Helpers--Electricians
Also called: Electrical Apprentice, Electrician Apprentice, Electrician Helper, Electrician's HelperHelp electricians by performing duties requiring less skill. Duties include using, supplying, or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment.
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What the data says: AI couldn't halve the time on any of its 24 rated tasks, and jobs are projected to grow 0.6% by 2035. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 11.2% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Helpers, construction trades”
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 12.8 hires for every 10 job openings in construction, which employs about 92% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.12.8 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $36,490 | $34,650 to $44,390 | 2,630 |
| Arizona | $44,110 | $39,840 to $49,920 | 1,240 |
| Arkansas | $39,510 | $33,990 to $47,710 | 300 |
| California | $52,080 | $43,900 to $61,260 | 3,120 |
| Colorado | $56,420 | $49,920 to $57,470 | not published |
| Connecticut | $56,020 | $44,550 to $64,320 | 390 |
| Delaware | $36,560 | $34,730 to $42,210 | 60 |
| District of Columbia | $48,300 | $40,820 to $53,150 | 330 |
| Florida | $38,670 | $36,920 to $45,060 | 5,810 |
| Georgia | $39,030 | $36,350 to $47,270 | 3,160 |
| Guam | $29,120 | $29,080 to $36,930 | 90 |
| Hawaii | $47,890 | $46,780 to $56,330 | not published |
| Idaho | $39,480 | $37,760 to $46,720 | 250 |
| Illinois | $43,290 | $31,830 to $45,360 | 30 |
| Indiana | $36,200 | $34,830 to $41,610 | 1,180 |
| Iowa | $41,610 | $36,600 to $47,860 | 310 |
| Kansas | $44,990 | $38,170 to $47,660 | 600 |
| Kentucky | $42,790 | $37,530 to $45,060 | 690 |
| Louisiana | $38,570 | $32,750 to $46,610 | 3,190 |
| Maine | $46,550 | $45,500 to $56,540 | 1,000 |
| Maryland | $43,970 | $34,080 to $48,200 | 1,010 |
| Massachusetts | $48,340 | $44,010 to $57,670 | 610 |
| Michigan | $44,240 | $37,990 to $52,760 | 500 |
| Minnesota | $46,750 | $46,750 to $52,760 | not published |
| Mississippi | $35,680 | $30,700 to $37,870 | 930 |
| Missouri | $58,340 | $32,870 to $83,830 | 380 |
| Montana | $36,400 | $35,940 to $39,770 | 40 |
| Nebraska | $44,050 | $32,480 to $50,270 | 140 |
| Nevada | $44,140 | $39,390 to $54,080 | 440 |
| New Hampshire | $34,670 | $34,290 to $36,230 | 130 |
| New Jersey | $44,550 | $37,870 to $48,170 | 1,670 |
| New Mexico | $48,030 | $37,130 to $51,130 | 510 |
| New York | $47,210 | $40,100 to $59,630 | 4,120 |
| North Carolina | $39,880 | $36,730 to $45,220 | 6,770 |
| Ohio | $41,920 | $37,940 to $49,590 | 810 |
| Oklahoma | $46,110 | $38,510 to $49,810 | 1,630 |
| Oregon | $49,800 | $39,840 to $59,040 | 570 |
| Pennsylvania | $38,880 | $28,230 to $45,880 | 1,000 |
| Puerto Rico | $26,370 | $23,830 to $28,250 | 1,630 |
| South Carolina | $39,460 | $36,490 to $46,630 | 2,000 |
| South Dakota | $35,620 | $32,220 to $39,520 | 300 |
| Tennessee | $39,710 | $36,340 to $46,400 | 3,240 |
| Texas | $44,360 | $36,870 to $48,800 | 7,320 |
| Utah | $43,250 | $40,100 to $46,690 | 520 |
| Vermont | $37,910 | $37,230 to $49,600 | 130 |
| Virginia | $44,530 | $37,690 to $48,910 | 2,180 |
| Washington | $61,110 | $47,450 to $78,610 | 560 |
| West Virginia | $33,680 | $29,480 to $40,270 | 210 |
| Wisconsin | $47,230 | $37,410 to $52,000 | 1,180 |
Nationally: $42,670. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on none of its 24 rated tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Not much | Strip insulation from wire ends, using wire stripping pliers, and attach wires to terminals for subsequent soldering. | Not published |
| Not much | Measure, cut, and bend wire and conduit, using measuring instruments and hand tools. | Not published |
| Not much | Drill holes and pull or push wiring through openings, using hand and power tools. | Not published |
| Not much | Clean work area and wash parts. | Not published |
| Not much | Examine electrical units for loose connections and broken insulation and tighten connections, using hand tools. | Not published |
| Not much | Perform semi-skilled and unskilled laboring duties related to the installation, maintenance and repair of a wide variety of electrical systems and equipment. | Not published |
See all 25 tasks
| Not much | Trace out short circuits in wiring, using test meter. | Not published |
| Not much | Maintain tools, vehicles, and equipment and keep parts and supplies in order. | Not published |
| Not much | Thread conduit ends, connect couplings, and fabricate and secure conduit support brackets, using hand tools. | Not published |
| Not much | Disassemble defective electrical equipment, replace defective or worn parts, and reassemble equipment, using hand tools. | Not published |
