Electricians Salary
In Madison, WI, electricians earn $78,430 at the median, or about $37.71 an hour. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $103K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.29), that's roughly $80,615 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,168/month, or 22.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $78K get you in Madison?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Madison’s Regional Price Parity (97.29). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About electricians
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What this looks like in Madison
Madison sits well above the national pay line for electricians, local pay runs about 24% higher than the U.S. median of $63K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,168/month, 23.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 97.29) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Madison offers a genuinely strong financial position for electricianss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for electricians in metros near Madison, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $78K | $80K |
| Green Bay | $77K | $83K |
| Appleton | $67K | $72K |
| Oshkosh-Neenah | $77K | $83K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Madison, WI
Entry-level electricians (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $78K. Top earners bring in $103K or more, a $58K spread from bottom to top.
Electricians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Electricians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $101K | +60% | 10,590 |
| Illinois | $100K | +58% | 23,120 |
| Hawaii | $96K | +53% | 3,070 |
| Washington | $95K | +51% | 19,380 |
| Alaska | $89K | +42% | 1,870 |
| Massachusetts | $79K | +26% | 17,810 |
| District of Columbia | $79K | +25% | 2,440 |
| New York | $79K | +25% | 40,130 |
| Minnesota | $78K | +24% | 14,350 |
| Connecticut | $78K | +23% | 7,710 |
| New Jersey | $77K | +22% | 13,520 |
| Montana | $77K | +21% | 2,750 |
| Wisconsin | $77K | +21% | 14,310 |
| Michigan | $76K | +21% | 23,530 |
| California | $76K | +21% | 73,310 |
| Wyoming | $76K | +20% | 2,960 |
| Maine | $75K | +19% | 3,780 |
| Rhode Island | $74K | +17% | 2,420 |
| Nevada | $74K | +16% | 8,350 |
| Maryland | $73K | +16% | 13,690 |
| Indiana | $68K | +8% | 19,020 |
| Pennsylvania | $68K | +7% | 22,730 |
| Kansas | $66K | +4% | 6,350 |
| North Dakota | $66K | +4% | 3,570 |
| Missouri | $65K | +4% | 12,780 |
| West Virginia | $65K | +3% | 4,290 |
| Ohio | $65K | +2% | 28,950 |
| Delaware | $64K | +1% | 2,260 |
| Vermont | $63K | +0% | 1,270 |
| Idaho | $63K | -0% | 5,690 |
| Virginia | $63K | -0% | 23,630 |
| New Hampshire | $63K | -1% | 3,330 |
| Colorado | $62K | -2% | 17,010 |
| Utah | $62K | -2% | 11,450 |
| Louisiana | $62K | -3% | 10,550 |
| South Dakota | $61K | -3% | 2,980 |
| Tennessee | $61K | -3% | 17,070 |
| Arizona | $61K | -3% | 21,140 |
| Oklahoma | $61K | -3% | 8,500 |
| Mississippi | $61K | -4% | 6,610 |
| Iowa | $61K | -4% | 10,310 |
| Nebraska | $61K | -4% | 6,440 |
| Kentucky | $60K | -5% | 11,030 |
| South Carolina | $59K | -7% | 8,010 |
| Texas | $59K | -7% | 76,770 |
| New Mexico | $58K | -8% | 5,020 |
| Georgia | $58K | -8% | 21,650 |
| Florida | $57K | -9% | 49,700 |
| North Carolina | $57K | -10% | 21,640 |
| Alabama | $56K | -12% | 10,900 |
| Arkansas | $49K | -22% | 7,500 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track electricians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Madison numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a electrician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Madison?
Yes — at the median salary of $78K, rent takes 23.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,168/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for electricians in Madison?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new electricians typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,703/month. At HUD’s $1,168/month FMR, rent would take 43% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is electrician a high-paying job in Madison?
Local pay is 24% above the national median — $78K here vs. $63K nationally.
How does Madison compare to the national average for electricians?
Madison pays $78K median vs. the U.S. average of $63K — that’s +24%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.29), the purchasing-power equivalent is $81K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do electricians make in Madison, WI?
The median is $78,430 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,050, and experienced electricians can clear $102,860. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $78K enough to live in Madison?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,038/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,168/month, which eats 23.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a electricians salary go in Madison?
Madison has a Regional Price Parity of 97.29 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median electricians salary is worth about $80,615 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do electricians get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.