BLS pay for electrical power-line installers by percentile, state and employer, with storm overtime and take-home after 2026 tax
Electrical power-line installers and repairers — linemen — earned a median of $95,320 a year in May 2025 ($45.83 an hour), according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' count of 131,070. That is before storm and emergency overtime, which BLS leaves out and which can add a great deal. The bottom tenth earned under $51,470; the top tenth over $128,690.
This is the BLS line for electrical power-line installers and repairers (SOC 49-9051). Telecommunications line installers are a separate occupation, and electricians who wire buildings have their own calculator. Take-home assumes a single filer with 2026 federal tax and FICA and no state tax.
| Pay level | Hourly | Annual | Monthly | Take-home a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $24.74 | $51,470 | $4,289 | $43,536 |
| 25th percentile | $32.34 | $67,270 | $5,606 | $56,154 |
| Median | $45.83 | $95,320 | $7,943 | $75,888 |
| 75th percentile | $52.76 | $109,740 | $9,145 | $86,032 |
| 90th percentile | $61.87 | $128,690 | $10,724 | $99,226 |
The West Coast and Hawaii pay linemen the most: Hawaii $134,340, Washington $133,060, Oregon $131,090. Arizona's $75,420 is the lowest median. Texas employs by far the most linemen, 17,280, nearly twice California.
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $64.59 | $134,340 | 600 |
| Washington | $63.97 | $133,060 | 2,340 |
| Oregon | $63.02 | $131,090 | 1,640 |
| California | $62.04 | $129,040 | 8,930 |
| Connecticut | $60.99 | $126,850 | 940 |
| Idaho | $60.29 | $125,410 | 860 |
| New Jersey | $58.45 | $121,580 | 1,310 |
| New York | $58.31 | $121,280 | 5,840 |
| Montana | $53.04 | $110,320 | 680 |
| Massachusetts | $52.99 | $110,210 | 2,350 |
| Vermont | $52.17 | $108,520 | 270 |
| Illinois | $51.98 | $108,120 | 3,090 |
| Michigan | $51.39 | $106,890 | 2,800 |
| Pennsylvania | $51.07 | $106,230 | 4,150 |
| Maryland | $51.01 | $106,090 | 1,830 |
| North Dakota | $50.90 | $105,870 | 740 |
| Wisconsin | $50.88 | $105,820 | 2,520 |
| Rhode Island | $50.30 | $104,620 | 120 |
| Minnesota | $50.09 | $104,180 | 2,190 |
| Colorado | $49.99 | $103,980 | 2,370 |
| New Hampshire | $49.12 | $102,170 | 560 |
| Indiana | $49.06 | $102,040 | 2,540 |
| Kansas | $48.86 | $101,620 | 1,610 |
| District of Columbia | $48.67 | $101,240 | 150 |
| Utah | $48.66 | $101,220 | 1,030 |
| Iowa | $48.17 | $100,200 | 1,390 |
| South Dakota | $46.79 | $97,310 | 740 |
| Delaware | $46.72 | $97,180 | 330 |
| Nevada | $46.42 | $96,560 | 920 |
| Missouri | $46.33 | $96,360 | 3,440 |
| Wyoming | $45.12 | $93,860 | 670 |
| Ohio | $44.78 | $93,150 | 4,260 |
| Alaska | $44.46 | $92,470 | 490 |
| Nebraska | $44.30 | $92,150 | 1,490 |
| Alabama | $44.24 | $92,030 | 2,730 |
| Florida | $41.76 | $86,870 | 6,420 |
| West Virginia | $40.29 | $83,810 | 1,260 |
| Tennessee | $40.22 | $83,660 | 3,900 |
| Maine | $39.95 | $83,090 | 1,160 |
| Arkansas | $39.16 | $81,450 | 1,510 |
| Georgia | $38.50 | $80,080 | 4,960 |
| Texas | $37.95 | $78,940 | 17,280 |
| North Carolina | $37.15 | $77,270 | 5,650 |
| Kentucky | $37.03 | $77,020 | 2,930 |
| South Carolina | $36.96 | $76,870 | 2,690 |
| Virginia | $36.82 | $76,590 | 2,920 |
| New Mexico | $36.76 | $76,470 | 1,020 |
| Louisiana | $36.74 | $76,410 | 2,520 |
| Oklahoma | $36.54 | $76,010 | 3,290 |
| Mississippi | $36.49 | $75,890 | 2,290 |
| Arizona | $36.26 | $75,420 | 3,360 |
Who you work for changes a lineman's pay by tens of thousands: the federal government ($111,900) and utilities ($103,060) pay well above utility system construction firms ($76,060).
| Industry | Median annual wage |
|---|---|
| Federal government | $111,900 |
| Utilities | $103,060 |
| Local government, excluding education and hospitals | $90,060 |
| Specialty trade contractors | $76,980 |
| Utility system construction | $76,060 |
Most power-line installers and repairers work full time and some work more than 40 hours a week. After storms and other disasters they may travel to the damaged area and work long hours for several days in a row (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook). That storm overtime is a large part of many linemen's income, and BLS's wage figures leave it out entirely — the calculator's overtime box is where it goes.
Hourly line workers are non-exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act and owed time and a half after 40 hours in a workweek (U.S. Department of Labor); utility and union agreements often pay double time for storm restoration. The example overtime below is illustrative — enter your own average across the year.
Line workers typically complete an apprenticeship or employer training of up to 3 years, sometimes run jointly by the employer and the union, and reach journey level after 3 or 4 years. Entry can require algebra, an aptitude test, a drug screen and a fitness test, and crews that drive heavy vehicles need a CDL. Certification is available but not mandatory (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook). Employer type moves pay sharply: see the industry table below.
More ways to work with your lineman pay:
$95,320 a year ($45.83 an hour) at the BLS median for May 2025. The middle half earned $67,270 to $109,740.
Hawaii ($64.59 an hour, $134,340 a year), then Washington and Oregon; Arizona pays least among the 51 states where BLS released a figure (BLS, May 2025).
No. BLS wage estimates exclude overtime pay, so linemen who work storm restoration earn more than the published median. Add your average overtime hours in the calculator.
BLS says apprentices reach journey level after 3 or 4 years of work, through apprenticeships or employer programs of up to 3 years.
Tax rules, limits and pay data change. Check the current figures with the primary source before acting on them.