Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair · SOC 49-9051 · O*NET 49-9051.00
Install or repair cables or wires used in electrical power or distribution systems. May erect poles and light or heavy duty transmission towers.
Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers fall under the Installation, Maintenance, and Repair category in the U.S. occupational classification. Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers earn a median salary of $92,560 per year, ranking in the top 17% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects +6.6% 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 power-line installers and repairers earn?
The median annual wage for electrical power-line installers and repairers is $92,560. That puts electrical power-line installers and repairers at #139 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is above the U.S. median for individual workers and reflects a stable, credentialed occupation. 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) | $50,020 |
| 25th percentile | $65,740 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $92,560 |
| 75th percentile | $107,940 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $126,610 |
| Median hourly wage | $44.50/hr |
Is electrical power-line installers and repairers a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for electrical power-line installers and repairers is +6.6%, projected to grow at roughly the US average. Employment is projected to move from approximately 127K positions in 2024 to 135K in 2034, a net change of 8K. 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 power-line installers and repairers do every day?
According to O*NET task surveys of working electrical power-line installers and repairers, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.
- 1.Adhere to safety practices and procedures, such as checking equipment regularly and erecting barriers around work areas.
- 2.Drive vehicles equipped with tools and materials to job sites.
- 3.Open switches or attach grounding devices to remove electrical hazards from disturbed or fallen lines or to facilitate repairs.
- 4.Climb poles or use truck-mounted buckets to access equipment.
- 5.Install, maintain, and repair electrical distribution and transmission systems, including conduits, cables, wires, and related equipment, such as transformers, circuit breakers, and switches.
- 6.Inspect and test power lines and auxiliary equipment to locate and identify problems, using reading and testing instruments.
- 7.Coordinate work assignment preparation and completion with other workers.
- 8.Replace or straighten damaged poles.
Top skills for electrical power-line installers and repairers
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 power-line installers and repairer?
Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers 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
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- 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 power-line installers and repairers
What is the median salary for electrical power-line installers and repairers?
The median annual salary for electrical power-line installers and repairers is $92,560 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is electrical power-line installers and repairers a growing career?
BLS projects +6.6% growth for electrical power-line installers and repairers 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 power-line installers and repairer?
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 power-line installers and repairers?
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.