Electrician Salary - Southwest
Sustained construction growth across four 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.
The Southwest is a volume story. Texas alone employs 76,770 electricians, but the state median of $58,570 sits well below the national median of $63,190. Arizona, New Mexico, and Oklahoma follow similar patterns, with employment demand driven by construction growth and energy sectors, but wages constrained by right-to-work environments and lower union density. The region is growing quickly, which creates opportunity even if wages haven't caught up to demand yet.
The Southwest is predominantly non-union territory. Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona, and New Mexico are all right-to-work states with limited IBEW market share outside major metros. Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, and Phoenix all have IBEW locals but non-union contractors handle most residential and light commercial work. Industrial work, including refineries, petrochemical plants, and power generation in Texas, is more heavily unionized. For most electricians in the Southwest, non-union contractors set the market rate.
The Southwest offers below-average cost of living across the board. Oklahoma sits at 83.5. Texas at 90.7 and New Mexico at 89.9 are well below the national average. Arizona at 107.6 is the outlier, driven by rapid housing appreciation in the Phoenix metro.
- →Massive residential and commercial construction across the Phoenix and Dallas-Fort Worth metros driven by population growth
- →Petrochemical, refinery, and LNG facility construction along the Texas Gulf Coast
- →Semiconductor fabrication plant construction in Arizona: TSMC and Intel have announced major facilities in the Phoenix metro
- →Data center expansion across the Dallas metro and Phoenix corridor
- →Renewable energy and solar installation across the desert Southwest
The Southwest offers high work volume. Texas industrial work, particularly Gulf Coast petrochemical and refinery projects, is the exception. Phoenix is active on commercial construction. For travelers prioritizing steady work over top dollar, the Southwest has consistent demand. Check RoadDog Jobs and Where2Bro for current industrial opportunities in Texas.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $61,060 -$2,130 vs. national | 107.6 | $56,747 -$6,443 vs. national |
| Oklahoma | $61,010 -$2,180 vs. national | 83.5 | $73,066 +$9,876 vs. national |
| Texas | $58,570 -$4,620 vs. national | 90.7 | $64,576 +$1,386 vs. national |
| New Mexico | $58,390 -$4,800 vs. national | 89.9 | $64,950 +$1,760 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.