| Not much | Transport tools, materials, equipment, and supplies to work site by hand, handtruck, or heavy, motorized truck. | Not published |
| Not much | Construct controllers and panels, using power drills, drill presses, taps, saws, and punches. | Not published |
| Not much | Install copper-clad ground rods, using a manual post driver. | Not published |
| Not much | String transmission lines or cables through ducts or conduits, under the ground, through equipment, or to towers. | Not published |
| Not much | Dig trenches or holes for installation of conduit or supports. | Not published |
| Not much | Bolt component parts together to form tower assemblies, using hand tools. | Not published |
| Not much | Raise, lower, or position equipment, tools, and materials, using hoist, hand line, or block and tackle. | Not published |
| Not much | Erect electrical system components and barricades, and rig scaffolds, hoists, and shoring. | Not published |
| Not much | Requisition materials, using warehouse requisition or release forms. | Not published |
| Not much | Break up concrete, using airhammer, to facilitate installation, construction, or repair of equipment. | Not published |
| Not much | Paint a variety of objects related to electrical functions. | Not published |
| Not rated | Operate heavy equipment, such as backhoes. | Not published |
| Not much | Solder electrical connections, using soldering iron. | Not published |
| Not much | Trim trees and clear undergrowth along right-of-way. | Not published |
| Not much | Operate cutting torches and welding equipment, while working with conduit and metal components to construct devices associated with electrical functions. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 0 of the 25 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 25 tasks fall under 20 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #36 Purchase goods or services
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Install commercial or production equipment | |||
| Connect components or supply lines to equipment or tools | |||
| Repair electrical or electronic equipment | |||
| Fabricate devices or components | |||
| Move materials, equipment, or supplies | |||
| Operate construction or excavation equipment | |||
| Purchase goods or services | |||
| Test performance of equipment or systems |
Show all 20 activities
| Measure physical characteristics of materials, products, or equipment | |||
| Maintain tools or equipment | |||
| Position tools or equipment | |||
| Clean tools, equipment, facilities, or work areas | |||
| Apply protective solutions or coatings | |||
| Dispose of waste or debris | |||
| Cut materials | |||
| Build structures | |||
| Perform general construction or extraction activities | |||
| Inspect commercial, industrial, or production systems or equipment | |||
| Drill holes in earth or materials | |||
| Join parts using soldering, welding, or brazing techniques |
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for helpers--electricians specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 5,887 moves out
- 1 Electricians Moderate +9.2% 11%
- 2 Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand Low +1.8% 4%
- 3 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 3%
- 4 Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians High +2.4% 3%
- 5 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 3%
Where people moved in from
of 3,901 moves in
- 1 Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand Low +1.8% 6%
- 2 Customer Service Representatives Very high -5.3% 5%
- 3 Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators Low +1.5% 5%
- 4 Electricians Moderate +9.2% 4%
- 5 Cooks, Restaurant Moderate +12.1% 3%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 11% less than high school
- 71% high school
- 13% postsecondary certificate
- 3% some college
- 1% associate's
- 1% bachelor's
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 24 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 30% less than high school
- 47% high school
- 17% some college
- 1% associate's
- 3% bachelor's
- 1% master's
Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Helpers, construction trades” · 300 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Helpers, construction trades”
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
BLS publishes no credential figures for this occupation.
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeships: DOL's list of apprenticeable occupations doesn't include this one.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS
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