What is a residential electrician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted Expert
Ronald Widdoss

Residential electricians are responsible for the installation or repairs of the electrical wiring and systems in a home setting. Your duty as an electrician is to repair all sorts of electrical faults in your client's apartment. You will install electrical components and ensure their safety. Also, you will replace old wiring and install the lighting in the home.

Residential electricians fit in Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters. This is to make sure that electrical appliances can be safely installed and used in bathrooms and other water-prone areas of the home. With the right testing devices, you will troubleshoot for electrical problems and perform general maintenance.

Residential electricians work according to the national electric code state and local buildings rules. At least, you must have completed an electrical apprenticeship with your high school diploma to work as a residential electrician.

Alternatively, you could get a degree from a technical college. You must have in-depth knowledge of electrical systems and power generation. You need to be detail-oriented and be a problem solver. Residential electricians earn an average of $45,981 per year.

What general advice would you give to a Residential Electrician?

R

Ronald Widdoss

Be a sponge. Learn all you can and prove to your employer you can be taught and that your up for the challenge.
ScoreResidential ElectricianUS Average
Salary
4.7

Avg. Salary $60,514

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
7.6

Growth Rate 7%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
8.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.85%

Asian 2.18%

Black or African American 7.69%

Hispanic or Latino 21.28%

Unknown 4.23%

White 63.77%

Gender

female 3.33%

male 96.67%

Age - 41
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 41
Stress Level
7.6

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
6.8

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
5.5

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

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Residential Electrician career paths

Key steps to become a residential electrician

  1. Explore residential electrician education requirements

    Most common residential electrician degrees

    High School Diploma

    38.5 %

    Associate

    27.4 %

    Diploma

    13.5 %
  2. Start to develop specific residential electrician skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Work Ethic13.14%
    Hand Tools10.45%
    Electrical Equipment9.14%
    Ladders7.48%
    Circuit Breakers5.62%
  3. Complete relevant residential electrician training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 4-10 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New residential electricians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a residential electrician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real residential electrician resumes.
  4. Obtain the necessary licensing

    Becoming a licensed residential electrician usually doesn't require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed residential electrician in most of states. 25 states require residential electricians to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.
    State
    ascdesc
    Education
    ascdesc
    Exam
    ascdesc
    License Url
    ascdesc
    Alabama-State exam requiredLicensed Journeyman Electrician
    Alaska-State exam requiredElectrical Worker
    Arkansas-Third-party exam requiredJourneyman Electrician
    Colorado-State exam requiredJourneyman Electrician
    HawaiiDegree requiredState exam requiredElectrician
  5. Research residential electrician duties and responsibilities

    • Remove, analyze, identify issue install properly working pressure transducers, effectively accomplishing priorities to go underway.
    • Install all electrical components according to the NEC and local codes.
    • Experience working with Romex, ENT, MC, and EMT.
    • Used electrical troubleshooting skills to solve technical discrepancies in residential and commercial properties, including HVAC systems.
  6. Prepare your residential electrician resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your residential electrician resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a residential electrician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Residential Electrician Resume templates

    Build a professional Residential Electrician resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Residential Electrician resume.
    Residential Electrician Resume
    Residential Electrician Resume
    Residential Electrician Resume
    Residential Electrician Resume
    Residential Electrician Resume
    Residential Electrician Resume
    Residential Electrician Resume
    Residential Electrician Resume
    Residential Electrician Resume
  7. Apply for residential electrician jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a residential electrician job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Residential Electrician Job

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Average residential electrician salary

The average Residential Electrician salary in the United States is $60,514 per year or $29 per hour. Residential electrician salaries range between $40,000 and $90,000 per year.

Average Residential Electrician Salary
$60,514 Yearly
$29.09 hourly

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How do residential electricians rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Residential Electrician reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2023
Cons

Bending pipe,cause it cost me money if the measurements is off

Pros

Thinking about the job while working the job


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2022
Pros

Is to keep lights burning to satisfy customers

Cons

The customers siting on the dark


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2022
Pros

Nothing? Its the worst job on site and you have to put up with working with uneducated divs. And thats just the management.

Cons

Retarded trades who think they are special. They don't realise to be an electrician requires superior brain power, something they can only dream about. Hence the continual flapping of their gums trying to make us believe their dull useless lives are interesting.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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