Electrician Hourly Pay in Tennessee: What to Expect in 2025

Ever wondered what an electrician really makes per hour in Tennessee? It's not just a number you can grab off any old job site—pay rates shift, depending on experience, licenses, and even the part of the state you work in. Right now in 2025, most electricians in Tennessee are seeing average hourly wages sitting between $22 and $34, but there are ways to land at the higher end of that range.

Here's the thing: The money you take home depends a lot on what stage you're at. Apprentices usually start closer to $16 or $17 per hour while they're learning the ropes, but as you move up from apprentice to journeyman and then to a master electrician, your wage jumps too. If you’re running your own business or doing contract work for large outfits in places like Nashville or Chattanooga, that hourly rate can go up even more.

• Current Hourly Rates for Electricians in Tennessee
• Factors That Affect Your Pay
• How Training and Certification Make a Difference
• Ways to Maximize Your Earnings
• Where to Find the Best-Paying Electrical Jobs in Tennessee

Current Hourly Rates for Electricians in Tennessee

If you're eyeing a career as an electrician in Tennessee, the big question is always about pay. The rates in 2025 vary, but here's what you can actually expect to see on your paycheck. Right now, the electrician pay Tennessee folks are talking about comes out to these real numbers, depending on experience:

It's a wild difference depending on your level. Apprentices are just starting out, so the pay is on the lower end. Journeymen, with their experience and statewide license, usually pull in the middle range. Master electricians, who can run whole crews or their own shops, score the top rates. Some commercial gigs, especially in larger cities like Nashville or Memphis, pay a premium because bigger jobs mean more responsibility and sometimes overtime, too.

You'll also notice rates outside big cities can be a few bucks less, but cost of living is lower, so that can even out. And if you're doing emergency work or overtime, rates can jump by 1.5 times the usual, especially during storms and outages when everybody needs help at once.

Don’t forget: these are averages. The best-paying jobs usually go to folks with strong reputations, up-to-date certifications, and who aren’t afraid to tackle complex or hazardous work.

Factors That Affect Your Pay

What you earn as an electrician in Tennessee doesn't just come down to luck or who you know. There are a few key things that have a big impact on your hourly pay. If you’re aiming for the higher end of the pay scale, you need to look at each of these honestly.

• Experience Level: New electricians, like apprentices, make less. Journeyman electricians start earning better, and master electricians can command top rates. The more years and practical skills you have, the higher your paychecks.
• Licenses and Training: Extra certifications—think OSHA training, low-voltage, or industrial specialties—can all bump your pay. Being a licensed journeyman or master is almost always required for the best jobs and highest pay.
• Type of Employer: Are you working for a big commercial contractor in Nashville or a small-town residential company? The big guys usually pay more, and union shops tend to offer higher rates and benefits compared to non-union jobs.
• Location: Pay rates change depending on whether you’re in a busy city or a rural area. Nashville, Memphis, and Knoxville generally offer higher wages because of the bigger demand for skilled trades.
• Specialties: Electricians who do high-voltage work or specialize in areas like solar installations or industrial maintenance often pull in extra cash compared to general residential electricians.

Check out this table to see how these factors shake out with real numbers:

These are averages, so if you’ve got years under your belt or a niche certification, you might land even higher. Bottom line? If you want to boost your paycheck, keep building your skills, stay licensed, and look for electrical jobs TN companies are always hiring for in the bigger cities.

How Training and Certification Make a Difference

If you’re aiming for top pay as an electrician in Tennessee, training and having the right certifications aren’t just nice to have—they’re your ticket up the pay ladder. Here’s what really matters: the more skills and credentials you collect, the more valuable you are to employers and clients. This is especially true if you want to snag the best electrician pay Tennessee can offer.

It all starts with an apprenticeship. You have to log about 8,000 hours (that’s roughly four years) of on-the-job training under a licensed pro. During that time, you’ll learn everything from reading blueprints to handling complicated wiring setups. On top of that, most apprentices take about 500-600 classroom hours covering safety codes, math, and electrical theory.

