Also called: Relay Technician, Protection & Control Technician
Tests and repairs the protective relays and controls inside electrical substations.
You drive a utility truck to a fenced substation humming with transformers. You connect a test set to a relay and simulate a fault to prove it trips the breaker in time, then log the results and move on to the next panel.
Utility technicians earn high pay without a four-year degree.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Associate's degree (2-year), about 2 years after high school. Associate in electrical technology or a utility apprenticeship; NETA certification.
Ways in: 2-year college, Apprenticeship, Certification. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Majors to look at: Electrical Engineering Technology, Electrical Power Technology (trade school).
Growing about average. Grid upgrades keep demand strong.
Low risk for 10 years. Remote monitoring helps spot problems sooner; testing relays inside live substations and repairing equipment stays hands-on.
Classes: Algebra II, Physics, Electrical CTE, Electronics class.
Official data: O*NET occupation 49-2095.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.