Plumber and Electrician Salary by State 2026: The Trade Premium

Why the Trades Are Quietly One of the Best Career Paths in 2026

The demographic squeeze in skilled trades is real. About 30% of working US electricians and plumbers are over 55, retiring out faster than new apprentices are being trained. Demand from construction, infrastructure spending, and increasingly electrification (EV chargers, heat pumps, solar) is rising at the same time.

Net effect: experienced trades workers in 2026 are charging the highest real wages of any decade since the 1970s.

National Median Salaries

BLS Occupational Employment Statistics 2026:

• Electrician: $66,840 median
• Plumber, pipefitter, steamfitter: $63,700 median

Those medians are unimpressive on the surface. They mask two things: (1) they include apprentices and journey-level workers, and (2) they don't include side work, prevailing wage, or owner-operator income.

Looking at experienced workers only:

• Journey electrician (4–10 years): $72K–$98K
• Master electrician (10+ years, licensed): $85K–$135K
• Master electrician (owner-operator): $115K–$280K (highly variable)
• Journey plumber: $68K–$92K
• Master plumber: $82K–$128K
• Master plumber (owner-operator): $110K–$260K

State Variations

State-level median pay (BLS OES 2026):

Top-paying states for electricians:

• New York: $92,200
• Illinois: $86,400
• California: $84,800
• Massachusetts: $82,300
• Hawaii: $81,500
• Alaska: $79,800
• New Jersey: $79,100
• Washington: $78,400
• Oregon: $76,200
• Minnesota: $74,800

Top-paying states for plumbers:

• Illinois: $86,400 (very strong union)
• New York: $84,200
• Massachusetts: $82,600
• Alaska: $80,800
• New Jersey: $79,400
• California: $78,800
• Washington: $76,900
• Hawaii: $75,200
• Oregon: $72,800
• Minnesota: $71,400

Illinois plumbers earn more than most other states because of Local 130 — one of the strongest plumbing unions in the country, with prevailing wage and pension contributions that significantly boost total comp.

Union vs. Non-Union

The biggest single financial decision in either trade is whether to go union (IBEW for electricians, UA for plumbers) or non-union.

Union pros:

• Higher hourly rates (often $10–$25/hour more than non-union for the same work)
• Health insurance fully covered
• Defined-benefit pension (the trades are one of the last bastions of real DB pensions)
• Apprenticeship is paid (no debt) and rigorous

Union cons:

• Hiring goes through union halls; you don't always pick your job
• Geographic concentration — union strength varies dramatically by city
• Apprenticeship is 4–5 years and slot-limited

Union strongholds for electricians: Chicago, NYC, Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, Las Vegas, Minneapolis. Union strongholds for plumbers: Chicago, NYC, Boston, San Francisco, Newark, Cleveland, Detroit.

In the South and the Mountain West, non-union dominates and pay is closer to the BLS median. In the Northeast and Pacific, union rules and lifetime earnings are much higher.

The Apprenticeship Path

Neither trade requires college. Both require:

Year 1–4: Apprenticeship (paid, around 50% of journey rate Year 1, increasing each year). Classroom instruction in evenings or one day a week, plus on-the-job training.

Year 4–5: Journey-level license (state-issued). After this point you can work independently under another licensed contractor.

Year 7–10: Master license (state-issued). Most states require 4+ years at journey level plus a written and practical exam. With a master license you can pull permits independently and run your own business.

The single most common path to high income is: apprentice for 4 years → journey for 5–7 years → master license + your own business by year 10–12. Owner-operators after year 12 routinely clear $150K–$280K.

Owner-Operator Economics

A solo master electrician in 2026:

• Bills $125–$200/hour for residential service work
• Bills $95–$140/hour for commercial subcontracting
• Works 1,800–2,200 billable hours/year (the rest is admin, travel, parts pickup)
• Gross revenue: $200K–$420K
• After parts pass-through, insurance, vehicle, tools, taxes, retirement: $115K–$240K net

The top quartile of owner-operators are those who: (a) niche down (solar, EV chargers, home generator installs, panel upgrades for ADUs — all high-margin specialties), (b) maintain Google Business Profile reviews aggressively, and (c) get good at scheduling so they don't lose 30% of their time to driving and parts runs.

Specializations With Premiums

Electrical:

• Industrial electrician (manufacturing, refineries): +25% over commercial.
• EV charger / solar installer: New specialty, hot demand, $90K–$150K.
• High-voltage / utility lineman: $100K–$165K (also: storm chase OT work, $200K+ in heavy years).
• Low-voltage / data cabling: Slightly lower than standard electrician but easier on the body.

Plumbing:

• Gas line work: Requires additional certification, +15–25% premium.
• Medical gas installer (hospitals): Highly specialized, $95K–$135K.
• Steamfitter / industrial: Refinery / power plant work, $90K–$130K plus per diem on travel jobs.
• Underground / sewer: Tougher work physically, often higher rates ($85K–$120K).

The Body Catch

Both trades are physically demanding. Knees, backs, and shoulders show wear by year 20. The smart play: invest body-friendly tools (kneeling pads, lifting aids, headlamps), schedule the heavier work for mornings, and plan a transition to a supervisor / estimator / owner role by your mid-50s if you want to work to 65.

Most trades workers can move into supervisor, project manager, estimator, or business-owner roles by year 15 — same field, less wear on the body.

How to Start Today

1. Apply to a union apprenticeship. IBEW Local apprenticeship sign-up periods are annual; UA Local 130 (or your area's local) similar. Even if you don't get in the first try, persistence pays off. 2. Or, start at a non-union shop. Most states allow you to work as an unlicensed electrical or plumbing helper while accumulating the hours that qualify you to sit for journey license. 3. Community college pre-apprentice programs. Many community colleges offer one-year electrical or plumbing certificates. Doesn't replace apprenticeship but improves your hire chances.

The whole path from start to master license + your own business is 10–12 years. The lifetime earnings of a successful master electrician or master plumber routinely exceed those of a typical 4-year college graduate by $200K–$700K — without the student debt.

Browse skilled trades pay by city in our [salaries directory](/salaries/construction/).