Becoming an electrician in California

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6 paid apprenticeships and 3 school programs are listed here.

Jump to: License · Training · Pay

Licensing
Statewide worker license
Time to qualify
8,000 hours on the standard route; other routes can differ
Median pay
$76,160 $36.62 an hour
Outlook
8,650 openings a year, projected · 15% growth, 2024–2034

Do I need a license?

Yes. California licenses electricians statewide. The journeyman-level credential is the General Electrician, issued by the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR). Its standard route requires 8,000 hours of experience; other routes can differ. Source: California Department of Industrial Relations, checked . Standard-route hours: California Code of Regulations, title 8, § 291.1.

Before you start: You need this state credential before you start electrical work in California. Credential: Electrician Trainee registration (alternative: apprentice in a state-approved apprenticeship program), issued by DIR Electrician Certification Unit. Official source, checked .

Your path, step by step

  1. Electrician Trainee

    Experience
    Not stated
    Classroom
    Not stated
    Exam
    Not stated

    Source: California DIR Labor Commissioner's Office, Electrician Certification Unit: What is an electrician trainee? · Find a paid apprenticeship in California

  2. General Electrician

    Experience
    8,000 hours
    Classroom
    Not stated
    Exam
    Required
    Holding the previous license
    Not stated

    Source: California Code of Regulations, Title 8, section 291.1 (Eligibility for Certification)

Each step lists what its official source states for that license. Hours aren't added up across steps; a step says whether its hours include earlier steps' only where its source does. "Not stated" means the source doesn't give it. Checked .

Full California licensing requirements · 5 specialty and contractor licenses · How licensing works

How do I train?

Apprenticeships pay you while you learn. Schools teach first, then you find work. Which is right for me?

Paid apprenticeships 6

All 6 California apprenticeships →

School programs 3

California schools (3)

What does it pay?

What the work pays here, and how to decide.

Electricians in California earn a median of $76,160 a year ($36.62 an hour), according to BLS May 2025 OEWS estimates. That is about 21% above the national median of $63,190. About one in ten electricians here earns under $46,800 a year and about one in ten over $140,340.

Employment is projected to grow 15% over 2024–2034, with about 8,650 openings a year.

Sources: BLS May 2025 OEWS · Projections Central · California salary details

Nearby states: Arizona 3 · Nevada 3 · Oregon 2

Listings here last checked