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In Texas, those who want to become electricians will enter a lucrative field where their skills are in demand.
They will have to obtain a license from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) after they complete their training.
Article Table of Contents
Electrician Training
The training of a future electrician depends on the type of work they want to pursue:
- Journeyman electrician: 8,000 hours of on-the-job training and experience
- Residential wireman: 4,000 hours of on-the-job training and experience
Training can be done in 2 different ways:
- Through a union or non-union apprenticeship program
- Through a trade school program followed by the transition into an entry-level apprenticeship position
Trade Schools
Trade schools must be approved by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation and must issue Associates degrees to the electrical program students.
Most schools also have specific requirements from their future students, such as having a passing grade in math.
At trade school, future electricians study the following topics:
- Commercial Wiring
- Tech Electrical
- Electronics for Electricians
- Grounding Electrical
- Programmable Controllers
- Conduit Bending for Electrical
- Electrical/Micro Comp
- Fiber Optic Electrical
- Fire Alarm/Security
- Electric Motor Control
- Electrical Code
- Arc Welding
- Standard First Aid
It’s very likely for schools to help their students find an entry-level position as interns, which usually turn into full-time employment.
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Alamo Colleges | 1801 Martin Luther King Dr, San Antonio, TX 78203 |
| Brazosport College | 500 College Dr, Lake Jackson, TX 77566 |
| El Paso Community College | 9050 Viscount Blvd, El Paso, TX 79925 |
| Galveston College | 4015 Ave Q, Galveston, TX 77550 |
| Houston Community College | 3100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77002 |
| Laredo Community College | West End Washington St, Laredo, TX 78040 |
| Lee College | 511 S Whiting, Baytown, TX 77520 |
| Lone Star College System | 5000 Research Forest Drive, The Woodlands, TX 77381 |
| North Lake College | 5001 North MacArthur Blvd., Irving, TX 75038 |
| Northeast Texas Community College | 2886 FM 1735, Mount Pleasant, TX 75455 |
| Paris Junior College | 2400 Clarksville St, Paris, TX 75460 |
| Professional Career Training Institute | 227 W Airtex Blvd, Houston, TX 77090 |
| San Jacinto Community College | 8060 Spencer Hwy, Pasadena, TX 77501 |
| South Plains College | 1401 S. College Ave, Levelland, TX 79336 |
| South Texas College | 3201 W Pecan, McAllen, TX 78502 |
| Texarkana College | 2500 N Robison Rd, Texarkana, TX 75599 |
| Texas State Technical College | 3801 Campus Drive, Waco, TX 76705 |
| Texas State Technical College | 2650 E End Blvd, Marshall, TX 75672 |
| Texas Tech University | 855 E Lavaca, Beaumont, TX 77705 |
| The University of Texas | One West University Boulevard, Brownsville, TX 78520 |
| Trinity Valley Community College | 100 Cardinal Drive, Athens, TX 75751 |
| Western Texas College | 6200 College Ave, Snyder, TX 79549 |
Union or Non-Union Apprenticeship
Direct apprenticeships through unions or non-union associations are the traditional way of entering any trade.
When applying for an electrician training program through a union, membership is also mandatory.
The other requirements to be accepted in either program are very similar, including being at least 18 years old and having a high school diploma or its equivalent.
Apprentice Licensing
In Texas, apprentices need to register with the Department after their applications are approved.
The registration costs $20.
Journeyman Electrician
To obtain the journeyman license, candidates first need to apply with the TDLR and then pass the journeyman electrician exam.
The application costs $30 and candidates need to explain their electrician experience.
The exam is hosted by PSI Exams, costs $74 and the passing score is 70%.
There are 80 questions and 4 hours to solve them.
The questions cover:
- Electrical Wiring Methods and Electrical Materials
- Branch Circuit Calculations and Conductors
- Electrical Equipment and Devices
- Definitions, Calculations, Theory, and Plans
- Electrical Services, Service Equipment, and Separately Derived Systems
- Electrical Feeders
- Motors and Generators
- Electrical Control Devices and Disconnecting Means
- Special Occupancies, Equipment
- Renewable energy technologies
Residential Wireman License
Requirements:
- Complete the apprenticeship
- Fill out the application form
- Pay the application fee $20
- Pay the exam fee -$60
- Score at least 70% on the wireman exam
Only those whose applications get accepted can take the exam, and need to pay the exam fee.
PSI Exams organizes the exam which has 80 questions and 4 hours to complete.
