Lineman salary in Washington
Updated September 26, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025
Linemen in Washington earn a median of $133,060 a year, or $63.97 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. One in ten earns more than $147,810. That's 40% more than the national median of $95,320, 2nd of 51 states and DC.
- Apprentice starting pay (estimate)
- $38.77/hr
- Jobs in Washington
- 2,340
- After cost of living
- $124,340
- Median hourly pay
- $63.97/hr
- vs U.S. median
- +40%
- Rank among states
- 2nd of 51
Apprentice and journeyman lineman pay
| Stage | Yearly pay | Hourly pay |
|---|---|---|
| Apprentice | $80,640–$107,620$38.77–$51.74/hr | |
| Journeyman | $133,060$63.97/hr | |
| Top earners | $136,850–$147,810$65.80–$71.06/hr |
Estimated from BLS percentiles (10th–25th, median, 75th–90th); BLS does not report pay by license level.
How Washington compares
- Linemen are less concentrated in Washington than nationally: 0.7 of every 1,000 jobs, 0.78 times the U.S. share.
- The 90th-percentile wage, $147,810, is 1.8 times the 10th-percentile wage, $80,640: a measure of how much pay rises with experience and specialty.
Pay by metro area
- Olympia–Lacey–Tumwater$135,450
- Portland–Vancouver–HillsboroOR-WA$135,300
- Seattle–Tacoma–Bellevue$134,150
- Spokane–Spokane Valley$127,490
- LewistonID-WA$126,860
- Wenatchee–East Wenatchee$124,110
- Longview–Kelso$122,240
- Yakima$119,850
See all Washington metro areas
- Bremerton–Silverdale–Port Orchard$86,740
- Kennewick–Richlandnot published
Rural Washington
- Western Washington nonmetropolitan area$136,730
- Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area$126,400
Other trades in Washington
Questions
- How much do linemen make in Washington?
- Linemen in Washington earn a median of $133,060 a year, or $63.97 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. One in ten earns more than $147,810.
- How much do linemen make an hour in Washington?
- The median hourly wage is $63.97. The middle half earn between $51.74 and $65.80 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)
- What do apprentice linemen make in Washington?
- BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $38.77 an hour ($80,640 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $51.74.
- How much does a journeyman lineman make in Washington?
- BLS doesn't report pay by license level, but the median, $133,060 a year ($63.97 an hour), is a fair estimate of typical journeyman pay. Master-level and top earners are closer to the 75th to 90th percentiles, $136,850–$147,810.
- Where in Washington do linemen earn the most?
- Among Washington metro areas, Olympia–Lacey–Tumwater has the highest median at $135,450 a year, and Bremerton–Silverdale–Port Orchard the lowest at $86,740.
- Do linemen in Washington earn more than the national average?
- The Washington median of $133,060 is 40% more than the U.S. median of $95,320. Prices in Washington run 7% above the national average (BEA), so the median buys about what $124,340 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 53. 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 (107.0, where the U.S. average is 100). Page updated September 26, 2026. How we calculate these figures