Lineman salary in California
Updated September 26, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025
Linemen in California earn a median of $129,040 a year, or $62.04 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The top 10% earn more than $167,090. Nationally the median is $95,320, so California pays 35% more than the U.S. overall and ranks 4th of 51.
- Apprentice starting pay (estimate)
- $37.19/hr
- Jobs in California
- 8,930
- After cost of living
- $116,550
- Median hourly pay
- $62.04/hr
- vs U.S. median
- +35%
- Rank among states
- 4th of 51
Apprentice and journeyman lineman pay
| Stage | Yearly pay | Hourly pay |
|---|---|---|
| Apprentice | $77,350–$98,680$37.19–$47.44/hr | |
| Journeyman | $129,040$62.04/hr | |
| Top earners | $156,380–$167,090$75.18–$80.33/hr |
Estimated from BLS percentiles (10th–25th, median, 75th–90th); BLS does not report pay by license level.
How California compares
- Linemen are less concentrated in California than nationally: 0.5 of every 1,000 jobs, 0.58 times the U.S. share.
- The 90th-percentile wage, $167,090, is 2.2 times the 10th-percentile wage, $77,350: a measure of how much pay rises with experience and specialty.
Pay by metro area
Rural California
- North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area$132,710
Other trades in California
Questions
- How much do linemen make in California?
- Linemen in California earn a median of $129,040 a year, or $62.04 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The top 10% earn more than $167,090.
- How much do linemen make an hour in California?
- The median hourly wage is $62.04. The middle half earn between $47.44 and $75.18 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)
- What do apprentice linemen make in California?
- BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $37.19 an hour ($77,350 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $47.44.
- How much does a journeyman lineman make in California?
- BLS doesn't report pay by license level, but the median, $129,040 a year ($62.04 an hour), is a fair estimate of typical journeyman pay. Master-level and top earners are closer to the 75th to 90th percentiles, $156,380–$167,090.
- Where in California do linemen earn the most?
- Among California metro areas, San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara has the highest median at $157,620 a year, and Vallejo the lowest at $112,990.
- Do linemen in California earn more than the national average?
- The California median of $129,040 is 35% more than the U.S. median of $95,320. Prices in California run 11% above the national average (BEA), so the median buys about what $116,550 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 49-9051 (Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers), area code 06. BLS counts wage and salary workers only, so self-employed linemen 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 (110.7, where the U.S. average is 100). Page updated September 26, 2026. How we calculate these figures