Also called: Lineman, Power Line Installer
Builds and repairs the power lines that carry electricity to homes and businesses.
You climb a 50-foot pole or ride a bucket truck, replace a blown transformer, and restore power to 300 homes. When storms hit, you travel to help other states.
BLS May 2024 median for electrical power-line installers about $92,560; storm overtime adds more.
Apprenticeship, about 4 years after high school. Paid lineworker apprenticeship (about 3-4 years, 7,000+ hours) through a utility or IBEW, often after a short pre-apprentice line school: earn while you learn.
Ways in: Apprenticeship, Trade school, Military. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Majors to look at: Electrical Line Technology (trade school), Lineworker Apprenticeship.
Growing faster than average (about 7% over 10 years). BLS projection; grid upgrades and storms keep demand high.
Low risk for 10 years. Drones and sensors spot problems, but climbing poles and fixing live lines in storms stays dangerous human work.
Classes: Algebra, Physics, PE or weight training.
Official data: O*NET occupation 49-9051.
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.