Lineman Salary by State
BLS OEWS May 2025 · BLS occupation: SOC 49-9051 Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers
Linemen earned a median $95,320 a year ($45.83 an hour) in May 2025 (SOC 49-9051 Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers).
The middle half earned between $67,270 and $109,740.
Electrical power-line installers and repairers, wage-and-salary workers, apprentices through journeymen.
This is a different occupation from electricians.
Annual figures are BLS hourly wages × 2,080 hours. OEWS covers wage-and-salary workers only, so it leaves out the self-employed, workers in private households, overtime pay and most bonuses.
How pay spreads across Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $51,470 | $24.74 |
| 25th | $67,270 | $32.34 |
| 50th (median) | $95,320 | $45.83 |
| 75th | $109,740 | $52.76 |
| 90th | $128,690 | $61.87 |
| Mean (average) | $91,970 | $44.22 |
SOC 49-9051 Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers: 131,070 wage-and-salary jobs, BLS OEWS May 2025.
Pay by employer setting
| Employer setting (BLS) | Median annual |
|---|---|
| Federal government | $111,900 |
| Utilities | $103,060 |
| Local government | $90,060 |
| Specialty trade contractors | $76,980 |
| Utility system construction | $76,060 |
Median wage for SOC 49-9051 Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers by industry, BLS OEWS May 2025.
Lineman Salary by State
Median annual wage for SOC 49-9051 Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers in each state, BLS OEWS May 2025, alphabetical. "vs. U.S." compares the state median with the national median of $95,320; it is not adjusted for living costs.
| State | Median | Hourly | 10th–90th | Jobs | vs. U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $92,030 | $44.24 | $44,150–$105,400 | 2,730 | −3% |
| Alaska | $92,470 | $44.46 | $52,040–$139,750 | 490 | −3% |
| Arizona | $75,420 | $36.26 | $48,760–$124,300 | 3,360 | −21% |
| Arkansas | $81,450 | $39.16 | $51,150–$115,120 | 1,510 | −15% |
| California | $129,040 | $62.04 | $77,350–$167,090 | 8,930 | +35% |
| Colorado | $103,980 | $49.99 | $59,170–$131,360 | 2,370 | +9% |
| Connecticut | $126,850 | $60.99 | $46,960–$135,730 | 940 | +33% |
| Delaware | $97,180 | $46.72 | $48,570–$119,790 | 330 | +2% |
| District of Columbia | $101,240 | $48.67 | $67,750–$132,900 | 150 | +6% |
| Florida | $86,870 | $41.76 | $50,690–$109,300 | 6,420 | −9% |
| Georgia | $80,080 | $38.50 | $50,440–$116,900 | 4,960 | −16% |
| Hawaii | $134,340 | $64.59 | $81,120–$144,170 | 600 | +41% |
| Idaho | $125,410 | $60.29 | $75,770–$131,140 | 860 | +32% |
| Illinois | $108,120 | $51.98 | $72,820–$129,230 | 3,090 | +13% |
| Indiana | $102,040 | $49.06 | $53,290–$116,720 | 2,540 | +7% |
| Iowa | $100,200 | $48.17 | $65,310–$109,980 | 1,390 | +5% |
| Kansas | $101,620 | $48.86 | $50,510–$122,970 | 1,610 | +7% |
| Kentucky | $77,020 | $37.03 | $47,770–$102,400 | 2,930 | −19% |
| Louisiana | $76,410 | $36.74 | $46,200–$117,990 | 2,520 | −20% |
| Maine | $83,090 | $39.95 | $52,190–$121,950 | 1,160 | −13% |
| Maryland | $106,090 | $51.01 | $62,160–$124,750 | 1,830 | +11% |
| Massachusetts | $110,210 | $52.99 | $81,470–$127,620 | 2,350 | +16% |
| Michigan | $106,890 | $51.39 | $65,480–$131,570 | 2,800 | +12% |
| Minnesota | $104,180 | $50.09 | $78,390–$122,110 | 2,190 | +9% |
| Mississippi | $75,890 | $36.49 | $45,620–$98,200 | 2,290 | −20% |
| Missouri | $96,360 | $46.33 | $59,900–$115,740 | 3,440 | +1% |
| Montana | $110,320 | $53.04 | $73,220–$125,010 | 680 | +16% |
| Nebraska | $92,150 | $44.30 | $52,930–$118,040 | 1,490 | −3% |
| Nevada | $96,560 | $46.42 | $65,000–$134,930 | 920 | +1% |
| New Hampshire | $102,170 | $49.12 | $67,030–$126,870 | 560 | +7% |
| New Jersey | $121,580 | $58.45 | $81,470–$126,350 | 1,310 | +28% |
| New Mexico | $76,470 | $36.76 | $46,640–$105,590 | 1,020 | −20% |
| New York | $121,280 | $58.31 | $58,740–$141,160 | 5,840 | +27% |
| North Carolina | $77,270 | $37.15 | $48,180–$105,430 | 5,650 | −19% |
| North Dakota | $105,870 | $50.90 | $61,020–$121,990 | 740 | +11% |
| Ohio | $93,150 | $44.78 | $58,840–$111,760 | 4,260 | −2% |
