Electricians in North Carolina: licensing, jobs, pay and local data

23,660 people work as electricians in North Carolina, and the median pay is $54,070 a year (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024).

The Census Bureau counts 3,089 electrical contractor businesses with employees in North Carolina (2023 County Business Patterns).

That is 6.3 businesses per 10,000 homes, against 5.8 nationally.

North Carolina ranks 48 of 51 states for median pay in this trade.

It ranks 23 of 51 for businesses per 10,000 homes.

Figures last updated on .

Jobs
23,660
Median pay, a year
$54,070
Businesses with employees
3,089

Electricians in North Carolina: businesses and jobs

Census Bureau 2023; Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2024
North CarolinaUnited States
Businesses with employees3,08983,342
Their employees31,0061,015,983
Annual payroll$1,947,407,000$77,768,461,000
Payroll per employee$62,807$76,545
Businesses per 10,000 homes6.35.8
Jobs23,660742,580
Jobs per 1,000 jobs4.83—
Location quotient (1.00 = the national share)1.001.00

A location quotient above 1 means the trade’s share of all jobs is larger here than nationally.

What electricians earn in North Carolina

May 2024, US Bureau of Labor Statistics
North CarolinaUnited States
Median pay, a year$54,070$62,350
Median pay, an hour$26.00$29.98
10th percentile$38,700$39,430
25th percentile$47,000$48,820
75th percentile$61,380$81,730
90th percentile$72,170$106,030
Average pay, a year$55,370$69,630

Electricians by county in North Carolina

Businesses with employees, 2023 County Business Patterns
CountyBusinesses with employeesTheir employeesBusinesses per 10,000 homes
Wake County3014,2536.1
Mecklenburg County2773,8035.5
Guilford County1441,8696.0
Buncombe County1067137.9
New Hanover County1066188.8
Union County10194711.4
Johnston County9667510.5
Forsyth County828964.7
Iredell County788239.3
Durham County751,8444.9
Cabarrus County741,0877.9
Brunswick County724547.3
Cumberland County671,6244.7
Gaston County637326.2
Catawba County544907.4
Rowan County524598.0
Davidson County473616.2
Alamance County464926.0
Henderson County453727.8
Randolph County452877.2
Lincoln County4123610.4
Pitt County402634.8
Orange County372355.9
Moore County331856.6
Pender County3315710.4
Carteret County321966.1
Harnett County322885.8
Nash County313887.1
Onslow County291713.3
Franklin County281478.8
Haywood County271167.6
Wayne County272135.0
Lee County262319.6
Dare County241206.8
Wilson County246416.5
Burke County231925.7
Lenoir County233628.6
Macon County231488.5
Stanly County231008.0
Rockingham County221325.0
Chatham County211925.8
Craven County211154.3
Robeson County211134.3
Rutherford County212986.4
Transylvania County2115310.9
Wilkes County211316.6
Cleveland County191674.3
Granville County19917.7
Caldwell County18954.8
Watauga County181325.4
Duplin County171357.1
Richmond County171418.5
Jackson County16845.8
Ashe County15438.7
Surry County15484.4
McDowell County14446.5
Sampson County14625.4
Currituck County13677.6
Edgecombe County131035.6
Madison County133911.4

Showing the 60 counties with the most businesses, of 88.

The homes behind the work in North Carolina

Estimate (90% margin of error)
North CarolinaUnited States
Homes built before 19404.9% (±0.1 points)11.7%
Homes built 2010 to 201913.5% (±0.1 points)9.4%
Homes heated by electricity65.5% (±0.2 points)41.3%
Homes in buildings of 20 or more units6.0% (±0.1 points)10.3%

Licenses for electricians in North Carolina

North Carolina sets its own licenses for this trade, and many cities and counties add their own; the US Department of Labor’s License Finder lists each license North Carolina requires and the agency that issues it.

Before work starts, the local building department says which permits the job needs and which license the person pulling them must hold.

Federal rules and model codes for electricians

These federal rules apply to this work in every state, and the model codes below are adopted state by state; each is linked to its official text.

Business counts are establishments: a company with offices in two counties is counted in each.

Jobs and pay are for the occupation in every industry, so they include people employed by builders, property managers and governments as well as by contractors.

What you can do on Seayora in North Carolina

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Questions about North Carolina

How much do electricians make in North Carolina?

The median pay for electricians in North Carolina is $54,070 a year, against $62,350 nationally (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024).

How many electricians work in North Carolina?

23,660 people work as electricians in North Carolina, by the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2024 count of jobs.

How many electrical contractor businesses are in North Carolina?

The Census Bureau counts 3,089 electrical contractor businesses with employees in North Carolina (2023 County Business Patterns).

Do electricians need a license in North Carolina?

North Carolina sets its own licenses for this trade, and many cities and counties add their own; the US Department of Labor’s License Finder lists each license North Carolina requires and the agency that issues it.

Sources

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them. Rules are summarized from their official text, which governs; this page is not legal advice, and a state or city may add requirements of its own.

Figures last updated on .

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