27.12 | $86.29 | $51.98 | 1.14 | IL20260012 (mod 2, 2026-07-30) |
| IL | ELEC0051-002, ELEC0051-003, ELEC0051-004, ELEC0051-005 | 10 counties in WD coverage | 2024-01-01 | $58.58 | $26.29 | $84.87 | $51.98 | 1.13 | IL20260014 (mod 2, 2026-07-30) |
| IL | ELEC0145-003, ELEC0145-007 | Carroll (Townships Of Fair Haven, Freedom, Mount Carroll, Salem, Savanna, Washin | 2023-12-04 | $52.67 | $24.38 | $77.05 | $51.98 | 1.01 | IL20260012 (mod 2, 2026-07-30) |
| IN | ELEC0702-003 | Dubois, Gibson, Perry, Pike, Posey, Spencer And Vanderburgh Counties | 2025-01-02 | $60.15 | $26.90 | $87.05 | $49.06 | 1.23 | IN20260006 (mod 3, 2026-07-30) |
| IN | ELEC1393-001 | Remaining Counties | 2025-12-02 | $50.28 | $22.38 | $72.66 | $49.06 | 1.02 | IN20260006 (mod 3, 2026-07-30) |
| IN | ELEC1393-003 | Lake & Porter Counties (Calumet Area, North Of U.S. Hwy 30 | 2025-01-02 | $50.28 | $22.16 | $72.44 | $49.06 | 1.02 | IN20260001 (mod 3, 2026-05-18) |
| IN | ELEC0071-006 | Dearborn, Ohio, And Swtizerland Counties | 2024-01-02 | $44.52 | $18.43 | $62.95 | $49.06 | 0.91 | IN20260006 (mod 3, 2026-07-30) |
| IN | ELEC0369-009 | Clark, Floyd, And Harrison Counties | 2007-05-30 | $22.25 | $6.35 | $28.60 | $49.06 | 0.45 | IN20260004 (mod 2, 2026-05-18) |
| KS | ELEC0304-001 | 1 county in WD coverage | 2025-06-29 | $53.68 | $26.44 | $80.12 | $48.86 | 1.10 | KS20260005 (mod 1, 2026-05-18) |
| KY | ELEC0369-004 | 1 county in WD coverage | 2024-09-04 | $43.84 | $18.80 | $62.64 | $37.03 | 1.18 | KY20260050 (mod 1, 2026-05-18) |
| KY | ELEC0245-006 | 1 county in WD coverage | 2017-08-28 | $38.69 | $15.25 | $53.94 | $37.03 | 1.04 | KY20260072 (mod 1, 2026-05-18) |
| KY | ELEC0816-001 | 1 county in WD coverage | 2025-06-01 | $36.75 | $10.29 | $47.04 | $37.03 | 0.99 | KY20260068 (mod 1, 2026-05-18) |
| MA | ELEC0104-001 | 8 counties in WD coverage | 2024-09-01 | $58.41 | $30.19 | $88.60 | $52.99 | 1.10 | MA20260001 (mod 1, 2026-05-18) |
| MA | ELEC0042-003 | 4 counties in WD coverage | 2017-09-03 | $46.96 | $25.05 | $72.01 | $52.99 | 0.89 | MA20260003 (mod 1, 2026-05-18) |
| MI | ELEC0017-001, ELEC0017-003, ELEC0017-009 | Remainder Of County | 2025-06-01 | $61.06 | $25.11 | $86.17 | $51.39 | 1.19 | MI20260069 (mod 1, 2026-05-18) |
| MI | ELEC0876-003 | Township Of Holly | 2025-06-07 | $54.41 | $23.28 | $77.69 | $51.39 | 1.06 | MI20260069 (mod 1, 2026-05-18) |
| MI | ELEC0876-004 | Townships Of Cohoctah, Deerfield, Tyrone & Unadilla | 2025-06-01 | $54.41 | $23.28 | $77.69 | $51.39 | 1.06 | MI20260064 (mod 1, 2026-05-18) |
| MO | ELEC0702-004 | Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Dunklin, Madison, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pe | 2025-01-06 | $74.55 | $30.47 | $105.02 | $46.33 | 1.61 | MO20260001 (mod 4, 2026-08-27) |
| MO | ELEC0053-005 | 115 counties in WD coverage | 2025-08-31 | $58.15 | $27.56 | $85.71 | $46.33 | 1.26 | MO20260001 (mod 4, 2026-08-27) |
| MO | ELEC0002-001 | 115 counties in WD coverage | 2025-08-31 | $57.88 | $28.63 | $86.51 | $46.33 | 1.25 | MO20260001 (mod 4, 2026-08-27) |
| MT | ELEC0044-002, ELEC0044-003 | 1 county in WD coverage | 2021-06-01 | $48.65 | $9.40 | $58.05 | $53.04 | 0.92 | MT20260072 (mod 1, 2026-05-18) |
| ND | ELEC0714-019 | 53 counties in WD coverage | 2025-11-30 | $55.35 | $24.55 | $79.90 | $50.90 | 1.09 | ND20260001 (mod 5, 2026-10-01) |
