How much do power-line workers make in North Carolina in 2026?

Power-line workers in North Carolina earn a median annual wage of $77,270, which works out to roughly $37.15 an hour based on a standard 2,080-hour year. That figure sits in the middle of a wide range — entry-level and lower-experience workers cluster near $60,490 ($29.08/hr) at the 25th percentile, while experienced journeymen and lead linemen push up to $100,310 ($48.23/hr) at the 75th percentile. All figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025.

That spread of nearly $40,000 between the bottom and top quartiles tells you a lot about how this trade pays. Power-line work is heavily tiered by experience, certification, and the type of employer. A worker fresh out of a lineman apprenticeship pulling their first full-time paychecks is unlikely to land above the median right away. Workers who have climbed the ranks, hold climbing and equipment certifications, and can work on energized lines independently are the ones hitting the upper quartile and above.

Employer type matters significantly in North Carolina. The state has a mix of large investor-owned utilities, electric membership cooperatives (EMCs), and municipal utilities — plus a steady stream of contractor work tied to storm restoration, new construction, and grid hardening projects. Contractor linemen on restoration crews often see their annual earnings jump considerably in years with heavy hurricane or ice storm activity, given the overtime hours those events generate. North Carolina's Atlantic coast and piedmont region see regular storm seasons, and that work can add meaningful dollars to a yearly total that base wages alone wouldn't show.

Geography within the state creates real pay differences. The Charlotte metro and Research Triangle areas tend to see higher wages driven by utility infrastructure buildout and commercial construction demand. Rural EMC territory — which covers much of the eastern coastal plain and mountain foothills — may offer lower base wages but sometimes compensates with lower cost of living and a steadier, less travel-intensive schedule. Workers willing to travel or relocate within the state for large transmission or substation projects can often access the upper end of the pay scale faster.

Overtime is a significant part of total compensation in this trade and is not fully reflected in the BLS base wage figures. OEWS data captures straight-time wages. A lineman working 55 or 60 hours during storm restoration or summer peak-load construction is earning at least time-and-a-half for those hours, which can push real annual take-home well above what the median wage implies. For high-overtime years, the difference between reported median and actual W-2 earnings can be $10,000 or more.

Apprenticeship is the standard entry path. Most lineman apprenticeships run four to five years and combine on-the-job hours with classroom and lab instruction. Pay steps up at regular intervals through the apprenticeship — trainees typically start below the 25th percentile and clear it before graduating. After completing an apprenticeship and becoming a journeyman lineman, workers generally cross the median quickly, especially if they accumulate additional skills like substation work, underground cable, or OSHA-required safety certifications.

Some power-line workers in North Carolina are represented by a union under a collective bargaining agreement. Because no specific union wage scale data is available for this state and trade, workers in a bargaining unit should check their local's agreement directly for their applicable wage schedule, which may differ from the BLS averages shown here.

To move toward the 75th percentile ($100,310 / $48.23/hr) faster, the most reliable levers are: building seniority with a single employer that rewards it with wage steps, adding certifications for high-voltage transmission work, qualifying to work on energized lines (hot work), and positioning yourself for foreman or crew lead roles. Some workers also increase total earnings by moving to contractors that specialize in transmission line construction, where project-based pay and per diem allowances can lift effective compensation above what local distribution work pays.