Electrician supply and wages by metro area
Short answer: In BLS's May 2025 OEWS estimates for electricians (SOC 47-2111), the 50 cities on this site fall into 42 metro areas. Electricians per 1,000 jobs range from 3.286 (Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA) to 7.523 (Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC), and median hourly wages range from $24.43 (Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL) to $50.53 (Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA). These figures may help explain why install quotes differ between cities, but they don't show that they cause the difference.
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How many electricians work in each metro, and what are they paid?
| City | BLS metro area | Electricians employed | Per 1,000 jobs | Median hourly | Mean hourly | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach, VA | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | 5,740 | 7.523 | $29.98 | $30.30 | BLS 47260 |
| Phoenix, AZ | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 17,240 | 7.257 | $29.43 | $30.95 | BLS 38060 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | 5,710 | 6.912 | $30.11 | $32.03 | BLS 41620 |
| Columbus, OH | Columbus, OH | 7,210 | 6.519 | $31.11 | $33.29 | BLS 18140 |
| Jacksonville, FL | Jacksonville, FL | 4,990 | 6.517 | $28.02 | $27.81 | BLS 27260 |
| Denver, CO | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 10,450 | 6.496 | $30.36 | $32.50 | BLS 19740 |
| Portland, OR | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 7,340 | 6.074 | $50.53 | $49.53 | BLS 38900 |
| Houston, TX | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 19,730 | 5.998 | $28.45 | $29.55 | BLS 26420 |
| San Antonio, TX | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 6,660 | 5.913 | $27.41 | $27.42 | BLS 41700 |
| Detroit, MI | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 11,210 | 5.885 | $39.42 | $38.10 | BLS 19820 |
| Sacramento, CA | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 6,340 | 5.871 | $35.98 | $38.40 | BLS 40900 |
| Austin, TX | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 7,340 | 5.674 | $29.03 | $29.25 | BLS 12420 |
| Nashville, TN | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | 6,220 | 5.658 | $30.45 | $32.07 | BLS 34980 |
| Richmond, VA | Richmond, VA | 3,600 | 5.448 | $29.50 | $29.98 | BLS 40060 |
| Washington, DC | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 16,580 | 5.287 | $36.50 | $38.29 | BLS 47900 |
| Arlington, VA | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 16,580 | 5.287 | $36.50 | $38.29 | BLS 47900 |
| San Diego, CA | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 8,060 | 5.242 | $36.62 | $39.54 | BLS 41740 |
| Dallas, TX | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 20,930 | 5.168 | $28.37 | $28.83 | BLS 19100 |
| Fort Worth, TX | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 20,930 | 5.168 | $28.37 | $28.83 | BLS 19100 |
| Baltimore, MD | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 6,930 | 5.105 | $31.54 | $35.00 | BLS 12580 |
| Las Vegas, NV | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | 5,730 | 5.042 | $34.08 | $36.16 | BLS 29820 |
| Raleigh, NC | Raleigh-Cary, NC | 3,740 | 5.028 | $27.31 | $27.44 | BLS 39580 |
| Boston, MA | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 13,410 | 4.958 | $38.42 | $40.08 | BLS 14460 |
| Tampa, FL | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 7,170 | 4.952 | $27.62 | $27.89 | BLS 45300 |
| Orlando, FL | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 6,970 | 4.94 | $24.43 | $26.59 | BLS 36740 |
| Kansas City, MO | Kansas City, MO-KS | 5,400 | 4.925 | $36.95 | $37.34 | BLS 28140 |
| Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | 5,390 | 4.874 | $31.31 | $33.28 | BLS 26900 |
| San Jose, CA | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 5,480 | 4.825 | $43.77 | $47.91 | BLS 41940 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh, PA | 5,210 | 4.675 | $33.34 | $36.22 | BLS 38300 |
| Seattle, WA | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 9,750 | 4.671 | $48.93 | $47.94 | BLS 42660 |
