Pennsylvania Electrician Pay by Trade
Updated 2026-10-29 · 0 trades with 5+ disclosed-pay postings
The Pennsylvania electrician labor market
Pennsylvania is a deep, diversified electrician market built on eds, meds, manufacturing, and energy. Philadelphia's commercial and institutional pipeline — university expansions, hospital systems, and Center City high-rise work — runs on strong union coverage through IBEW Local 98, one of the most politically influential electrical locals in the country, whose scale and training pipeline set regional rates. Pittsburgh pairs a stable commercial base with a growing technology footprint: the robotics and autonomy cluster, UPMC's perpetual hospital construction, and Shell's Beaver County ethane cracker sustain industrial electrical demand in the west. Between them, the Lehigh Valley's warehouse and logistics boom generates endless distribution-center electrical work, and the Marcellus shale gas patch supports a specialized industrial electrician workforce across the northern tier. Data centers are the growth story: hyperscale developers are moving into the state for its power availability and land, with projects clustering around Philadelphia's suburbs and emerging sites in the central counties. Licensing is municipal — Philadelphia and Pittsburgh maintain their own electrical licenses with no single statewide journeyman ticket — which segments the market but supports rates in the organized jurisdictions. Prevailing wage applies to state-funded public work above statutory thresholds, lifting the floor on school, infrastructure, and public-building projects. Key locals include Local 98 (Philadelphia), Local 5 (Pittsburgh), Local 375 (Allentown/Lehigh Valley), Local 743 (Reading), and Local 81 (Scranton). Workforce dynamics favor experienced hands: an aging journeyman cohort, steady commercial demand, and the new data center and manufacturing load mean apprentices who complete the pipeline step into a seller's market, particularly in the Philadelphia metro and the shale-adjacent industrial counties.
No trade in Pennsylvania has 5 or more disclosed-pay postings yet — check back as coverage grows.
Frequently asked questions
What does an electrician make in Pennsylvania?
Based on 0 disclosed-pay postings tracked by ElectricianDB, the median hourly pay for journeyman electrician work in Pennsylvania is $0.00/hr. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a statewide electrician median of $32.50/hr.
Where are the highest-paying electrician jobs in Pennsylvania?
The strongest recent postings cluster around Pennsylvania. Top-end rates on active postings run above the $0.00/hr median — see the highest-paying openings listed on this page for current examples.
Which employers pay electricians the most in Pennsylvania?
Among employers with repeated postings in Pennsylvania, a mix of regional contractors show the highest average disclosed minimums. Averages reflect posted ranges, not verified take-home pay.
Do you need a Pennsylvania electrician license to work there?
Most states require a license for unsupervised electrical work, and requirements vary by state and municipality — see our step-by-step licensing pathway for Pennsylvania for the exact hours, exam, and fees.
What's the prevailing wage for electricians in Pennsylvania?
Prevailing-wage coverage depends on federal and state funding rules that differ by project and jurisdiction — see Pennsylvania prevailing wage rates for the current determinations.
How many electrician jobs are posted in Pennsylvania right now?
ElectricianDB is currently tracking 0 disclosed-pay journeyman electrician postings in Pennsylvania. Counts change as contractors post and fill roles.