Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair · SOC 49-2095 · O*NET 49-2095.00
Inspect, test, repair, or maintain electrical equipment in generating stations, substations, and in-service relays.
Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay fall under the Installation, Maintenance, and Repair category in the U.S. occupational classification. Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay earn a median salary of $100,940 per year, ranking in the top 13% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects +5.5% job growth through 2034, projected to grow at roughly the US average. Entry into this field typically requires an apprenticeship, technical certification, or postsecondary training, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.
What do electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay earn?
The median annual wage for electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay is $100,940. That puts electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay at #105 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. Pay at this level is well above the U.S. median household income, signaling sustained demand and meaningful credential requirements. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.
| 10th percentile (entry-level) | $60,820 |
| 25th percentile | $79,930 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $100,940 |
| 75th percentile | $114,740 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $127,970 |
| Median hourly wage | $48.53/hr |
Is electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay is +5.5%, projected to grow at roughly the US average. Employment is projected to move from approximately 23K positions in 2024 to 24K in 2034, a net change of 1K. Average growth signals a healthy, resilient occupation that mirrors broader U.S. employment trends. Job availability tends to track regional economic conditions.
What do electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay do every day?
According to O*NET task surveys of working electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.
- 1.Inspect and test equipment and circuits to identify malfunctions or defects, using wiring diagrams and testing devices such as ohmmeters, voltmeters, or ammeters.
- 2.Prepare and maintain records detailing tests, repairs, and maintenance.
- 3.Consult manuals, schematics, wiring diagrams, and engineering personnel to troubleshoot and solve equipment problems and to determine optimum equipment functioning.
- 4.Analyze test data to diagnose malfunctions, to determine performance characteristics of systems, or to evaluate effects of system modifications.
- 5.Open and close switches to isolate defective relays, performing adjustments or repairs.
- 6.Notify facility personnel of equipment shutdowns.
- 7.Repair, replace, and clean equipment and components such as circuit breakers, brushes, and commutators.
- 8.Run signal quality and connectivity tests for individual cables, and record results.
Top skills for electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.
What education does my child need to become electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay?
Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay typically enter the field through a formal apprenticeship, technical certification, or vocational training program — a strong fit for teens who prefer hands-on learning over traditional college. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.
Based on O*NET surveys of incumbents — what people in this job actually have, not what employers list as required.
Related careers your child might also consider
- Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$92,560 median
- Signal and Track Switch Repairers$83,600 median
- Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment$82,730 median
- Avionics Technicians$81,390 median
- Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$78,680 median
- First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$78,300 median
How parents help teens explore careers like this
Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.
Common questions parents ask about electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
What is the median salary for electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay?
The median annual salary for electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay is $100,940 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay a growing career?
BLS projects +5.5% growth for electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay from 2024 through 2034, which is average growth projected to grow at roughly the US average.
What education does my child need to become electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay?
The typical entry path requires an apprenticeship, technical certification, or postsecondary training, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.
What careers are similar to electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay?
Related occupations within the Installation, Maintenance, and Repair category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 release.