How Much Does Electrician Training Cost?

$ Apprenticeship: $250-$1,420 Per Year

$ $ Certificate or Associate's Degree: $1,000-$11,000

The training of electricians is perceived through trade schools, community colleges,  and apprenticeship programs which combine on-the-job training and related classroom instruction.

Typical Costs

A certificate or associate’s degree comes for the price of $1,000-$11,000.

J.F. Drake State Technical College in Huntsville, AL, for example, offers two different certificate programs in electrical technology for $4,400 and $9,229.

At the same time, an associate’s degree at Hawkeye College in Waterloo, IA, comes at the price of $11,171 for tuition and fees.

Education Portal lists topics which are covered in electrician certificate programs, including electric motors, residential wiring, and voltage testing.

An associate’s degree secures extensive training, covering electricity planning and training in the National Electrical Code, which however prepares students for the certification exam they have to take.

At the same time, an apprenticeship costs $250-$1,420 annually for enrollment, and is lasting around four years.

The apprenticeships offered by the Construction Industry Training Council in Colorado start at $710 per semester for a four-year program.

For example, Arkansas State University has a four-year electrical apprenticeship program for $260 per year, which includes 2,000 hours of job training.

The electrical apprenticeships could last longer than the rest of the programs. However, students can earn an income while working.

Licensing for electricians comes at the price of $15-$150 per year, with an exam fee of $30-$75.

North Carolina’s exam fee for example is $75 while the license fee is $60-$150, based on the number of restrictions.

In Arkansas, the licensing exam fee is $56-$86 while the initial license fees are $25-$50.

What Is Included

The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the apprenticeships should be four years and should cover 144 hours of classroom instruction with 2,000 hours of job training.

The classes provided have to cover blueprint reading and electrical theory, mathematics and electrical code requirements, safety and first aid.

The job training includes drawing diagrams for electrical systems, installing conduit, and working with outlets, wiring, and switches.

Additional Costs

Some extra costs for electrician training can reach $500-$10,000 and include tools and books, tools, accommodation and board for training programs.

Mohave Community College in Bullhead City, AZ, for example, calculates books and supplies at $24,564 for room and board and $1,188 for books and supplies.

At the same time, the tools required for electricity students at Tennessee Technology Center in Knoxville, TN, come at the price of $2,500 and include electrician’s hole saw, a wrench set, steel fish tape, conduit bender, plus many other hand tools and safety supplies.

Discounts

• Electrical training programs scholarships are available.
• The Electrical Association of Philadelphia provides one scholarship of $3,000 to a student attending a technical school, compared to the Lowe that offers annually approximately 200 scholarships ranging from $2,500-$5,000.
• Some schools provide tool kits for students to purchase at a discount.
• The Erwin Technical Center in Tampa, FL, offers an electrical tool kit for $512.
• Other supplies, such as a drill bit set and pliers, may be purchased at hardware stores.

Shopping For Electrician Training

• The National Electrical Contractors Association provides information on apprenticeships and training opportunities.
• The Contractor’s License Reference Site has a list of the regulations for electricians to practice in each state, which require licensing.