How much do power-line workers make in the US in 2026?

Which state is best for power-line workers?

Different states win on different measures — here's the top on each. Pick the one that matters to you.

Across 25 states: $75,420–$133,060 (median $102,040).

Power-Line Worker pay by state

Where is the union premium biggest for Power-Line Workers?

Named locals and the premium over the BLS all-worker median.

We don't have union scale data for Power-Line Worker across our states yet — these states are predominantly non-union, or we haven't added IBEW/UA data. Submitting your pay helps build complete data for Power-Line Worker.

Union landscape

Power-line work has a long history of collective bargaining, and some workers in this trade are covered by a collective bargaining agreement. That matters for base pay, overtime rules, benefits, and progression schedules — all of which a CBA can set in ways that differ significantly from what an employer offers on an open-market basis. Here's the honest limitation: TradesPays does not currently have union scale data for this trade across our covered states. We're not going to guess at it or imply a direction — union scale can run higher than open-shop rates in some markets and closer to parity in others, and the right number depends on the specific agreement, the local jurisdiction, and the current contract period. If you're in a union-represented job or considering one, the only reliable source for your actual scale is your local. Ask for the current wage schedule directly — it will show you base rates by classification and any applicable area or zone differentials. Don't rely on any general figure, including anything on this page, to represent what a CBA requires your employer to pay.

What we don't track yet

Two gaps worth calling out before you read too much into the state figures. First, no metro-level data. The state medians here — like Washington at $133,060 or Arizona at $75,420 — are statewide figures. Pay inside a major metro can differ from a rural part of the same state, sometimes by a meaningful amount. We don't have metro breakdowns for power-line workers at this time. If you're trying to benchmark a specific city or region, a statewide number is the closest proxy we can give you right now. Second, no apprentice, journeyman, or master tier split. The BLS OEWS data we use doesn't slice by experience tier or license level for this occupation. A first-year apprentice and a seasoned journeyman both land in the same dataset. That means the p25–p75 range ($67,270–$109,740) almost certainly captures some of that variation, but we can't isolate it. If you work in this trade and have pay data — especially apprentice wages, tiered scale info, or metro-specific figures — we want it. Use the submission form to send it our way. Better data from workers in the field makes TradesPays more useful for everyone in the trade.

Power-Line Worker pay: FAQ

What is the national median wage for a power-line worker?

According to BLS OEWS May 2025, the national median for power-line workers is $95,320 per year. The middle 50% of workers fall between $67,270 (p25) and $109,740 (p75).

Which states pay power-line workers the most?

Among the 25 states TradesPays covers, the top three are Washington at $133,060, California at $129,040, and New Jersey at $121,580. All three come in well above the national median of $95,320.

Which state pays the least in the TradesPays dataset?

Arizona is the lowest in our current 25-state set at $75,420. That's nearly $20,000 below the national median and about $57,600 behind Washington.

Why is the pay range so wide for this trade?

The p25-to-p75 spread of over $42,000 reflects several real differences: state and region, employer type (utility vs. contractor), years of experience, overtime availability, and whether a worker is covered by a collective bargaining agreement. The BLS data rolls all of that into one number per state, so the spread is doing a lot of work.

Does TradesPays have union scale rates for power-line workers?

Not yet. We don't have union scale data for this trade in our covered states. If you're represented under a collective bargaining agreement, check directly with your local for the current wage schedule — that's the only source that reflects your actual contractual rate.

Does TradesPays break out pay by apprentice, journeyman, or other experience levels?

No. The BLS OEWS data doesn't tier power-line worker pay by experience or classification. The p25–p75 range ($67,270–$109,740) likely captures some of that variation, but we can't separate it out. If you have tiered wage data from the field, submit it through our data form.

Where does the pay data on this page come from?

All figures come from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 release. TradesPays does not adjust, blend, or estimate these numbers — what BLS reported is what you see here.

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