Electrician Salary - Mid-Atlantic
Major metro markets drive some of the highest wages in the country
Wage figures reflect all electricians across all employment types -- union and non-union, residential and commercial, apprentice through master. Union journeymen typically earn above the state median. Non-union residential work typically falls below it. State figures are averages -- wages vary significantly between metro and rural markets within the same state. City-level data coming soon.
The Mid-Atlantic is the highest-paying region on the East Coast for electricians, driven almost entirely by the New York City and DC metro markets. New York state median of $78,750 and New Jersey at $77,250 reflect the density of union commercial work in the NYC metro area. DC comes in at $78,970 -- one of the highest state-level medians in the country. Pennsylvania and Maryland trail significantly but still offer wages above the national median in their major metro areas.
IBEW dominance in the Mid-Atlantic is concentrated in the major metros. New York City's IBEW Local 3 is one of the largest and highest-paying locals in North America -- commercial wireman scale in NYC is among the highest in the country. New Jersey's IBEW locals benefit from proximity to the NYC market. DC and Maryland are heavily unionized on the commercial side. Philadelphia's IBEW locals cover a large geographic jurisdiction across eastern Pennsylvania. Outside the major metros, union density drops considerably.
Cost of living in the Mid-Atlantic is the highest on the East Coast. New York state carries a COL index of 124.7 -- driven almost entirely by NYC where housing costs are extreme. New Jersey at 118.8 and Maryland at 121.1 reflect the influence of the NYC and DC metro housing markets. DC comes in at 134.3. Delaware and Pennsylvania are the relative value plays in the region -- both near or slightly above the national average. The wage premium in NYC is real but so is the cost of living.
- →Data center construction across northern Virginia and Maryland -- the DC corridor is the largest data center market in the world
- →Financial services infrastructure in New York City driving consistent high-value commercial electrical work
- →Federal government construction and renovation across the DC metro area
- →Life sciences and pharmaceutical construction in New Jersey's Route 1 corridor
- →Transit and infrastructure electrification projects across the NYC and DC metro systems
The Mid-Atlantic is one of the highest-paying destinations for traveling journeymen in the country but also one of the most difficult to break into. NYC Local 3 is notoriously protective of its jurisdiction -- travelers should verify reciprocity agreements before making the trip. New Jersey and DC are more accessible. Northern Virginia data center work has drawn significant traveling journeyman activity in recent years. Check current openings on RoadDog Jobs and Where2Bro before committing to the region.
Effective wage adjusts the BLS median for cost of living -- what your paycheck actually buys relative to the national average.
| State | Median Annual | COL Index | Effective Wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $78,970 +$15,780 vs. national | 134.3 | $58,801 $-4,389 vs. national |
| New York | $78,750 +$15,560 vs. national | 124.7 | $63,152 $-38 vs. national |
| New Jersey | $77,250 +$14,060 vs. national | 118.8 | $65,025 +$1,835 vs. national |
| Maryland | $73,490 +$10,300 vs. national | 121.1 | $60,685 $-2,505 vs. national |
| Pennsylvania | $67,600 +$4,410 vs. national | 96.2 | $70,270 +$7,080 vs. national |
| Delaware | $63,700 +$510 vs. national | 101.7 | $62,635 $-555 vs. national |
Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 - Electricians - Cross-Industry, All Ownership
Cost of living data provided by the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC). The data has been modified for use from its original source, which is the State of Missouri. THE STATE OF MISSOURI MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTY AS TO THE COMPLETENESS, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS, OR CONTENT OF ANY DATA MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THIS SITE. THE STATE OF MISSOURI EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. Data is subject to change as modifications and updates are complete. Use at your own risk.