Electrician Salary (+ Regional Comparison): What Your Employees Expect

Published: July 9, 2024

The Nitty Gritty

  • Electricians in Australia earn high average salaries in a competitive market
  • Several factors influence the average salary of different states and cities
  • Set reasonable expectations with your electrician team
Electrician working

What goes into a salary? Tradies in Australia are in higher demand than ever, and salaries reflect this competition! Discover the factors that influence electrician salaries in Australia and compare state-to-state and city-to-city for the latest info to keep your compensation competitive. The trades are thriving, and your business can, too!

Let’s be honest: salary is a key factor in choosing a career! The trades are particularly popular options for solid careers with lifelong opportunities and higher-than-average earning potential. But what is that earning potential, and what can team members reasonably expect as an electrician salary? For employee trust and productivity, it’s essential to offer competitive compensation and pay consistently. Effective cashflow management and payment are core to a healthy budget. Need more tips to avoid common budget pitfalls? Check out our article on cash traps to watch out for and avoid the bites to your bottom line.

We’ll cover the numbers and the factors and compare them.

Average Electrician Salary in 2024

So, let’s get to those numbers!

The average electrician salary in 2024 in Australia ranges between $90,000 and $110,000.

This is the average salary from all states at the time of writing, produced from a range of publicly available salary offers.

What factors influence an electrician's salary in Australia?

There are multiple factors that influence the average electrician salary across Australia. As of the writing of this article, the average could have jumped due to any combination of factors, or it could have dipped lower than the average.

The important takeaway is that the average represents these salary influences and works as a benchmark for the expected electrician salary.

Experience and skill level

Pretty straightforward: the more skill and work experience a tradie has, the more earning potential they have. Some higher-paying roles will only want experienced electricians, so if you don’t earn the tasty average right away, it’s a matter of time and effort until you can reach that electrician salary threshold.

  • Apprentice Electricians

Apprentices earn a percentage of the relevant wage for their position. As an apprentice electrician, your salary will be lower than average, but you still have the benefit of being able to earn while you study and prepare for your trade career.

Average salary: $55,000

This average covers each year from first-year to fourth-year apprentices, and your earning percentage grows with each year.

  • Journeyman Electricians

Fresh off an apprenticeship and saying goodbye to percentage earnings, journeymen electrician salaries are the most varied. They cover different years of skill and experience. Salaries on the lower end of the average can reflect entry-level or less in-demand roles, while salaries on the higher end reflect more years of experience.

Average salary: $91,000

  • Senior Electricians

Senior electricians have many years of experience and skill; this is rewarded with higher earning potential and opportunities.

Average salary: $136,400

Geographical Location

Location can represent several factors in one. Demand can be due to a state's physical conditions, such as Western Australia's lower population compared to New South Wales and the kinds of careers on offer.

A higher population can correlate to higher salaries, but it also represents more competition for the same market, whereas more ‘isolated’ areas could have higher premiums placed on salaries. Cities usually have higher salaries than regional areas, but as always, there are exceptions. Markets, supply and demand fluctuate, and so do salaries.

To illustrate this better, we’ll list the current average electrician salary for each state and some city comparisons.

  • New South Wales State Average: $95,000

Sydney: $89,000 Wollongong: $93,200 Maitland: $78,000 Orange: $95,500

  • Victoria State Average: $88,700

Melbourne: $88,800 Bendigo: $61,100 Wodonga: $77,100 Gippsland: $95,000

  • Queensland State Average: $100,000

Brisbane: $90,000 Gold Coast: $87,500 Gladstone: $120,000 Noosa: $91,600

  • Western Australia State Average: $135,000

Port Hedland & Pilbara: $145,000 Perth: $120,000 Kalgoorlie: $142,500 Geraldton: $138,500

  • South Australia State Average: $98,700

Adelaide: $86,900 Coober Pedy: $130,000 Gawler: $100,900

  • Northern Territory State Average: $111,000

Darwin: $112,500 Katherine: $110,000

  • Tasmania State Average: $91,250

Hobart: $86,300 Launceston: $125,900

  • Australian Capital Territory State Average: $96,250

Type of Employment

This is true of any employment sector: your type of employment will affect the average electrician salary you can expect to earn. Part-time hours won’t match the salary of a full-time position, and while casual work can have higher upfront pay, it doesn’t reflect the kind of benefits a salaried position offers.

There are also many independent contractors that run their own businesses where the earning potential can outstrip salary averages.

Specialisations and Certifications

Electrician may be the role's name, but it covers various industries and specialisations, all of which have their own average electrician salaries on offer!

Each industry is affected by a unique combination of factors, including the ones we’ve just covered. Supply and demand in different industries have a huge effect on salary offerings, so the nationwide electrician salary average might not reflect sector salaries.

For example, when split by sector, the highest average electrician salary is in mining, resources and energy at $131,370. The mining sector is known for high salaries, plus the factors of location (often isolated and operating on fly-in, fly-out work) and specialisation contribute to a far higher average.

In contrast, the average electrician salary in the government and defense sector is $74,652 per year. One factor in this could be the higher prevalence of no-experience roles, so the training is folded into the overall salary offering. While the salary is lower, public service/defense benefits are always high.

Specialisations can boost your earning potential, and it’s up to you what kind of career you want out of the trade.

How does an electrician's salary compare to other trades?

Deciding on a career can be difficult, but comparing salaries and earning potential is definitely helpful in making a decision. Most trades in Australia are paid a high average wage, especially as demand for skilled tradies grows.

The average electrician salary is high compared to other trades, reflecting the skill and demand required. An electrician is an easy choice if a healthy salary is your end goal.

For example, we’ll current average salary ranges in Australia:

Plumbing: $75,000 - $90,000

Bricklayer: $60,000 -$80,000

HVAC technician: $95,000 - $110,000

Carpenter: $65,000 - $85,000

As you can see, an electrician salary is one of the higher picks out of the bunch!

What is the salary comparison between Australia vs. the USA for electricians?

Australia enjoys a higher average wage compared to the USA for many trades, but we’re quite similar when it comes to electrician salaries! The average electrician's salary in the USA is $60,000 USD, or approximately $90,000 AUD.

While both countries have plenty of independent contractors, Australia has a strong culture and prevalence of small businesses, and many experienced tradies can earn far above average electrician salaries with their own trade businesses. Effective field service management software can help your business streamline its work processes and boost its growth, taking your earnings even further.

Set Realistic Electrician Salary Expectations for Your Team

Understanding the average electrician salary is necessary to offer competitive salaries and reasonable compensation for your team. This doesn’t mean you have to offer the highest salary possible, but provide a healthy work environment and place where employees want to work.

The best thing for your team is a thriving trade business! Take your work processes to the next level with field service software designed from the ground up for contractors. Try a demo with Simpro today!

Note: The information provided in this blog article is based on secondary research and industry averages. It is intended to offer a general overview and should not be considered as definitive guidance.

Like our content?

Sign-up to receive monthly insights to keep your field service business growing

You may unsubscribe at any time. Privacy Policy.