Career comparison
Electrician vs. Plumber
Electricians and plumbers earn about the same: medians of $63,190 and $63,800.
Electricians have the stronger outlook: +9% projected growth through 2035, vs. +7%.
At a glance
| Electrician | Plumber | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $63,190 | $63,800 |
| Top 10% earn over | $108,510 | $108,420 |
| Growth to 2035 | +9% | +7% |
| Openings per year | 72,700 | 42,000 |
| Jobs today | 821,000 | 510,600 |
| Typical entry education | High school diploma or equivalent | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Time to qualify* | 4.6 years | 4.6 years |
| Training cost* | $100–$5.5K | $100–$5.5K |
* Starting from a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025. Outlook: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35.
Pay
Electrician
Plumber
Switching from one to the other
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ElectricianPlumber
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Getting in
Electrician
- Entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Apprenticeship
- Prior experience
- None
Required: Journeyman electrician license exam (most states)
Plumber
- Entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Apprenticeship
- Prior experience
- None
Required: Journeyman plumber license (most states)
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Hazardous conditions
Exposure to disease
Electrician: 35% usually work over 40 hours a weekPlumber: 27% usually work over 40 hours a week
Electrician: core tasks
- Prepare sketches or follow blueprints to determine the location of wiring or equipment and to ensure conformance to building and safety codes.
- Place conduit, pipes, or tubing, inside designated partitions, walls, or other concealed areas, and pull insulated wires or cables through the conduit to complete circuits between boxes.
- Work from ladders, scaffolds, or roofs to install, maintain, or repair electrical wiring, equipment, or fixtures.
- Use a variety of tools or equipment, such as power construction equipment, measuring devices, power tools, and testing equipment, such as oscilloscopes, ammeters, or test lamps.
- Assemble, install, test, or maintain electrical or electronic wiring, equipment, appliances, apparatus, or fixtures, using hand tools or power tools.
Plumber: core tasks
- Shut off steam, water, or other gases or liquids from pipe sections, using valve keys or wrenches.
- Install underground storm, sanitary, or water piping systems, extending piping as needed to connect fixtures and plumbing.
- Assemble pipe sections, tubing, or fittings, using couplings, clamps, screws, bolts, cement, plastic solvent, caulking, or soldering, brazing, or welding equipment.
- Locate and mark the position of pipe installations, connections, passage holes, or fixtures in structures, using measuring instruments such as rulers or levels.
- Cut, thread, or hammer pipes to specifications, using tools such as saws, cutting torches, pipe threaders, or pipe benders.
Skills: what carries over
Both rely on: Troubleshooting, Repairing, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making.
New for an electrician moving to plumber: Monitoring, Coordination, Complex Problem Solving, Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control.
New for a plumber moving to electrician: Active Listening, Active Learning, Installation, Quality Control Analysis, Reading Comprehension.
Interests (Holland codes): Electrician: Realistic, Conventional, Investigative. Plumber: Realistic, Conventional, Investigative.
Outlook to 2035, and AI
Electrician
+9%
faster than average · 72,700 openings a year
BLS lists no specific factors, including AI, changing demand for this job.
Plumber
+7%
faster than average · 42,000 openings a year
BLS lists no specific factors, including AI, changing demand for this job.
Quoted notes: BLS Employment Projections, factors affecting occupational utilization (Table 1.12). Average growth across all jobs: +3.5%.
Questions people ask
Who makes more, an electrician or a plumber?
Electricians and plumbers earn about the same: medians of $63,190 and $63,800.
Which has the better job outlook?
Electricians have the stronger outlook: +9% projected growth through 2035, vs. +7%.
How long does it take to become a plumber?
For someone with a bachelor's degree in another field, about 4.6 years, with tuition of roughly $100 to $5,500. Required: Journeyman plumber license (most states).
How long does it take to become an electrician?
For someone with a bachelor's degree in another field, about 4.6 years, with tuition of roughly $100 to $5,500. Required: Journeyman electrician license exam (most states).