It's a key question for anyone thinking about a career as an electrician in Ontario: Just how much money can you expect to earn?
Electrician salaries depend on a range of factors, including what company you work for, what area you specialize in, and how much experience you have.
We looked at government data and dozens of actual job postings to get an idea of earnings for electrician apprentices as well as fully qualified journeymen in different specialties.
In this post, we explain how much you can make in various electrician roles, and how to get started with training. Here's what you need to know.
APPRENTICE ELECTRICIANs
As an apprentice electrician, you'll earn a wage while you learn your trade. As you progress through your training, you'll earn increasingly higher pay.
It's difficult to pin down apprentice electrician salaries.
Indeed says the average wage for electrician apprentices in Ontario is $26.24 per hour. PayScale says the average wage for apprentice electricians in Toronto is $20.14 per hour.
We found many postings for second- or third-year apprentice electricians in Ontario that offered $20 to $25 per hour.
And many jobs for fourth- and fifth-year apprentice electricians paid anywhere from $28 to $35 per hour.
What's the bottom line?
On average, you can make about $20 per hour as a first- or second-year electrician apprentice.
And you can make at least $25 per hour as you progress to your third year of apprenticeship and beyond.
CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE ELECTRICIANs
Many electricians focus on construction, repair, or renovation work in homes, businesses, schools, and other types of buildings.
This role involves installing and maintaining the electrical systems that provide heat, light, power, and more.
The Government of Canada Job Bank says the median wage for this type of electrician is $34 per hour in Ontario. But some people in this role make as much as $50 per hour.
What's the bottom line?
Most postings we found were offering wages between $30 and $45 per hour.
INDUSTRIAL ELECTRICIANs
Industrial electricians work on electrical components and equipment in factories, plants, shipyards, and mines.
They specialize in installing and repairing things like generators, reactors, electrical motors, instruments, and hydraulic electrical control systems.
According to the Job Bank, industrial electricians in Ontario earn a median wage of $38.75 per hour. Those with experience can make up to $47 per hour.
What's the bottom line?
We found dozens of examples of industrial electrician salaries in the $32-to-$45-per-hour range.
LINEWORKERs
Also known as powerline technicians, lineworkers are the people who set up and maintain electrical transmission and distribution systems.
They work on the high-voltage lines that link power plants and individual buildings. Those lines can be high overhead or buried deep underground.
The risks are higher in this role, so salaries are often higher too.
What's the bottom line?
Lineworkers in Ontario make a median wage of $45 per hour, says the Job Bank.
The top-earning lineworkers in the province make $52.88 per hour or more.
THE JOB OUTLOOK FOR ELECTRICIANS IN ONTARIO
So now you know how much you could make if you go into the electrical trade. But are there many jobs available?
The short answer is yes. During our research, we found more than 900 openings for electricians throughout Ontario.
And the Ontario government predicts a healthy demand for electricians in the province over the coming years. Up to 4,000 jobs for construction and maintenance electricians alone could become available between 2023 and 2027.
It's a good time to start a career in this trade.
HOW do you GET STARTED?
You must complete an apprenticeship to become a licensed electrician in Ontario. But your odds of being hired as an apprentice are much better if you complete pre-apprenticeship electrician training first.
That's because most companies want apprentices who already have a solid grasp of electrical principles and safety regulations.
A good pre-apprenticeship electrician course will teach you how to:
☑️ Read blueprints
☑️ Use hand and power tools
☑️ Pull wires and bend conduits
☑️ Install electrical wiring and fixtures
☑️ Follow the Canadian Electrical Code
☑️ Stay safe on the job
Those are exactly the kind of skills that can make you a useful apprentice.
EXPLORE ELECTRICIAN PRE-APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING AT HERZING
The electrician pre-apprenticeship program from Herzing College is designed to help you get hired as an apprentice.
Training is available in Ottawa, Toronto, and Cambridge and runs for 24 weeks. Students learn the fundamentals of electrical installation and maintenance in a state-of-the-art facility that simulates an actual work environment.
Safety certifications like WHMIS, lockout and tag safety, working at heights, and confined spaces hazard awareness are also included.
Wondering if the program is right for you? We recommend speaking with admissions. An advisor can answer your questions about courses, costs, financial aid, and career support.
Click below to get further details and chat live with an advisor. We're here to help!
