Electricians Salary
In Rochester, NY, electricians earn $77,310 at the median, or about $37.17 an hour. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $108K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.03), that's roughly $79,676 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,573/month, about 31.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $77K get you in Rochester?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Rochester’s Regional Price Parity (97.03). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Rochester
Rochester sits well above the national pay line for electricians, local pay runs about 22% higher than the U.S. median of $63K. Rent runs $1,573/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 97.03) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for electricians in metros near Rochester, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $79K | $70K |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $78K | $81K |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $75K | $75K |
| Syracuse | $77K | $81K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Rochester, NY
Entry-level electricians (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $77K. Top earners bring in $108K or more, a $63K 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 Rochester numbers change.
Related careers in Construction & Trades
Frequently asked questions
Can a electrician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Rochester?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $77K, rent takes 31.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,573/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for electricians in Rochester?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new electricians typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,725/month. At HUD’s $1,573/month FMR, rent would take 58% 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 Rochester?
Local pay is 22% above the national median — $77K here vs. $63K nationally.
How does Rochester compare to the national average for electricians?
Rochester pays $77K median vs. the U.S. average of $63K — that’s +22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.03), the purchasing-power equivalent is $80K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do electricians make in Rochester, NY?
The median is $77,310 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,410, and experienced electricians can clear $107,910. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $77K enough to live in Rochester?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,927/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,573/month, which eats 31.9% 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 Rochester?
Rochester has a Regional Price Parity of 97.03 (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 $79,676 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.