Electrician salary in North Carolina: what electricians earn in 2026
Electricians in North Carolina earn a median of $56,800 a year — $6,390 below the national median. State wage and employment data from the BLS, plus what it means if you're hiring.
By Westie · Chief Culture Officer, HireAligned ·
What does an electrician make in North Carolina?
The median wage for electricians in North Carolina is $56,800 a year, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' May 2025 wage data. That is $6,390 below the national median of $63,190, putting North Carolina 49th of 51 jurisdictions on electrician pay. About 21,640 electricians work in the state.
| Measure | North Carolina | National |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $56,800 | $63,190 |
| Electricians employed | 21,640 | 757,220 |
| Rank on pay | 49th of 51 | — |
| Rank on workforce size | 11th of 51 | — |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, occupation 47-2111 (Electricians).
What that number means if you're hiring in North Carolina
North Carolina pays electricians below the national median. That reads as an advantage on paper, but your competition for these electricians is local — you are bidding against the shop down the road, not against the national average. North Carolina sits 11th in the country by workforce size — a mid-sized pool, deep enough to hire from consistently but not so deep that a slow process goes unpunished.
Two caveats worth holding onto. The state median is a lagging figure — OEWS data reflects May 2025, and in a market where trades wages have been climbing, a year-old median can already sit under the live rate. And within-state variation between a major metro and a rural county is routinely wider than the gap between two states, so benchmark to the metro you actually hire in and treat $56,800 as your floor.
How North Carolina compares on electrician pay
The states closest to North Carolina on median electrician pay:
- Electrician salary in Georgia — $58,320 (21,650 electricians)
- Electrician salary in Florida — $57,250 (49,700 electricians)
- Electrician salary in Alabama — $55,690 (10,900 electricians)
- Electrician salary in Arkansas — $49,070 (7,500 electricians)
For the full ranking of all 51 jurisdictions, see electrician salary by state. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook entry for Electricians covers the demand side.
Filling the seat, not just pricing it
Knowing your state's number keeps you from underbidding the market and losing candidates you never heard from. It will not, on its own, fill the truck. The shops that hire fastest in North Carolina are the ones already talking to electricians before a seat opens, so the job starts with a shortlist instead of a blank post and a six-week wait.
That is the always-on approach we run for plumbing and HVAC businesses. See how done-for-you hiring works, or build the pipeline yourself.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average electrician salary in North Carolina?+
The median wage for electricians in North Carolina is $56,800 a year, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' May 2025 wage data. That is $6,390 below the national median of $63,190. Half of electricians in North Carolina earn more than that figure and half earn less.
How many electricians work in North Carolina?+
North Carolina employs about 21,640 electricians, out of roughly 757,220 nationally — a mid-sized workforce by national standards, ranking 11th of 51 jurisdictions by workforce size. Pool depth matters more than the headline wage when you are deciding how hard a role will be to fill.
Is $56,800 enough to hire an electrician in North Carolina?+
Treat it as a floor rather than a target. The state median is a lagging, statewide figure, and within-state variation between a major metro and a rural county is routinely larger than the gap between two states. Benchmark to the metro you actually hire in, and check your response time before assuming a wage problem — a qualified electrician who waits three days for a callback has usually taken another offer.