Electrician Salary - Northeast
High union density and established apprenticeship programs
Wage figures on this page reflect all electricians counted by the BLS, across union and non-union work, residential and commercial, apprentice through master. The BLS does not publish a separate journey-level tier. State figures are medians: half of workers earn more, half earn less.
Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Maine all pay above the national median of $63,190, driven by dense commercial construction activity, IBEW locals, and a high cost of doing business that pushes wages upward. Vermont and New Hampshire trail the region but still offer journeyman wages.
IBEW density is high across the Northeast. Boston, Hartford, Providence, and Portland have union commercial markets. Massachusetts runs apprenticeship programs with long waitlists. Non-union residential work exists but commercial and industrial work is overwhelmingly union.
Cost of living varies significantly within the Northeast. Massachusetts carries a COL index of 147.8. Maine, Vermont, and Connecticut are also above the national average. New Hampshire is the outlier at 110.1, still above average.
- →Life sciences and biotech construction concentrated in the Boston metro
- →Higher education and hospital construction driving consistent electrical demand across Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island
- →Grid modernization and offshore wind infrastructure buildout along the New England coast
- →Aging building stock requiring electrical upgrades and service work across the region
- →Data center development in Connecticut and Massachusetts driven by proximity to New York financial markets
The Northeast is a destination for traveling journeymen, particularly Boston and Hartford. Massachusetts IBEW locals frequently recruit travelers during peak construction cycles. New England winters slow residential work but commercial projects run year-round. Cost of living is the significant consideration. Boston and coastal Connecticut are expensive markets. Check current openings on RoadDog Jobs and Where2Bro before making the trip.
Effective wage adjusts the BLS median for cost of living: what a paycheck buys relative to the national median.
| State | Median Annual | COL Index | Effective Wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $79,420 +$16,230 vs. national | 147.8 | $53,735 -$9,455 vs. national |
| Connecticut | $77,540 +$14,350 vs. national | 114.2 | $67,898 +$4,708 vs. national |
| Maine | $75,380 +$12,190 vs. national | 114.6 | $65,777 +$2,587 vs. national |
| Rhode Island | $74,090 +$10,900 vs. national | 111.2 | $66,628 +$3,438 vs. national |
| Vermont | $63,430 +$240 vs. national | 113.0 | $56,133 -$7,057 vs. national |
| New Hampshire | $62,840 -$350 vs. national | 110.1 | $57,075 -$6,115 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.