Once you finish your apprenticeship, you can go after your journeyman license. This means passing a state exam that requires you to know your stuff—no guesswork. A journeyman license lets you work alone and pretty much proves you’re reliable. Journeymen in Tennessee usually make a good jump in hourly pay—often landing in the $25 to $30 per hour zone.

If you decide to invest even more into yourself, going for a master electrician license is where things really shift. Tennessee requires you to have at least four years of work experience and then pass a tougher test. Masters often land bigger jobs and can even run electrical businesses, which usually means higher hourly rates, sometimes pushing above $34 an hour.

One tip: Don’t skip extra certifications. Things like OSHA-30, commercial wiring, or even solar installation show employers you’re serious and often let you ask for more money. Some shops even cover training costs because they want skilled folks who won’t make rookie mistakes.

It’s simple—the better you train, the better you get paid. Your hourly rate isn’t just about showing up. It’s about proving you know what you’re doing, every time.

Ways to Maximize Your Earnings

If you’re trying to hit the higher end of the pay scale as an electrician in Tennessee, you need a real plan. Here’s what makes the difference between average pay and the kind of paycheck that gets your attention each Friday.

• Get Licensed and Certified: Most employers in Tennessee want to see state licenses. Having a journeyman or master electrician license will bump up your hourly wage big time. Some folks also get extra certifications for working with solar systems, fire alarms, or industrial controls. These can lead to jobs that pay up to 25% more than regular gigs.
• Specialize in High-Demand Skills: Commercial jobs, industrial sites, or anything with advanced tech usually pay more than standard residential work. For example, electricians that handle data cabling or generators can expect higher rates because fewer people have those skills.
• Work Overtime or Take Extra Shifts: Construction and emergency repair jobs often pay time-and-a-half or even double time. Overtime is common during busy months—especially in bigger cities like Nashville and Memphis. This can really hike up your earnings.
• Consider Union Membership: Union electricians in Tennessee tend to have better wages and benefits. According to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), union members in the state can land hourly rates about 10-20% higher on average than non-union workers.
• Start Your Own Business: Once you’re licensed and have some experience, opening your own electrical business or working as an independent contractor means you set your own rates. This takes hustle, but some folks end up making $40, $50, or even $60 an hour on big projects.

Want to see how these factors can play out in real numbers? Check out this table with 2025 averages in Tennessee:

Nailing down a specialization, picking up overtime, or joining a union all move you closer to the top of the electrician pay Tennessee scale. Don’t just wait around for a raise—level up your skills, get certified, and look for places where your extra effort gets real financial results.

Where to Find the Best-Paying Electrical Jobs in Tennessee

If you want to cash in on the best-paying electrical gigs in Tennessee, you’ll want to know where to look. City size, industry, and demand for skilled workers all play a big role in your paycheck.

Electrician pay Tennessee really pops in the bigger cities. Nashville leads the way—commercial projects, the music industry, and tech-driven renovations boost paychecks. Knoxville and Chattanooga aren’t far behind, especially with factories and high-tech manufacturing plants popping up. Memphis is solid too, thanks to logistics and constant development downtown and around the river.

Industrial and commercial sectors pay better than residential jobs, so if you’ve got experience with big buildings, hospitals, or factories, you’ll notice fatter checks. Union jobs also tend to have higher pay and benefits, especially in the IBEW locals scattered around the state.

Here’s a quick breakdown of average hourly rates by city, based on real 2025 job postings and state wage data:

If you’re really after those top salaries, here’s what you can do:

• Target big medical and university builds—UT Medical and Vanderbilt love experienced electricians.
• Look for jobs with utility companies or manufacturers—they often offer steady work and premium pay.
• Network with large electrical contractors in urban areas; their projects need more hands and usually pay a premium for experience or special licenses.
• Join or talk to a union local for insider job tips, apprentice upgrades, and the best perks.

Don’t forget remote and rural work for utilities—travel pay, overtime, and per diem on these jobs can add up fast. Chasing the highest hourly rate is good, but steady work and decent benefits somewhere reliable may put more cash in your pocket at the end of the year.