| Atlanta, GA | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 13,430 | 4.646 | $28.20 | $29.82 | BLS 12060 |
| Miami, FL | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 12,990 | 4.608 | $28.19 | $28.81 | BLS 33100 |
| Fort Lauderdale, FL | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 12,990 | 4.608 | $28.19 | $28.81 | BLS 33100 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | Oklahoma City, OK | 3,100 | 4.569 | $29.33 | $30.07 | BLS 36420 |
| Memphis, TN | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 2,770 | 4.522 | $29.27 | $30.14 | BLS 32820 |
| Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 8,810 | 4.517 | $39.37 | $40.31 | BLS 33460 |
| St. Louis, MO | St. Louis, MO-IL | 5,920 | 4.412 | $37.10 | $36.43 | BLS 41180 |
| Fresno, CA | Fresno, CA | 1,980 | 4.156 | $34.48 | $36.61 | BLS 23420 |
| Chicago, IL | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 17,720 | 3.926 | $49.21 | $45.41 | BLS 16980 |
| Charlotte, NC | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 5,250 | 3.865 | $28.41 | $28.41 | BLS 16740 |
| New York City, NY | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 36,550 | 3.85 | $37.99 | $42.63 | BLS 35620 |
| Newark, NJ | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 36,550 | 3.85 | $37.99 | $42.63 | BLS 35620 |
| San Francisco, CA | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 9,060 | 3.816 | $44.63 | $49.85 | BLS 41860 |
| Oakland, CA | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 9,060 | 3.816 | $44.63 | $49.85 | BLS 41860 |
| Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 10,090 | 3.482 | $35.86 | $39.29 | BLS 37980 |
| Tucson, AZ | Tucson, AZ | 1,340 | 3.435 | $28.60 | $29.60 | BLS 46060 |
| Los Angeles, CA | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 20,610 | 3.286 | $35.49 | $39.57 | BLS 31080 |
| Irvine, CA | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 20,610 | 3.286 | $35.49 | $39.57 | BLS 31080 |
| Long Beach, CA | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 20,610 | 3.286 | $35.49 | $39.57 | BLS 31080 |
| Anaheim, CA | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 20,610 | 3.286 | $35.49 | $39.57 | BLS 31080 |
Several cities share a metro area, so they show the same numbers: Los Angeles, Long Beach, Irvine and Anaheim; San Francisco and Oakland; New York City and Newark; Washington and Arlington; Dallas and Fort Worth; Miami and Fort Lauderdale. BLS reports metros, not cities. Employment counts are rounded by BLS. The metro file covers electricians in all industries, not only EV charger work.
Does a lower electrician supply mean higher install prices?
Not necessarily, and we don't claim it does. Fewer electricians per 1,000 jobs, or higher wages, might be one reason labor costs more in some places. Quotes also depend on permit fees, how old the housing is, how much panel work is needed, demand from other construction, and each contractor's pricing. We haven't tested whether these BLS figures predict quotes, so read this as context, not as an explanation.
For example, Portland's metro has both a high median wage ($50.53) and a high concentration (6.07 per 1,000 jobs). That shows how wage and supply don't line up neatly.
Where does this data come from?
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, metropolitan and nonmetropolitan area file, occupation 47-2111 Electricians. Columns are TOT_EMP, JOBS_1000, H_MEDIAN and H_MEAN. Downloaded 2026-10-25 from BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan area estimates (oesm25ma.zip); release list at bls.gov/oes/tables.htm. Each row also links to its BLS metro page.
Why use the metro instead of the city?
OEWS publishes estimates for metropolitan statistical areas, not cities, so every city here gets its metro's figures.
Is this the electrician rate I'll be charged?
No. It's what electricians are paid, not what contractors bill. Billed rates also cover overhead, insurance, vehicles and profit.
Why do some city pages show a different wage source?
Some city pages cite a secondary source for the wage figure. This page uses the BLS download directly. The Los Angeles median, for example, is $35.49/hr in both.