| NE | ELEC1525-004 | Lineman: Douglas County Only | 2024-09-01 | $47.07 | $22.51 | $69.58 | $44.30 | 1.06 | NE20260028 (mod 1, 2026-05-18) |
| NJ | ELEC0351-002 | Atlantic County; Burlington County (South Of A Line Following The West And South | 2025-11-30 | $57.65 | $49.77 | $107.42 | $58.45 | 0.99 | NJ20260001 (mod 2, 2026-05-18) |
| NV | ELEC0396-005 | 3 counties in WD coverage | 2025-10-01 | $68.11 | $25.40 | $93.51 | $46.42 | 1.47 | NV20260001 (mod 2, 2026-05-26) |
| NV | ELEC0396-004 | 3 counties in WD coverage | 2025-10-01 | $62.08 | $31.99 | $94.07 | $46.42 | 1.34 | NV20260002 (mod 3, 2026-06-01) |
| NY | ELEC1249-004, ELEC1249-011 | 4 counties in WD coverage | 2025-05-05 | $61.56 | $36.21 | $97.77 | $58.31 | 1.06 | NY20260007 (mod 3, 2026-10-08) |
| OH | ELEC0071-005 | 88 counties in WD coverage | 2025-01-06 | $54.96 | $23.09 | $78.05 | $44.78 | 1.23 | OH20260001 (mod 5, 2026-09-17) |
| OH | ELEC0245-001 | Allen, Hardin, Van Wert & Wyandot (Crawford, Jackson, Marseilles, Mifflin, Richl | 2024-08-26 | $47.07 | $21.03 | $68.10 | $44.78 | 1.05 | OH20260001 (mod 5, 2026-09-17) |
| OH | ELEC0071-010 | Statewide | 2025-01-06 | $46.02 | $19.04 | $65.06 | $44.78 | 1.03 | OH20260001 (mod 5, 2026-09-17) |
| OH | ELEC0245-003 | Defiance, Fulton, Hancock, Henry, Huron, Lucas, Ottawa, Paulding, Putnam, Sandus | 2025-01-01 | $37.50 | $18.60 | $56.10 | $44.78 | 0.84 | OH20260001 (mod 5, 2026-09-17) |
| OR | ELEC0125-002 | 1 county in WD coverage | 2024-02-01 | $64.17 | $24.54 | $88.71 | $63.02 | 1.02 | OR20260063 (mod 1, 2026-05-18) |
| PA | ELEC1319-001, ELEC1319-004 | 29 counties in WD coverage | 2025-09-01 | $68.06 | $31.43 | $99.49 | $51.07 | 1.33 | PA20260006 (mod 2, 2026-09-17) |
| PA | ELEC0126-002, ELEC0126-008, ELEC0126-009 | Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Philadelphia, And Remainder Of Bucks County | 2024-06-03 | $62.54 | $32.92 | $95.46 | $51.07 | 1.22 | PA20260004 (mod 8, 2026-10-01) |
| PA | ELEC0269-002 | Bucks County – That Portion East Of A Line Starting At The Delaware River And Fo | 2025-07-07 | $61.84 | $40.04 | $101.88 | $51.07 | 1.21 | PA20260004 (mod 8, 2026-10-01) |
| PA | ELEC0126-005, ELEC0126-006 | 33 counties in WD coverage | 2024-06-03 | $54.38 | $30.13 | $84.51 | $51.07 | 1.06 | PA20260002 (mod 6, 2026-09-17) |
| PA | ELEC0126-001, ELEC0126-007 | Adams, Berks, Cumberland, Dauphin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Northamp | 2024-06-03 | $53.20 | $29.72 | $82.92 | $51.07 | 1.04 | PA20260006 (mod 2, 2026-09-17) |
| TX | ELEC0220-001 | 1 county in WD coverage | 2024-06-02 | $41.31 | $15.72 | $57.03 | $37.95 | 1.09 | TX20260016 (mod 1, 2026-05-18) |
| UT | ELEC0057-001, ELEC0057-002 | 2 counties in WD coverage | 2025-03-01 | $58.83 | $21.21 | $80.04 | $48.66 | 1.21 | UT20260097 (mod 1, 2026-05-18) |
| WA | ELEC0077-001 | 1 county in WD coverage | 2023-02-01 | $60.54 | $24.88 | $85.42 | $63.97 | 0.95 | WA20260043 (mod 2, 2026-05-18) |
| WI | ELEC0953-001 | 72 counties in WD coverage | 2019-06-02 | $47.53 | $21.43 | $68.96 | $50.88 | 0.93 | WI20260010 (mod 1, 2026-05-18) |
Base and fringe as printed in the current modification of each active general wage determination on SAM.gov (checked 2026-10-27). Identical rate areas that share a local, rate and effective date are merged; all of their identifiers are listed. Rates effective before 2024-01-01 are kept but excluded from medians. OEWS state median is May 2025 straight-time pay for all power-line installers.
