Are electricians really earning £156k a year?

We recently discussed the shortage of electricians in the UK, encouraging businesses to expand into electrics to reach more customers and capitalise on profits in a time when electricians are in high demand and earning more than they ever have before.

New reports (via the Daily Mail) have recently sparked debate in the electrical industry, with figures saying that some electricians are now earning more than £150,000 a year because of the ongoing labour shortage.

However, these sky high figures are based on recruitment firms for those large corporations, who are willing to pay this high price during the skills crisis, and are not a true reflection of what every electrician working in the industry earns.

New salary reports

Electrician salaries above £100,000 are rare, but they do happen, with large corporations seeking professional, experienced and skilled contractors for larger projects.

It is important for the public, existing contractors and prospective people looking for a career change, to understand that these sky high salaries that are reported in mainstream sources are not to be a true representation of every electrician working in the industry, and in fact most will earn an average of £30,000-40,000.

Your skill level, the city you live in, and also whether you are self employed or employed by a larger corporation are all key factors in how much you earn as an electrician, which is why although some electricians may be earning £156k, it doesn’t mean that most are.

The future of the industry

Instead of focusing on the rare salaries above £100k, we should celebrate the collective success of the industry and the ever growing demand, as well as the increase in salaries, whether it is those on £18,000 or £30,000 or £70,000.

It is all positive for the electrical industry and that is what we should focus on, not sky high figures that maybe only apply to 1% of electrical contractors working in the UK.

It’s not only the electrical industry that is seeing increase in demand and salaries either, as plumbers and bricklayers have reportedly seen their salaries increase by up to 10%.

The labour shortage means great things for contractors, as it sees the positive progression for electricians to capitalise on more jobs with less competition. With more jobs, means more money and more experience. Which brings you back around; with more experience, brings more opportunities for larger contracts, which means that maybe you too will be achieving a much higher salary in the future.

Looking to switch careers? Find out how to become an electrician!