Best States to Be an Electrician in 2025 (Cost-of-Living Adjusted)
Sticker pay is a misleading way to compare states. For electricians, a paycheck that looks identical on paper can buy far more in Minnesota than in California, because the two states' costs of living are worlds apart. We took the BLS median wage for electricians in every state and adjusted it by that state's cost of living, so the numbers below reflect what the pay is actually worth where you'd spend it. For comparison, the U.S. median for electricians is $62,350.
The 10 Best States for Electrician Pay (Cost-of-Living Adjusted)
| Rank | State | Adjusted median pay | Median pay (BLS) | Cost-of-living index | Sticker-pay rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois | $99,560 | $99,560 | 100.0 | 2 |
| 2 | Oregon | $97,979 | $101,310 | 103.4 | 1 |
| 3 | Washington | $88,991 | $95,220 | 107.0 | 4 |
| 4 | Hawaii | $87,691 | $96,460 | 110.0 | 3 |
| 5 | Alaska | $87,344 | $89,440 | 102.4 | 5 |
| 6 | Wyoming | $82,114 | $76,120 | 92.7 | 16 |
| 7 | Wisconsin | $81,339 | $76,540 | 94.1 | 13 |
| 8 | Montana | $81,142 | $76,760 | 94.6 | 12 |
| 9 | Michigan | $79,283 | $76,270 | 96.2 | 14 |
| 10 | Minnesota | $79,270 | $78,160 | 98.6 | 9 |
How We Adjusted the Numbers
Median pay is the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS state median annual wage for electricians (SOC 47-2111, May 2025). Cost-of-living index is the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parity (all items, 2024), where 100 equals the national average — a value of 90 means prices run about 10% below average, 110 about 10% above. Adjusted median pay = median pay × 100 ÷ the cost-of-living index, which restates each salary in national-average-price terms so states can be compared fairly.
Where a Big Paycheck Doesn't Go as Far
High headline wages don't always mean a better living. California ($76,160 median) ranks 15th on sticker pay but only 32nd once its cost of living (111 vs 100) is counted. The same pattern hits other high-cost states, which is why the adjusted top of the list leans toward the Midwest and Mountain West rather than the coasts.
Full State-by-State Ranking
| Rank | State | Adjusted median pay | Median pay (BLS) | Cost-of-living index | Sticker-pay rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois | $99,560 | $99,560 | 100.0 | 2 |
| 2 | Oregon | $97,979 | $101,310 | 103.4 | 1 |
| 3 | Washington | $88,991 | $95,220 | 107.0 | 4 |
| 4 | Hawaii | $87,691 | $96,460 | 110.0 | 3 |
| 5 | Alaska | $87,344 | $89,440 | 102.4 | 5 |
| 6 | Wyoming | $82,114 | $76,120 | 92.7 | 16 |
| 7 | Wisconsin | $81,339 | $76,540 | 94.1 | 13 |
| 8 | Montana | $81,142 | $76,760 | 94.6 | 12 |
| 9 | Michigan | $79,283 | $76,270 | 96.2 | 14 |
| 10 | Minnesota | $79,270 | $78,160 | 98.6 | 9 |
| 11 | Maine | $77,711 | $75,380 | 97.0 | 17 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $75,066 | $79,420 | 105.8 | 6 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $74,846 | $77,540 | 103.6 | 10 |
| 14 | North Dakota | $73,831 | $65,710 | 89.0 | 24 |
| 15 | Nevada | $73,570 | $73,570 | 100.0 | 19 |
| 16 | Indiana | $73,408 | $68,490 | 93.3 | 21 |
| 17 | Kansas | $73,097 | $65,860 | 90.1 | 23 |
| 18 | New York | $72,984 | $78,750 | 107.9 | 8 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $72,424 | $74,090 | 102.3 | 18 |
| 20 | West Virginia | $72,413 | $64,810 | 89.5 | 26 |
| 21 | Missouri | $72,037 | $65,410 | 90.8 | 25 |
| 22 | District of Columbia | $71,856 | $78,970 | 109.9 | 7 |
| 23 | New Jersey | $71,002 | $77,250 | 108.8 | 11 |
| 24 | Maryland | $69,990 | $73,490 | 105.0 | 20 |
| 25 | Mississippi | $69,954 | $60,860 | 87.0 | 41 |
| 26 | Louisiana | $69,773 | $61,540 | 88.2 | 35 |
| 27 | Ohio | $69,720 | $64,700 | 92.8 | 27 |
| 28 | Oklahoma | $69,487 | $61,010 | 87.8 | 39 |
| 29 | Iowa | $69,317 | $60,860 | 87.8 | 40 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $69,289 | $61,390 | 88.6 | 36 |
| 31 | Pennsylvania | $69,262 | $67,600 | 97.6 | 22 |
| 32 | California | $68,799 | $76,160 | 110.7 | 15 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $67,503 | $60,820 | 90.1 | 42 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $66,474 | $61,090 | 91.9 | 37 |
| 35 | Kentucky | $66,208 | $59,720 | 90.2 | 43 |
| 36 | Idaho | $65,969 | $63,000 | 95.5 | 30 |
| 37 | Vermont | $64,724 | $63,430 | 98.0 | 29 |
| 38 | Delaware | $63,828 | $63,700 | 99.8 | 28 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $63,330 | $58,390 | 92.2 | 46 |
| 40 | Alabama | $62,714 | $55,690 | 88.8 | 50 |
| 41 | Utah | $62,690 | $62,000 | 98.9 | 34 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $62,689 | $58,740 | 93.7 | 44 |
| 43 | Virginia | $62,216 | $62,900 | 101.1 | 31 |
| 44 | Arizona | $60,636 | $61,060 | 100.7 | 38 |
| 45 | Georgia | $60,561 | $58,320 | 96.3 | 47 |
| 46 | Colorado | $60,359 | $62,230 | 103.1 | 33 |
| 47 | Texas | $60,319 | $58,570 | 97.1 | 45 |
| 48 | New Hampshire | $60,307 | $62,840 | 104.2 | 32 |
| 49 | North Carolina | $60,233 | $56,800 | 94.3 | 49 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $56,467 | $49,070 | 86.9 | 51 |
| 51 | Florida | $55,368 | $57,250 | 103.4 | 48 |
Sources & Reuse
Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), state medians for SOC 47-2111. Cost of living: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities (2024). Figures describe current workers, not entry-level offers; verify locally before making a move.
Free to cite or reference with attribution: Human Work Guide, “Best States to Be an Electrician in 2025 (Cost-of-Living Adjusted),” 2026. https://humanworkguide.com/guides/best-states-for-electricians