Source: [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][1] U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, via SAM.gov; U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, via SAM.gov; U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, via SAM.gov; U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, via SAM.gov; U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, via SAM.gov; U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, via SAM.gov; U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, via SAM.gov; U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, via SAM.gov; U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, via SAM.gov; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Apprentice linemen start near 60% of the journeyman rate and climb in 7,000 hours
Registered outside line programs pay apprentices a rising share of the journeyman rate. California's public schedule shows the full ladder in dollars; JATC statements confirm the same 60% entry point elsewhere.
California's 2026-2 apprentice determination for Electrical Utility Lineman sets seven periods of 1,000 on-the-job hours. Period 1 pays $44.66 an hour and period 7 pays $66.99 (California DIR apprentice rates).
Against the $74.43 journeyman rate, the ladder runs P1 60.0%; P2 65.0%; P3 70.0%; P4 75.0%; P5 80.0%; P6 85.0%; P7 90.0%. The climb from period 1 to period 7 is $22.33 an hour in base pay.
Basic hourly rate per 1,000-hour period vs journeyman rate
Source: California Department of Industrial Relations, apprentice determination 2026-2 and C-61-X-3-2026-1
The Mountain States Line Constructors JATC says outside lineman apprentices start at 60% of journeyman wages and that rates vary between locals; its program requires 7,000 OJT hours (MSLCAT). The Cal-Nev JATC describes seven steps over 7,000 hours (Cal-Nev JATC).
Applied to Davis-Bacon union journeyman rates, a 60% entry step equals $35.30 in Utah and $36.88 in Colorado. These dollar figures are our calculation, not a published rate.
| Step | OJT hours | Basic hourly rate | Share of journeyman base | Total hourly (with fringes) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California period 1 | 1,000 | $44.66 | 60.0% | $67.13 |
| California period 2 | 1,000 | $48.38 | 65.0% | $71.04 |
| California period 3 | 1,000 | $52.10 | 70.0% | $74.95 |
| California period 4 | 1,000 | $55.82 | 75.0% | $78.86 |
| California period 5 | 1,000 | $59.54 | 80.0% | $82.78 |
| California period 6 | 1,000 | $63.27 | 85.0% | $86.70 |
| California period 7 | 1,000 | $66.99 | 90.0% | $90.59 |
| California journeyman (C-61-X-3) | n/a | $74.43 | 100.0% | $101.19 |
| UT entry step at 60% of ELEC0057-001 (2025-03-01) | n/a | $35.30 | 60.0% | n/a |
| CO entry step at 60% of ELEC0111-001 (2025-09-01) | n/a | $36.88 | 60.0% | n/a |
| MT entry step at 60% of ELEC0044-002 (2021-06-01) | n/a | $29.19 | 60.0% | n/a |
California rows are the state's 2026-2 apprentice determination (each period 1,000 OJT hours) and journeyman determination C-61-X-3. Mountain States rows apply the JATC's stated 60% entry rate to the Davis-Bacon union journeyman base in that state; the Montana rate dates from 2021.