| Oklahoma | $76,010 | $36.54 | $48,630–$117,020 | 3,290 | −20% |
| Oregon | $131,090 | $63.02 | $77,330–$153,860 | 1,640 | +38% |
| Pennsylvania | $106,230 | $51.07 | $64,550–$122,510 | 4,150 | +11% |
| Rhode Island | $104,620 | $50.30 | $72,710–$125,200 | 120 | +10% |
| South Carolina | $76,870 | $36.96 | $48,890–$102,860 | 2,690 | −19% |
| South Dakota | $97,310 | $46.79 | $63,840–$118,530 | 740 | +2% |
| Tennessee | $83,660 | $40.22 | $58,240–$105,000 | 3,900 | −12% |
| Texas | $78,940 | $37.95 | $46,760–$107,550 | 17,280 | −17% |
| Utah | $101,220 | $48.66 | $49,380–$124,180 | 1,030 | +6% |
| Vermont | $108,520 | $52.17 | $89,450–$125,680 | 270 | +14% |
| Virginia | $76,590 | $36.82 | $49,520–$106,860 | 2,920 | −20% |
| Washington | $133,060 | $63.97 | $80,640–$147,810 | 2,340 | +40% |
| West Virginia | $83,810 | $40.29 | $47,760–$115,350 | 1,260 | −12% |
| Wisconsin | $105,820 | $50.88 | $58,330–$119,850 | 2,520 | +11% |
| Wyoming | $93,860 | $45.12 | $49,820–$119,810 | 670 | −2% |
Job outlook
BLS projects employment of power-line installers and repairers to grow 10% from 2025 to 2035, from 131,900 to 145,500 jobs, with about 10,900 openings a year, many replacing workers who change occupations or retire.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 (Occupational Outlook Handbook), SOC 49-9051 Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers.
Pay by line-work and low-voltage role
BLS publishes wages by occupation, not job title.
Only a few electrical titles are a BLS occupation of their own; most sit inside a broader occupation or borrow a related one, and a few have no BLS figure at all.
Compare figures with the same basis only.
| Role | Median shown | What the number is |
|---|---|---|
| Lineman | $95,320 | BLS occupation (SOC 49-9051) |
| Low Voltage Technician | $60,070 | Related occupation (proxy) (SOC 49-2098) |
| Security System Technician | $60,070 | BLS occupation (SOC 49-2098) |
| Fire Alarm Technician | $60,070 | BLS occupation (SOC 49-2098) |
| Access Control Technician | $60,070 | Broader BLS occupation (SOC 49-2098) |
| Structured Cabling Technician | $74,330 | Related occupation (proxy) (SOC 49-9052) |
| AV Technician | $52,600 | Broader BLS occupation (SOC 49-2097) |
| Journeyman Lineman | $95,320 | Broader BLS occupation (SOC 49-9051) |
| Groundman | No BLS figure | No BLS occupation |
| Substation Technician | $103,020 | Broader BLS occupation (SOC 49-2095) |
| Relay Technician | $103,020 | Broader BLS occupation (SOC 49-2095) |
| Cable Splicer | $95,320 | Broader BLS occupation (SOC 49-9051) |
Lineman salary questions
01How much do linemen make a year?
The median annual wage for electrical power-line installers and repairers (SOC 49-9051) was $95,320 in May 2025 (BLS OEWS). Half earned more and half earned less. The 10th percentile was $51,470 and the 90th percentile $128,690.
02How much do linemen make an hour?
The median hourly wage for electrical power-line installers and repairers was $45.83 in May 2025. BLS converts between hourly and annual figures at 2,080 hours a year, so this is the same median per hour, before overtime, per diem or bonuses.
03Which state pays electrical power-line installers and repairers the most?
Hawaii had the highest median in May 2025 at $134,340. Arizona had the lowest at $75,420. These are not adjusted for living costs; the state table above lists every state BLS published.
04What is the average lineman salary?
The mean (average) annual wage for electrical power-line installers and repairers was $91,970 in May 2025, against a $95,320 median. The median is the better guide to a typical salary, because a smaller number of high earners pull the average up.
05Which employers pay electrical power-line installers and repairers the most?
Of the industries BLS lists for this occupation, federal government had the highest median in May 2025 at $111,900, and utility system construction the lowest of those listed at $76,060.
06Does this include union scale?
OEWS reports one wage series for the whole occupation, union and non-union together. A union local's own wage sheet sets its members' rates; this page does not quote one.