The test covers:
- Definitions, Calculations, Theory, and Plans
- Electrical Services, Service Equipment, and Separately Derived Systems
- Electrical Feeders
- Branch Circuit Calculations and Conductors
- Electrical Wiring Methods and Electrical Materials
- Electrical Equipment and Devices
- Motors and Generators
- Electrical Control Devices and Disconnecting Means
- Special Occupancies, Equipment, and Conditions
- Renewable Energy Technologies
Master Electrician
Requirements:
- 2 years experience as a journeyman
- At least 12,000 hours of on-the-job training under the supervision
- Fill out the application
- Pay the application fee – $45
Those who are accepted need to take the exam organized by PSI Exams, after paying the exam fee of $74.
The passing score is 70%, and candidates have 5 hours to answer 100 questions that cover:
- Definitions, Calculations, Theory, and Plans
- Electrical Services, Service Equipment, and Separately Derived Systems
- Electrical Feeders
- Branch Circuit Calculations and Conductors
- Electrical Wiring Methods and Electrical Materials
- Electrical Equipment and Devices
- Motors and Generators
- Electrical Control Devices and Disconnecting Means
- Special Occupancies, Equipment, and Conditions
- Renewable Energy Technologies
Electrical Contractor
Requirements:
- licensed as a master electrician or employ a master electrician
- Fill out an application
- $110 – fee
Salary
The higher the license an electrician holds, the more they’ll earn.
Annual Salary Range:| Location | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Houston | $49,858 |
| San Antonio | $47,299 |
| Dallas | $48,172 |
| Austin | $47,839 |
| Fort Worth | $47,397 |
| El Paso | $42,545 |
| Arlington | $47,319 |
| Corpus Christi | $45,110 |
| Plano | $47,965 |
| Laredo | $43,082 |
Regional Salary in Texas
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abilene, TX | 450 | $49,680 | $23.89 | $65,230 | $34,490 |
| Amarillo, TX | 610 | $51,950 | $24.97 | $72,930 | $32,750 |
| Austin-Round Rock, TX | 5,490 | $58,150 | $27.96 | $77,260 | $37,850 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | 1,480 | $61,570 | $29.6 | $73,520 | $38,410 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | 610 | $44,470 | $21.38 | $64,200 | $30,630 |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | 430 | $51,430 | $24.73 | $73,430 | $36,100 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | 2,260 | $55,430 | $26.65 | $71,050 | $37,120 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 18,730 | $56,950 | $27.38 | $76,740 | $37,910 |
| El Paso, TX | 1,420 | $47,200 | $22.69 | $64,350 | $29,050 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | 19,600 | $58,920 | $28.33 | $77,520 | $37,810 |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | 550 | $50,190 | $24.13 | $65,110 | $32,180 |
| Laredo, TX | 300 | $45,710 | $21.98 | $61,250 | $28,500 |
| Longview, TX | 400 | $51,080 | $24.56 | $69,710 | $32,050 |
| Lubbock, TX | 650 | $47,630 | $22.9 | $63,290 | $30,380 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | 670 | $44,820 | $21.55 | $59,350 | $28,980 |
| Midland, TX | 1,010 | $60,280 | $28.98 | $78,650 | $38,810 |
| Odessa, TX | 580 | $55,610 | $26.73 | $77,220 | $36,800 |
| San Angelo, TX | 230 | $50,330 | $24.2 | $70,830 | $30,540 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 5,670 | $54,570 | $26.23 | $74,060 | $36,730 |
| Sherman-Denison, TX | 200 | $50,500 | $24.28 | $67,440 | $33,280 |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | 400 | $56,000 | $26.92 | $75,250 | $33,460 |
| Tyler, TX | 360 | $51,240 | $24.64 | $67,520 | $34,770 |
| Victoria, TX | 120 | $56,540 | $27.18 | $95,990 | $34,890 |
| Waco, TX | 690 | $48,900 | $23.51 | $63,080 | $32,720 |
| Wichita Falls, TX | 210 | $48,880 | $23.5 | $68,910 | $28,980 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Renewing The License
The apprentice license needs to be renewed every year.
The journeyman license needs to be renewed every 18 months, and the renewal costs $30.
Residential wiremen also need to renew their licenses every 18 months, though renewal costs $20.
The master electrician license has to be renewed every 18 months for a $45 fee.
Journeymen, residential wiremen, and master electricians need to complete 4 continuing education hours, covering the following topics:
- National Electric Code (NEC) – 1 hour
- Texas Law (Title 8, Occupations Code, Chapter 1305) – 1 hour
- Texas Rules (Title 16, Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 73) – 1 hour
- Electrical safety (NFPA 70E) – 1 hour
Electrical contractors don’t need to continue their education to renew their license every 18 months, but they need to pay $110.
Read the full guide: How to Become an Electrician
Electrician Schools by City
Electrician Schools by State