Source: [20][18][23][10] California Department of Industrial Relations; California Department of Industrial Relations; Mountain States Line Constructors JATC; U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, via SAM.gov
Records conflict on California's entry rate: the DAS program listing for Cal-Nev shows a starting wage of $34.07 and 42 months, below the $44.66 in the 2026-2 determination. The determination is the legally binding public works rate. Training costs belong to the lineman school report.
Overtime and storm work sit outside the federal wage medians
Storm restoration and long weeks raise many linemen's annual pay well above straight-time medians, but no federal survey publishes lineman overtime earnings. The public record shows the overtime rules, not the totals.
OEWS wages are straight-time gross pay; overtime pay, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses are excluded (BLS). Every OEWS lineman salary in this report is therefore a floor for workers who log overtime.
BLS reports that some power-line installers work more than 40 hours per week, and that after storms they may travel to affected areas and work long hours for several days in a row (Occupational Outlook Handbook).
California's journeyman lineman determination prints daily, Saturday and Sunday or holiday overtime at double time: $179.40 an hour against a $101.19 straight-time total (California DIR).
Utilities pay linemen 34.8% more than line contractors at the median
Almost half of linemen work for electric utilities and about three in ten for utility system construction contractors. The utility median is higher, but the contractor top decile is close behind.
National, SOC 49-9051
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates
Electric power generation, transmission and distribution (NAICS 2211) employed 62,470 linemen in May 2025 at a median $49.30 an hour ($102,550 a year) (BLS OEWS industry file).
Utility system construction (NAICS 2371) employed 38,990 at a median $36.57 ($76,060). The 90th percentile was $62.27 at utilities and $58.05 at contractors, a much smaller gap than at the median.
Local government, which includes municipal utilities, employed 13,150 linemen at $43.30. Natural gas distribution paid the highest median of the listed industries at $66.04, on 2,830 jobs.
| Industry (NAICS) | Employment | Share of occupation | Median hourly | Median annual | 90th pct hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211) | 62,470 | 47.7% | $49.30 | $102,550 | $62.27 |
| Utility System Construction (2371) | 38,990 | 29.7% | $36.57 | $76,060 | $58.05 |
| Building Equipment Contractors (2382) | 7,660 | 5.8% | $36.66 | $76,250 | $59.98 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (9993) | 13,150 | 10.0% | $43.30 | $90,060 | $60.77 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) (9991) | 1,870 | 1.4% | $53.80 | $111,900 | $71.15 |
| Natural Gas Distribution (2212) | 2,830 | 2.2% | $66.04 | $137,360 | $77.20 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises (5511) | 1,200 | 0.9% | $48.09 | $100,020 | $57.94 |
Selected industries from the OEWS national industry-specific file. Share = industry employment / all 131,070 power-line installer jobs.
Source: [4][3] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
The contractor median likely reflects a larger share of apprentices and of non-union crews in low-wage states; OEWS does not split pay by union status or experience, so the gap is not a same-job comparison.
How we ranked the states
Union lineman base rate, median of current Davis-Bacon areas
Formulamedian(base rate) across union lineman rate areas with effective date 2024-01-01 or later
Inputs: fact sheet WD rows (one per rate area); derived_metrics d7 (fact sheet rows)
Result: $58.49
A typical union journeyman outside lineman rate on federally funded work in 2026, across 46 areas.
Limitations: Areas weighted equally; Davis-Bacon rates can lag the current agreement.
Union base to OEWS median ratio
Formulamedian(area base / OEWS May 2025 state median hourly)
Inputs: WD rows and state H_MEDIAN rows; d9, d10 (fact sheet rows)
Result: 1.15 (base); 1.66 (total package)
Union journeyman base pay runs above the all-worker state median in most states with a union rate.
