Electrician salary in North Carolina
Updated September 26, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025
Electricians in North Carolina earn a median of $56,800 a year, or $27.31 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The highest-paid 10% make over $75,060 a year. North Carolina ranks 49th of 51 states and DC for electrician pay, at 10% less than the U.S. median of $63,190.
- Apprentice starting pay (estimate)
- $19.29/hr
- Jobs in North Carolina
- 21,640
- After cost of living
- $60,220
- Median hourly pay
- $27.31/hr
- vs U.S. median
- −10%
- Rank among states
- 49th of 51
Apprentice, journeyman and master electrician pay
| Stage | Yearly pay | Hourly pay |
|---|---|---|
| Apprentice | $40,130–$47,070$19.29–$22.63/hr | |
| Journeyman | $56,800$27.31/hr | |
| Master / top earners | $61,920–$75,060$29.77–$36.09/hr |
Estimated from BLS percentiles (10th–25th, median, 75th–90th); BLS does not report pay by license level.
How North Carolina compares
- Electricians are less concentrated in North Carolina than nationally: 4.4 of every 1,000 jobs, 0.90 times the U.S. share.
- The 90th-percentile wage, $75,060, is 1.9 times the 10th-percentile wage, $40,130: a measure of how much pay rises with experience and specialty.
Pay by metro area
Rural North Carolina
- Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area$55,020
- Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area$53,510
- Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area$51,540
Other trades in North Carolina
Questions
- How much do electricians make in North Carolina?
- Electricians in North Carolina earn a median of $56,800 a year, or $27.31 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The highest-paid 10% make over $75,060 a year.
- How much do electricians make an hour in North Carolina?
- The median hourly wage is $27.31. The middle half earn between $22.63 and $29.77 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)
- What do apprentice electricians make in North Carolina?
- BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $19.29 an hour ($40,130 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $22.63.
- How much does a journeyman electrician make in North Carolina?
- BLS doesn't report pay by license level, but the median, $56,800 a year ($27.31 an hour), is a fair estimate of typical journeyman pay. Master-level and top earners are closer to the 75th to 90th percentiles, $61,920–$75,060.
- Where in North Carolina do electricians earn the most?
- Among North Carolina metro areas, Virginia Beach–Chesapeake–Norfolk has the highest median at $62,350 a year, and Pinehurst–Southern Pines the lowest at $45,650.
- Do electricians in North Carolina earn more than the national average?
- The North Carolina median of $56,800 is 10% less than the U.S. median of $63,190. Prices in North Carolina run 6% below the national average (BEA), so the median buys about what $60,220 would nationally.
About this data
Wages are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for May 2025, occupation 47-2111 (Electricians), area code 37. BLS counts wage and salary workers only, so self-employed electricians and business owners aren't included. The cost-of-living figure divides the median by the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parity for 2024 (94.3, where the U.S. average is 100). Page updated September 26, 2026. How we calculate these figures