ELECTRICIAN
Pulls wire, bends conduit, makes everything that uses electricity work. The flagship trade. Illinois is not a right-to-work state — union density is higher than average and prevailing wage rules cover most public projects.
The License.
Check with Illinois directly — licensing for electricianvaries by municipality in this state. There is no single state board that we can point to with confidence for this trade. Contact your local city or county building department, or check the state labor department's website.
The Money.
Real BLS OEWS 2025 median hourly wages for electricians in Illinois — by metro area. Union scale typically runs 20–40% above these medians on prevailing wage projects.
| Metro area | Median hourly | Approx. annual |
|---|---|---|
| Kankakee | $50.72/hr | $101,440 |
| Chicago | $49.21/hr | $98,420 |
| Champaign | $48.23/hr | $96,460 |
| Rockford | $44.85/hr | $89,700 |
| Springfield | $40.76/hr | $81,520 |
| Decatur | $38.95/hr | $77,900 |
| Peoria | $38.68/hr | $77,360 |
| Bloomington | $38.19/hr | $76,380 |
| St. Louis | $37.1/hr | $74,200 |
| Davenport | $36.99/hr | $73,980 |
| National median (BLS) | $31.18/hr | $62,350 |
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. These are median wages across all workers (union and non-union). Year 1 apprentice: $36,000–$52,000/yr. Journeyman top of scale: $76,000–$124,000/yr.
Illinois is NOT a right-to-work state. Union scale in Illinois's major metros typically runs 20–40% above the national median. Prevailing wage laws apply to most public-sector projects.
The Path.
In Illinois, apprenticeships are administered through the federal RAPIDS system via the U.S. Department of Labor. To find registered programs, go to apprenticeship.gov and filter by state. Most joint apprenticeship training committees (JATCs) also accept direct applications.
- · IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers)
The Exam.
Most states use the NEC (National Electrical Code) as the basis for the journeyman and master electrician exam. Illinois may be on a different NEC edition than the current one — confirm which edition before you study. Pass rates vary significantly: some states run 50–60% first-time pass rates, others run higher. PSI Exams and Prometric administer most state electrical exams. Bring your NEC codebook (tabbed) where allowed. Prevailing wage requirements in Illinois apply to most public-sector projects, which ties exam and licensure to wage scale compliance for contractors.
Be honest about pass rates. Many licensing boards do not publish them. When they do, first-time pass rates for journeyman exams in the trades typically run 50–75%. Preparation time varies — most serious candidates spend 60–120 hours on exam prep. Use code books from the correct edition, not what's currently in print.
What recruiters won't tell you.
- 01IBEW aptitude test (NJATC) is competitive — algebra is non-negotiable.
- 02Some locals have multi-year application waitlists. Apply to multiple locals.
- 03Non-union 'helper' jobs may cap out as helpers — confirm there's a real apprenticeship path before signing on.
- 04Master license requires journeyman experience hours that vary wildly by state (TX: 12,000 hrs; CA: different rules entirely).
- 05Illinois has no statewide electrician license — licensing is handled at the city and county level. Chicago, for example, has its own exam and journeyman card system.