Limitations: OEWS includes apprentices and non-union workers and excludes benefits; the ratio is a scale comparison.
Utility vs contractor median
FormulaNAICS 2211 median / NAICS 2371 median - 1
Inputs: fact sheet rows for NAICS 221100 and 237100; d5 (fact sheet rows)
Result: 34.8% ($12.73 an hour)
Utility employment pays more at the median; the top decile gap is small.
Limitations: Mix of experience and union status differs by industry.
Line-job concentration
Formularank of OEWS location quotient by state
Inputs: state employment rows; d3 (fact sheet rows)
Result: WY 2.83; MS 2.34; OK 2.29; ME 2.15; WV 2.14
Rural, high-mileage states depend most on line work.
Limitations: Concentration, not size.
Apprentice ladder in dollars
Formulaperiod base / journeyman base x 100; entry = area base x 0.60
Inputs: California DIR apprentice rows, C-61-X-3 row, MSLCAT row; d15, d18 (fact sheet rows)
Result: California 60.0% to 90.0%; Utah entry $35.30
Apprentice pay rises about five points of the journeyman rate per 1,000-hour period in California.
Limitations: Only California publishes the full ladder in this set; other dollar steps are calculated.
State by state
- The U.S. median wage for electrical power-line installers and repairers was $45.83 an hour and $95,320 a year in May 2025.[3]
- The top 10% of U.S. linemen earned more than $61.87 an hour ($128,690 a year) in May 2025; the bottom 10% earned less than $24.74.[3]
- Hawaii had the highest state median lineman wage in May 2025 at $64.59 an hour ($134,340 a year).[1]
- Arizona had the lowest state median in May 2025 at $36.26 an hour, $28.33 below Hawaii.[1]
- 30 of 51 states (including DC) had a median at or above the national $45.83 in May 2025.[1][3]
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had the highest metro median lineman wage in May 2025 at $75.78 an hour ($157,620 a year).[2]
- Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX had the most line installer jobs of any metro in May 2025 (4,380), at a median of $39.77 an hour.[2]
- Wyoming had the highest concentration of line jobs in May 2025, a location quotient of 2.83.[1]
- The median union outside lineman base rate across 46 current Davis-Bacon rate areas was $58.49 an hour in 2026 wage determinations.[9]
- The highest current union lineman base rate was $74.55 (ELEC0702-004, southeast Missouri), with a total package of $105.02 an hour.[11]
- Alaska's union lineman package (ELEC1547-005) was $72.59 base plus $35.65 fringe, $108.24 an hour in WD AK20260001.[10]
- Utilities (NAICS 2211) employed 62,470 linemen (47.7%) at a median $49.30 an hour in May 2025.[4]
- Utility system construction contractors (NAICS 2371) employed 38,990 linemen (29.7%) at a median $36.57 an hour in May 2025.[4]
- California's journeyman Electrical Utility Lineman rate was $74.43 base and $101.19 total in determination C-61-X-3-2026-1, with overtime at double time ($179.40).[18]
- 50.1% of U.S. electrical power-line installers were union members in 2025, compared with 34.3% of electricians.[22]
In short
- The national median lineman salary was $95,320 ($45.83 an hour) in May 2025 for 131,070 electrical power-line installers and repairers (BLS OEWS).
- Hawaii ($64.59), Washington ($63.97) and Oregon ($63.02) had the highest state medians in May 2025; Arizona ($36.26) had the lowest.
- Texas employed the most linemen (17,280) but paid a median of only $37.95 an hour in May 2025.
- Across 46 current union rate areas in 2026 Davis-Bacon wage determinations, the median outside lineman base rate was $58.49 and the median total package with fringes was $85.94 an hour.
- The median union base rate was 1.15 times the OEWS state median, and the median total package was 1.66 times.
- Utility-employed linemen earned a median $49.30 an hour in May 2025, $12.73 more than the $36.57 median at utility system construction contractors.
- California's 2026 apprentice schedule starts linemen at $44.66 (60.0% of journeyman) and reaches $66.99 (90.0%) in period 7.
- None of the federal wage medians include overtime or storm pay, so actual annual earnings for many line workers run above these figures.
