How much do electricians make in Georgia in 2026?

The median electrician in Georgia earns $58,320 a year, which works out to $28.04 an hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. That's the midpoint — half of Georgia electricians earn more, half earn less. This figure comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, published May 2025.

The spread across the pay scale is wide. At the 25th percentile, electricians earn $46,640 annually, or about $22.42 an hour. These are typically workers earlier in their careers, still accumulating hours and licenses. At the 75th percentile, pay jumps to $76,490 a year — roughly $36.77 an hour. Workers at that level usually hold a journeyman or master electrician license, have years of hands-on experience, and often work in commercial or industrial settings where the complexity and responsibility are higher.

The gap between the 25th and 75th percentile is nearly $30,000 a year. That's not a small difference — it represents about $14 an hour. What drives that gap is a combination of license level, industry sector, years in the trade, and geography within Georgia.

Where you work in Georgia matters. The Atlanta metro — including Fulton, Gwinnett, Cobb, and DeKalb counties — concentrates the most commercial and industrial electrical work in the state. Data centers, hospital expansions, high-rise construction, and large manufacturing facilities all pull wages upward in that corridor. Secondary markets like Savannah, Augusta, and Columbus have their own pockets of steady work, particularly around port infrastructure, military installations, and healthcare construction, though wages in those areas tend to run closer to the state median. Rural parts of the state generally track toward the lower end of the range, largely because the volume and complexity of available work is lower.

Your license level is one of the clearest levers you have. Georgia requires electricians to be licensed through the State Electrical Contractors Licensing Board. Moving from an apprentice to a journeyman license — which requires passing the state exam after completing sufficient work hours — typically unlocks a noticeable pay bump. Getting your master electrician license opens the door to running your own jobs, taking on more supervisory roles, and in some cases starting your own shop.

Industry sector also shapes pay significantly. Residential electricians generally land in the lower half of the range. Commercial work pays better. Industrial work — think manufacturing plants, food processing facilities, or utilities — tends to pay at or above the 75th percentile, especially for workers who can handle high-voltage systems or programmable logic controls (PLCs).

Overtime is a real factor in annual earnings that the BLS base figures don't fully reflect. Electricians who pick up overtime during busy construction seasons or who work on projects with tight deadlines can add meaningfully to their annual take-home. Some Georgia electricians working heavy commercial or industrial projects routinely log 50–55 hour weeks during peak periods. At time-and-a-half, even a few extra hours per week compounds significantly over a full year.

Some electricians in Georgia work under collective bargaining agreements. If you're covered by a union contract, your pay and benefits are set by that agreement — check directly with your local's contract for the specific wage scale and fringe package, since TradesPays does not have union scale data for this trade and state.

The BLS figures used here are based on wage surveys of employers and represent base hourly and annual wages. They don't capture the full value of benefits like employer-paid health insurance, retirement contributions, or per diem payments — all of which can add thousands of dollars to total compensation, especially on larger commercial or industrial jobs. Keep that in mind when comparing offers.

If you want to push your pay toward the 75th percentile or beyond, the path is fairly direct: get licensed at the highest level you qualify for, accumulate experience in commercial or industrial work, and be willing to work in the Atlanta metro or on project sites where the complexity justifies higher wages. Specialty skills — solar installation, EV charging infrastructure, data center work, or industrial controls — are increasingly in demand and command a premium above standard residential or light commercial rates.