Where Are Electricians Needed the Most?

Are you thinking about enrolling in an electrician training program but wondering where the job outlook for these tradespeople might be bright?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expects that electrician jobs will increase by 9% nationally over the next ten years, which is a faster rate of growth than average.¹ An expected 66,100 more electricians will be needed in the workforce through 2030.¹

Which U.S. states need electricians the most? While job statistics may fluctuate and the top states for electrician jobs can change from year to year depending on a number of factors, the following 5 states show strong job growth projections and availability of entry-level jobs.

See the electrician employment projections for these 5 states below.

5 States that Need Electricians

1. Arizona

The Arizona Commerce Authority predicts that electrician jobs will grow by 35% in the decade between 2020 and 2030.² There were an estimated 14,564 electricians working in Arizona in 2020, the last year that data was available.² Approximately 5,138 more electricians could be needed in the state of Arizona over the next ten years.²

How many of these jobs are entry level? The job listing board Indeed.com reports that in 2019 (the last year that data is available), there were 103 entry-level job openings posted on the site.³ By comparison, there were 86 mid-level electrician jobs posted and only 1 senior-level job.³

2. Texas

The Texas Workforce Commission expects that electrician jobs will grow by 15.37% in the decade between 2018 and 2028.⁴ There were 48,347 working electricians in 2018.⁴ Around 7,433 more electricians could be needed in the state of Texas in the coming years.⁴

Texas is the leader when it comes to entry-level job postings on Indeed.com.³ In 2019, Indeed.com reports that there were 702 entry-level electrician jobs posted on the site, which is more than any other state.³ Interestingly, Texas also had the most mid-level and senior-level job postings of all states, as well, with 697 mid-level job postings and 29 senior-level job postings.³

3. Florida

The Florida Research and Economic Information Database Application reports that electrician jobs are expected to grow by 13.39% between 2020 and 2028.⁵ There were an estimated 41,900 electricians working in Florida in 2020, and around 5,814 more electricians could be needed in the job market over the next seven years.⁵*

In 2019, Indeed.com shows that employers posted a total of 456 entry-level job listings for electricians on the site.³ In comparison, there were 411 mid-level jobs posted, and 17 senior-level jobs.³

4. New York

The New York Department of Labor expects a 9.8% increase in electrician jobs between 2018 and 2028.⁶ In 2018, there were 45,320 working electricians in the state of New York, and approximately 4,440 more jobs could be available by 2028, with an average of 440 electrician jobs added each year.⁶

Indeed.com reported 308 entry-level job listings for electricians in 2019.³ By comparison, there were 230 mid-level job postings and 9 senior-level job postings.³

5. California

The Employment Development Department in the state of California reports an expected 9.6% increase in electrician jobs between 2018 and 2028.⁷ In 2018, there were an estimated 78,100 electricians employed in the state, and there could be 7,500 more electrician jobs added by 2028.⁷

Indeed.com shows that there were 643 entry-level electrician jobs posted in 2019.³ By comparison, there were 575 mid-level job postings and 26 senior-level job postings.³

Electricians Could Be Needed Across the Country

In general, there could be a nationwide electrician shortage on the horizon, caused by a host of factors, including increased renewable energy usage, modern buildings and more electric vehicles.⁸

One report suggests that, depending on how current trends and projections continue, the country could need 462,183 more electricians by the year 2050.⁹

Each state could have its own specific needs for electricians. The total number of job openings per state correlates closely with that state’s population levels. As could be expected, the bigger states have more people living in them and could be expected to need a greater number of electricians to work in them.

*According to BLS data Oklahoma employed 6,830 Electricians (472111) through 2020. http://data.bls.gov/oes.