Career
Helpers--electricians
Help electricians on the job.
$42,670
Median pay
+0.6%
Job growth, 2025–35
6,100
Openings a year
High school diploma or equivalent
Typical education
None required
Typical time after high school
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- Strip insulation from wire ends, using wire stripping pliers, and attach wires to terminals for subsequent soldering.
- Trace out short circuits in wiring, using test meter.
- Measure, cut, and bend wire and conduit, using measuring instruments and hand tools.
- Examine electrical units for loose connections and broken insulation and tighten connections, using hand tools.
- Maintain tools, vehicles, and equipment and keep parts and supplies in order.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on objects & tools, then information & systems?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Strip insulation from wire ends, using wire stripping pliers, and attach wires to terminals for subsequent soldering.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Speaking, Quality Control Analysis.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
No degree beyond high school, though short-term on-the-job training is typical, for a median of $42,670 a year and 6,100 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- NO MATCHCIP 99.9999
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$42,360 · +2.4%
- Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers$39,630 · +5.3%
- Electricians$63,190 · +9.2%
- Helpers--Carpenters$43,780 · -1.7%
- Millwrights$65,700 · +0.9%
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
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Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.