What people search for
How much does a lineman make?
A lineman makes a median $95,320 a year, or $45.83 an hour, in the United States (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half earned between $32.34 and $52.76 an hour. Overtime is not included.
How much do journeyman linemen make?
Federal surveys do not separate journeymen from apprentices. Union journeyman scales are the best public record: the median base in 46 current Davis-Bacon areas was $58.49 an hour, and California's 2026 journeyman rate was $74.43 base, $101.19 with fringes.
How much do apprentice linemen make?
In California's 2026 schedule, apprentice linemen earn $44.66 an hour in period 1 (60.0% of journeyman) rising to $66.99 in period 7. The Mountain States JATC says its apprentices start at 60% of journeyman wages.
Do union linemen make more?
On federal work, yes in most states: the median union lineman base was 1.15 times the OEWS state median, and 50.1% of power-line installers were union members in 2025 (Unionstats.com). In Hawaii, New Jersey and DC the WD union base sat below the state median.
What is the lineman death rate?
This report covers pay only. Fatal injury rates for power-line installers, from BLS injury data, are in our electrical injury statistics report.
Common questions
How much does a lineman make an hour?
The median was $45.83 an hour in May 2025 for U.S. electrical power-line installers and repairers (BLS OEWS). State medians ranged from $36.26 in Arizona to $64.59 in Hawaii.
What is the average lineman salary per year?
The mean was $91,970 and the median $95,320 in May 2025 (BLS OEWS). Both exclude overtime.
What state pays linemen the most?
Hawaii, at a median $64.59 an hour ($134,340 a year) in May 2025, followed by Washington at $63.97 and Oregon at $63.02.
What state pays linemen the least?
Arizona had the lowest median in May 2025 at $36.26 an hour, just under Mississippi at $36.49.
Which city pays linemen the most?
Among metros with 100 or more line jobs, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA paid the highest median in May 2025: $75.78 an hour.
What is the union lineman pay scale?
Across 46 current Davis-Bacon union rate areas, outside lineman base rates ran from $36.75 to $74.55 an hour, with a median of $58.49 and a median total package of $85.94.
What is the IBEW lineman pay scale in California?
California's state determination C-61-X-3-2026-1 sets $74.43 base and $101.19 total for journeyman linemen, issued 2026-08-22. The federal WD still prints $70.16 for ELEC1245.
Do linemen make more than electricians?
Yes at the median: $45.83 an hour for linemen vs $30.38 for electricians in May 2025, a gap of $15.45 (BLS OEWS).
Do utility linemen make more than contractor linemen?
At the median, yes: $49.30 at electric utilities vs $36.57 at utility system construction firms in May 2025, a 34.8% premium.
Is lineman a growing job?
BLS projects employment of 145,500 in 2035, up 10% from 131,900 in 2025, with about 10,900 openings a year.
Get the data
Every table in this report is available as a CSV under CC BY 4.0. The fact sheet lists each value with its source URL and access date.
