Lineman salary
Updated September 26, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025
Linemen in the U.S. earn a median of $95,320 a year, or $45.83 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The top 10% earn more than $128,690.
Median yearly pay$95,320
Bottom 10% under$51,470Top 10% over$128,690
- Apprentice starting pay (estimate)
- $24.74/hr
- Jobs nationwide
- 131,070
- Median hourly pay
- $45.83/hr
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Excludes self-employed linemen. *Starting pay is estimated from the 10th percentile; BLS does not report pay by license level.
Apprentice and journeyman lineman pay
| Stage | Yearly pay | Hourly pay |
|---|---|---|
| Apprentice | $51,470–$67,270$24.74–$32.34/hr | |
| Journeyman | $95,320$45.83/hr | |
| Top earners | $109,740–$128,690$52.76–$61.87/hr |
Estimated from BLS percentiles (10th–25th, median, 75th–90th); BLS does not report pay by license level.
How it compares
- The 90th-percentile wage, $128,690, is 2.5 times the 10th-percentile wage, $51,470: a measure of how much pay rises with experience and specialty.
Lineman pay by state
- Hawaii$134,340
- Washington$133,060
- Oregon$131,090
- California$129,040
- Connecticut$126,850
- Idaho$125,410
- New Jersey$121,580
- New York$121,280
- Montana$110,320
- Massachusetts$110,210
See all 50 states and DC
- Vermont$108,520
- Illinois$108,120
- Michigan$106,890
- Pennsylvania$106,230
- Maryland$106,090
- North Dakota$105,870
- Wisconsin$105,820
- Rhode Island$104,620
- Minnesota$104,180
- Colorado$103,980
- New Hampshire$102,170
- Indiana$102,040
- Kansas$101,620
- District of Columbia$101,240
- Utah$101,220
- Iowa$100,200
- South Dakota$97,310
- Delaware$97,180
- Nevada$96,560
- Missouri$96,360
- Wyoming$93,860
- Ohio$93,150
- Alaska$92,470
- Nebraska$92,150
- Alabama$92,030
- Florida$86,870
- West Virginia$83,810
- Tennessee$83,660
- Maine$83,090
- Arkansas$81,450
- Georgia$80,080
- Texas$78,940
- North Carolina$77,270
- Kentucky$77,020
- South Carolina$76,870
- Virginia$76,590
- New Mexico$76,470
- Louisiana$76,410
- Oklahoma$76,010
- Mississippi$75,890
- Arizona$75,420
Top-paying metro areas
- San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa ClaraCA$157,620
- Eugene–SpringfieldOR$140,270
- San Francisco–Oakland–FremontCA$137,180
- Olympia–Lacey–TumwaterWA$135,450
- Kiryas Joel–Poughkeepsie–NewburghNY$135,400
- Portland–Vancouver–HillsboroOR-WA$135,300
- Urban HonoluluHI$135,080
- El CentroCA$134,950
- SalemOR$134,500
- FresnoCA$134,150
See the top 20
Other trades in the U.S.
Questions
- How much do linemen make?
- Linemen in the U.S. earn a median of $95,320 a year, or $45.83 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The top 10% earn more than $128,690.
- How much do linemen make an hour in the U.S.?
- The median hourly wage is $45.83. The middle half earn between $32.34 and $52.76 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)
- What do apprentice linemen make in the U.S.?
- BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $24.74 an hour ($51,470 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $32.34.
- How much does a journeyman lineman make?
- BLS doesn't report pay by license level, but the median, $95,320 a year ($45.83 an hour), is a fair estimate of typical journeyman pay. Master-level and top earners are closer to the 75th to 90th percentiles, $109,740–$128,690.
- Which state pays linemen the most?
- Hawaii, with a median of $134,340 a year, followed by Washington ($133,060). Arizona has the lowest median, $75,420.
- Which metro area pays linemen the most?
- The San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara, CA area, with a median of $157,620 a year.
About this data
Wages are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for May 2025, occupation 49-9051 (Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers). BLS counts wage and salary workers only, so self-employed linemen and business owners aren't included. Page updated September 26, 2026. How we calculate these figures