Electrician Salary - Southeast
Large employment base, right-to-work states, wages near or below national median
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 Southeast is the largest employment region for electricians in the country by headcount, but wages consistently fall below the national median. Right-to-work laws dominate the region -- only a handful of states have significant union construction market share. Florida and Texas account for the bulk of employment volume, driven by population growth and construction demand, but both pay well below the national median. Virginia is the notable exception, pulled upward by the DC and Northern Virginia metro markets.
Union density is low across most of the Southeast. Right-to-work legislation covers every state in the region, and non-union electrical contractors dominate residential and light commercial work. IBEW locals exist in major metros -- Atlanta, Charlotte, Nashville, Memphis, New Orleans -- but market share is limited compared to Northeast and Midwest markets. The exception is Virginia, where Northern Virginia's proximity to DC creates a more unionized commercial market. For most of the Southeast, non-union contractors set the wage floor.
The Southeast is the most affordable region in the country for cost of living. Most states in the region carry COL indices between 85 and 97 -- well below the national average. Tennessee at 88.9, Georgia at 90.6, and Arkansas at 89.1 offer the lowest cost of living in the region. Virginia is the outlier at 99.1, pulled higher by Northern Virginia's housing costs. The affordability advantage partially compensates for below-median wages -- a journeyman earning $61K in Tennessee has meaningfully more purchasing power than the same wage in Massachusetts.
- →Massive residential construction across Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and the Carolinas driven by population migration from higher cost states
- →Data center and hyperscale facility construction concentrated in Northern Virginia -- the largest data center market in the world
- →Manufacturing facility construction across Tennessee, Georgia, and the Carolinas -- automotive, EV battery, and semiconductor plants
- →Tourism and hospitality infrastructure in Florida driving consistent commercial electrical demand
- →Grid hardening and storm resilience upgrades across Gulf Coast and Atlantic coastal states
The Southeast presents a mixed picture for traveling journeymen. Work volume is high -- particularly in Florida, Texas, and Northern Virginia -- but wages are below what travelers can earn in union markets on the coasts or in the Midwest. The cost of living advantage is real in most Southeast markets, which partially offsets the lower wages. Northern Virginia is the standout destination -- data center construction has created sustained demand for commercial electricians at rates well above the regional norm. Check RoadDog Jobs and Where2Bro for current opportunities.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | $64,810 +$1,620 vs. national | 87.9 | $73,732 +$10,542 vs. national |
| Virginia | $62,900 $-290 vs. national | 99.1 | $63,471 +$281 vs. national |
| Louisiana | $61,540 $-1,650 vs. national | 91.1 | $67,552 +$4,362 vs. national |
| Tennessee | $61,090 $-2,100 vs. national | 88.9 | $68,718 +$5,528 vs. national |
| Mississippi | $60,860 $-2,330 vs. national | 86.2 | $70,603 +$7,413 vs. national |
| Kentucky | $59,720 $-3,470 vs. national | 92.5 | $64,562 +$1,372 vs. national |
| South Carolina | $58,740 $-4,450 vs. national | 91.9 | $63,917 +$727 vs. national |
| Georgia | $58,320 $-4,870 vs. national | 90.6 | $64,371 +$1,181 vs. national |
| Florida | $57,250 $-5,940 vs. national | 100.7 | $56,852 $-6,338 vs. national |
| North Carolina | $56,800 $-6,390 vs. national | 96.6 | $58,799 $-4,391 vs. national |
| Alabama | $55,690 $-7,500 vs. national | 85.0 | $65,518 +$2,328 vs. national |
| Arkansas | $49,070 $-14,120 vs. national | 89.1 | $55,073 $-8,117 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.