- derived_metrics.csv (CSV)
- fact_sheet.csv (CSV)
- Lineman salary by state: median and 90th percentile wage, May 2025 (SOC 49-9051) (CSV)
- Top-paying metro areas for linemen, May 2025 (metros with 100+ line installer jobs) (CSV)
- The 15 metro areas with the most linemen, May 2025 (CSV)
- Union outside lineman rates in 56 Davis-Bacon rate areas (journeyman lineman classification) (CSV)
- Lineman pay by industry: utilities vs contractors, May 2025 (national) (CSV)
- Apprentice lineman pay ladder: California schedule and Mountain States entry rates (CSV)
- Union lineman base vs OEWS median by state (current Davis-Bacon areas) (CSV)
Cite this report
The figures to cite first
- The median U.S. lineman salary was $95,320 ($45.83 an hour) in May 2025, according to BLS OEWS.[3]
- Union outside lineman base rates in 46 current 2026 Davis-Bacon areas had a median of $58.49 an hour, 1.15 times the OEWS state median.[9][1]
- Electric utilities paid linemen a median $49.30 an hour in May 2025, 34.8% more than utility system construction contractors ($36.57).[4]
Quotable figures
- The median U.S. lineman salary was $95,320 ($45.83 an hour) in May 2025, according to BLS OEWS.[3]
- Hawaii paid linemen a median $64.59 an hour in May 2025, the highest of any state; Arizona paid $36.26, the lowest.[1]
- Union outside lineman base rates in 46 current 2026 Davis-Bacon areas had a median of $58.49 an hour, 1.15 times the OEWS state median.[9][1]
- Electric utilities paid linemen a median $49.30 an hour in May 2025, 34.8% more than utility system construction contractors ($36.57).[4]
- California's 2026 apprentice schedule pays linemen $44.66 an hour in the first 1,000 hours, 60.0% of the $74.43 journeyman rate.[20][18]
- 50.1% of U.S. electrical power-line installers were union members in 2025.[22]
Summary for editors
A new Electrical Contractors and Wiring Data Desk report builds a lineman salary table from federal records instead of job ads. The median U.S. lineman earned $45.83 an hour, $95,320 a year, in May 2025, according to BLS OEWS data for 131,070 power-line installers. Hawaii had the highest state median at $64.59 and Arizona the lowest at $36.26. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA led metros at $75.78. From the current modifications of 2026 Davis-Bacon wage determinations, the report lists 56 union outside lineman rate areas; the 46 with current rates had a median base of $58.49 and a median package of $85.94 with fringes. Utilities paid a median 34.8% more than line contractors. California's apprentice schedule starts linemen at 60.0% of journeyman pay. None of the federal medians include overtime or storm pay.
Headlines the data supports
- Lineman salary hits $95,320 median as line jobs grow 6.0% in a year
- Hawaii linemen earn $64.59 an hour, $28.33 more than in Arizona
- Union lineman base rates average $58.49 across 46 federal wage areas
- Utility linemen out-earn contractor crews by 34.8% at the median
- Apprentice linemen start at 60% of journeyman pay in California's 2026 schedule
Citation
Electrical Contractors and Wiring. (2026). Lineman salary by state, metro and union scale (2026 data). Retrieved from https://electricalcontractorsandwiring.com/data/lineman-salary/
Reuse
Data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0. Attribution: “Source: Electrical Contractors and Wiring, Lineman salary by state, metro and union scale (2026 data)” with a link to this page.
How we built this report
Selection: typical pay comes from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 bulk files (state, metro, national and national industry-specific), released 2026-05-15, the latest release on the access date. We used SOC 49-9051, Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers, and cite medians rather than means.
Union scale: we pulled the full list of active Davis-Bacon general wage determinations from the public SAM.gov search API (sorted by title, 2026-10-27), downloaded the current modification of every WD with a Building, Heavy or Highway schedule, split each document into rate identifiers and kept journeyman lineman classifications under union identifiers. We excluded telecom, traffic signal and lighting, groundman, operator-only, tree trimmer and powderman lines. When an identifier listed several lineman lines, we kept the plain lineman line over welder, pipe-type cable or catenary variants. Areas sharing the same state, local, rate, fringe and effective date were merged.
Current vs stale: medians of union rates use only areas with a rate effective 2024-01-01 or later. Older rates are shown in table 4 with their dates. Survey (SU) and state-adopted (SA) lineman rates were counted but not mixed into union figures.
Apprentice ladders: California publishes both journeyman and apprentice lineman rates as state determinations, so its ladder is shown in dollars as published. For other areas we report only what a registered program states (a 60% entry rate for the Mountain States JATC) and multiply that share by the area's Davis-Bacon union journeyman base, labelled as our calculation.
Conflicts: the California DAS listing for Cal-Nev shows a lower starting wage and longer term than the 2026-2 apprentice determination; we treat the determination as authoritative and report both. Davis-Bacon rates for California lag the state's own 2026 lineman rate; both are shown.
Derived metrics: every ratio, median, premium and share is in derived_metrics.csv with its formula and fact sheet rows, and the scripts folder rebuilds all tables from the raw files.
Limitations: OEWS excludes overtime, the self-employed and benefits; it mixes apprentices with journeymen and union with non-union workers; small metros carry wide sampling error; BLS cautions against year-to-year comparisons. Davis-Bacon union rates cover federally funded construction and only the areas where a union rate prevailed in DOL's survey. The union membership rate comes from a small CPS sample.
