Electricians Salary
In Portland-South Portland, ME, electricians earn $71,660 at the median, or about $34.45 an hour. The range runs from $56K at the entry level to $98K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.86), that's roughly $70,351 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,130/month, about 45.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $72K get you in Portland-South Portland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Portland-South Portland’s Regional Price Parity (101.86). 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 Portland-South Portland
Portland-South Portland sits well above the national pay line for electricians, local pay runs about 13% higher than the U.S. median of $63K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,130/month, which is 46.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 101.86) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for electricians in metros near Portland-South Portland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Lewiston-Auburn | $78K | $83K |
| Bangor | $63K | $66K |
| Manchester-Nashua | $64K | $61K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Portland-South Portland, ME
Entry-level electricians (10th percentile) start around $56K. Mid-career wages sit at $72K. Top earners bring in $98K or more, a $42K 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 Portland-South Portland numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a electrician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Portland-South Portland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $72K, rent takes 46.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,130/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for electricians in Portland-South Portland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new electricians typically earn — is $56K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,381/month. At HUD’s $2,130/month FMR, rent would take 63% 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 Portland-South Portland?
Local pay is 13% above the national median — $72K here vs. $63K nationally.
How does Portland-South Portland compare to the national average for electricians?
Portland-South Portland pays $72K median vs. the U.S. average of $63K — that’s +13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do electricians make in Portland-South Portland, ME?
The median is $71,660 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $56,350, and experienced electricians can clear $98,030. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $72K enough to live in Portland-South Portland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,598/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,130/month, which eats 46.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a electricians salary go in Portland-South Portland?
Portland-South Portland has a Regional Price Parity of 101.86 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median electricians salary is worth about $70,351 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.