Electrician Salary - Southeast
Large employment base across twelve right-to-work states
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.
Right-to-work laws are widespread across the Southeast, and wages consistently fall below the national median of $63,190. Only a handful of states have significant union construction market share. Florida accounts for the bulk of employment volume, driven by population growth and construction demand, but pays well below the national median.
Union density is low across most of the Southeast. Right-to-work legislation covers every state in the region, and non-union electrical contractors handle most residential and light commercial work. IBEW locals exist in major metros, including Atlanta, Charlotte, Nashville, Memphis, and 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 has a low 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 are well below the national average. Virginia is the outlier at 99.1, pulled higher by Northern Virginia's housing costs.
- →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
- →Manufacturing facility construction across Tennessee, Georgia, and the Carolinas, including 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 and Northern Virginia. Northern Virginia has data center construction that has created sustained demand for commercial electricians. Check RoadDog Jobs and Where2Bro for current opportunities.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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.