Independence: Electrical Contractors and Wiring is not affiliated with the IBEW, NECA, any JATC or any line school. This report is not career, legal or financial advice.
Last updated 2026-10-27. OEWS is annual; DOL modifies wage determinations throughout the year.
This report presents published data with its limitations. It is not legal, financial or investment advice.
Sources by tier
Tier 1: primary and official sources (21)
- [1] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, state file (49-9051). May 2025 (released 2026-05-15). Accessed 2026-10-27.
- [2] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, metropolitan area file. May 2025. Accessed 2026-10-27.
- [3] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national file. May 2025. Accessed 2026-10-27.
- [4] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national industry-specific estimates. May 2025. Accessed 2026-10-27.
- [5] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, national file. May 2024. Accessed 2026-10-27.
- [6] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. OEWS technical notes (wage definition). Current. Accessed 2026-10-27.
- [7] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2025 (news release USDL-26-0725). Released 2026-05-15. Accessed 2026-10-27.
- [8] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook: Line Installers and Repairers. Pay May 2025; projections 2025 to 2035. Accessed 2026-10-27.
- [9] U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, via SAM.gov. Davis-Bacon wage determination search, all active WDs (public API). Active WDs as of 2026-10-27. Accessed 2026-10-27.
- [10] U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, via SAM.gov. General wage determination AK20260001, modification 4 (Alaska). Modification published 2026-10-15. Accessed 2026-10-27.
- [11] U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, via SAM.gov. General wage determination MO20260001, modification 4 (Missouri). Modification published 2026-08-27. Accessed 2026-10-27.
- [12] U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, via SAM.gov. General wage determination PA20260006, modification 2 (Pennsylvania). Modification published 2026-09-17. Accessed 2026-10-27.
- [13] U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, via SAM.gov. General wage determination CA20260014, modification 7 (California). Modification published 2026-10-15. Accessed 2026-10-27.
- [14] U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, via SAM.gov. General wage determination TX20260016, modification 1 (Texas). Modification published 2026-05-18. Accessed 2026-10-27.
- [15] U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, via SAM.gov. General wage determination IL20260017, modification 5 (Illinois). Modification published 2026-07-30. Accessed 2026-10-27.
- [16] U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, via SAM.gov. General wage determination NV20260001, modification 2 (Nevada). Modification published 2026-05-26. Accessed 2026-10-27.
- [17] U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, via SAM.gov. General wage determination OH20260001, modification 5 (Ohio). Modification published 2026-09-17. Accessed 2026-10-27.
- [18] California Department of Industrial Relations. General Prevailing Wage Determination C-61-X-3-2026-1: Electrical Utility Lineman. Issued 2026-08-22, expires 2027-05-31. Accessed 2026-10-27.
- [19] California Department of Industrial Relations. General Prevailing Wage Determination C-61-X-8-2026-1: Electrical Utility Lineman (Del Norte, Modoc, Siskiyou). Issued 2026-02-22. Accessed 2026-10-27.
- [20] California Department of Industrial Relations. General Prevailing Wage Apprentice Rates: Electrical Utility Lineman 2026-2. Issued 2026-08-22, expires 2027-05-31. Accessed 2026-10-27.
- [21] California Department of Industrial Relations, Division of Apprenticeship Standards. Apprenticeship program detail: Power Lineman, Cal-Nev Power Lineman J.A.T.C.. Data current as of 2026-10-26. Accessed 2026-10-27.
Tier 2: trade bodies, market research, company data (4)
- [22] Barry Hirsch and David Macpherson, Unionstats.com (CPS microdata). Union Membership, Coverage, Density and Employment by Occupation: 2025. 2025. Accessed 2026-10-27.
- [23] Mountain States Line Constructors JATC. Frequently Asked Questions (outside lineman apprenticeship). Accessed 2026-10-27. Accessed 2026-10-27.
- [24] California-Nevada Power Lineman JATC. Power Lineman Apprenticeship. Accessed 2026-10-27. Accessed 2026-10-27.
- [25] Southwestern Line Constructors Apprenticeship and Training. Lineman apprenticeship. Accessed 2026-10-27. Accessed 2026-10-27.