Electrician Jobs in Los Angeles, CA
Electricians in Los Angeles earn a metro median of about $35.49 an hour, and union inside wiremen working county public works earn a $65 base rate. The current openings are below, followed by who is hiring from Westwood to the Convention Center and how California electrician certification works.
Current electrician Openings in Los Angeles, CA
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Electrician Work in Los Angeles
Electrical work in Los Angeles runs on two tracks. Construction electricians build out towers, transit, hospitals and housing, and most union work is dispatched through IBEW Local 11, whose apprentices train at the Electrical Training Institute in Commerce. The other track is in-house maintenance at the institutions that never shut off: UCLA's facilities shops in Westwood, the Cedars-Sinai plant in Beverly Grove, the Los Angeles Convention Center in South Park, and the city's own power utility, LADWP, which hires electrical mechanics through civil service.
What sets Los Angeles apart from most of the country is that California certifies the worker, not just the contractor. Anyone doing electrical work for a licensed electrical contractor needs a state certification card or a trainee registration, and in-house employers such as Cedars-Sinai ask for the General Electrician card by name. Public employers here also pay well above the metro median, which is why a city or district electrician job is a common goal for journey-level electricians.
Top Los Angeles Employers Hiring Electricians
These employers have posted electrician or electrical mechanic roles in Los Angeles:
- UCLA - the university's Facilities Management crafts shop in Westwood posted a lead electrician role at $56.72 an hour.
- Cedars-Sinai - the Beverly Grove medical center hires plant maintenance electricians at $40.88 to $65.41 an hour and requires the California General Electrician card.
- Legends Global - the operator of the Los Angeles Convention Center hires union journeyman electricians for the South Park venue at $47.68 an hour.
- Los Angeles Department of Water and Power - the city utility hires electrical mechanics through civil service, from about $113,000 a year as a trainee.
- City of Los Angeles - the Personnel Department keeps active eligible lists for its Electrician class, which requires a completed general electrician apprenticeship.
Electrician Salaries in Los Angeles
- Entry level: about $22 to $28 an hour for trainees, with union apprentices starting at $26.
- Experienced: roughly $35 to $49 an hour for certified electricians in construction and building maintenance.
- Senior: $57 to $65 an hour and up for lead and union journeyman roles, and $162,000 a year at journey level in LADWP's electrical mechanic class.
These are estimates built from BLS 2025 figures for the Los Angeles metro (median $35.49, top tenth above $63.31), the state prevailing wage for Los Angeles County inside wiremen, and pay ranges posted by local employers. Pay moves with certification category, union or non-union status, prevailing wage public works, shift and overtime. On county public works, the full inside wireman package including benefits tops $103 an hour.
How to Become an Electrician in Los Angeles
California requires electricians who work for a licensed electrical contractor to be certified by the Electrician Certification Unit of the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, part of the Department of Industrial Relations. You start as a registered electrician trainee, which requires enrollment in a state-approved school, then qualify for the exam with 8,000 hours for General Electrician or 4,800 hours for Residential Electrician. Certification renews every three years with 32 hours of continuing education. Local approved schools include Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, whose Electrical Construction and Maintenance program offers an associate degree and certificate, and LAUSD's Abram Friedman Occupational Center. The union route is the five-year inside wireman apprenticeship at the Electrical Training Institute in Commerce, run by IBEW Local 11 and the Los Angeles County chapter of NECA. To contract on your own, you need a C-10 license from the Contractors State License Board.
What the Job Involves
Electricians install, maintain and repair wiring, panels, lighting, motors and controls. A typical day means reading drawings, bending and running conduit, pulling wire, terminating circuits, testing with meters and tracing faults. Maintenance electricians in hospitals and campuses also handle preventive maintenance, emergency power and work orders from building staff.
Skills Employers Look For
- California General Electrician certification or trainee registration
- Working knowledge of the National Electrical Code
- Blueprint and schematic reading
- Troubleshooting with meters on 120 to 480 volt systems
- Motor controls and lighting controls experience
- Safe work practices, including lockout and arc flash procedures
- Your own hand tools and reliable transportation
Career Path and Advancement
Most Los Angeles electricians begin as trainees or apprentices and earn the General Electrician card after about five years. From there, construction electricians move to foreman and general foreman, and some take the C-10 exam to open their own shop. Others move into in-house work, from maintenance electrician to lead electrician at a campus or hospital, or into LADWP's electrical mechanic and distribution mechanic ladder, the highest-paid electrical track in the city.
Related Careers in Los Angeles
If electrical work interests you, these Los Angeles trades guides are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to be an electrician in Los Angeles?
Yes. California requires electricians working for a licensed electrical contractor to hold a state certification or a trainee registration from the Electrician Certification Unit. Running your own electrical business also requires a C-10 contractor license.
How much do electricians make in Los Angeles?
The metro median is about $35.49 an hour, or roughly $73,800 a year. Experienced in-house and union electricians commonly earn $47 to $65 an hour, and LADWP journey-level electrical mechanics earn about $162,000 a year.
How do I join the IBEW Local 11 apprenticeship?
Applications go through the Electrical Training Institute in Commerce, which opens short application windows announced on its site. You must be at least 18, have a high school diploma or GED, and have passed algebra with a C or better.
How long does it take to become a certified electrician in California?
The General Electrician exam requires 8,000 hours of on-the-job experience, which takes about four to five years. The Residential Electrician exam requires 4,800 hours.
Can I work as an electrician while I am in school?
Yes, as a registered electrician trainee. You must be enrolled in a state-approved school, such as LA Trade-Tech, and work under a certified electrician who supervises only one trainee.
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