Do electricians need a license in Nebraska?

Yes. Nebraska requires state-level licensing or registration for electricians, administered by the Nebraska State Electrical Division. See the licensing section above for credential types and current requirements.

What apprenticeships are available for electricians in Nebraska?

In Nebraska, registered apprenticeships are administered through the Nebraska Division of Employment and Training - Registered Apprenticeship, which works with employers and trade union locals to register programs. See the apprenticeship section above for office contact details.

How to Become an Electrician in Nebraska (2026)

Q: How much do electricians earn in Nebraska?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), electricians in Nebraska earned a median annual wage of approximately $60,820. Employment concentration in Nebraska is about 1.29 times the national average for this occupation.

Q: What is the job outlook for electricians in Nebraska?

Nebraska currently employs approximately 6,440 workers, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 9.5% national employment change for this occupation from 2024 to 2034.

Q: What is the federal prevailing wage for electricians in Nebraska?

Under the Davis-Bacon Act, electricians on federally funded construction projects in Nebraska earn a prevailing wage of approximately $20.66 per hour in base pay plus $5.74 per hour in fringe benefits, for an effective hourly rate of about $26.40 (Source: U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division, Davis-Bacon wage determinations, 2026).

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Nebraska electricians earn a median annual wage of $60,820 ($29.24/hr) according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), with about 6,440 workers employed statewide. The state median is approximately -3.8% below the national median of $63,190 for the same occupation.

Key Takeaways

Median annual pay: $60,820 ($29.24/hr)
25th percentile: $48,140 per year
75th percentile: $79,130 per year
Top 10% earn: more than $94,040 per year
Entry-level (bottom 10%): under $40,400 per year
Workers employed in Nebraska: 6,440
Versus national median: -3.8% below the U.S. median of $63,190
Job concentration: Location quotient 1.29 - this occupation is more concentrated in Nebraska than the national average

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Last reviewed June 8, 2026.

Nebraska employs about 6,440 electricians earning a median $60,820 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Training as an electrician here means working through a trade school or registered apprenticeship and meeting the Nebraska State Electrical Division credentialing requirements.

Nebraska employs approximately 6,440 electricians according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $60,820 ¹. The state’s concentration of electrician jobs is 1.29x the national average, indicating strong demand. Nationally, electrician employment is projected to grow 9.5% from 2024 to 2034, with about 81,000 openings per year ². This page covers how to become an Electrician in Nebraska, including licensing requirements, training programs, and salary data.

At a Glance

Training paths: trade school, community college, or apprenticeship
Typical timeline: 1 to 5 years depending on the path
Licensing authority: Nebraska State Electrical Division
Median wage (Nebraska): $60,820 per year ¹

Quick Answers About How to Become an Electrician in Nebraska

How to become an Electrician in Nebraska? Nebraska requires credentials such as Electrician, Electrician, Specialty License, Electrical & Computer Engineer. The licensing authority is the Nebraska State Electrical Division ³. You also need to complete an approved training program or apprenticeship.

How long does it take? Most paths into the electrician field take 1 to 5 years, depending on whether you complete a trade school program, a registered apprenticeship, or a combination of both.

Do I need a license in Nebraska? Yes. Nebraska has licensing or registration requirements for electricians. The Nebraska State Electrical Division oversees licensing ³. See the licensing section below for details.

What do electricians earn in Nebraska? The median annual wage for electricians in Nebraska is $60,820 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $40,400 and experienced professionals can earn $94,040 or more ¹.

How to Become an Electrician in Nebraska

Finish high school or earn a GED. Most Nebraska training programs and registered apprenticeships require a high school diploma or GED to enroll.
Complete a training program or apprenticeship. Enroll in an approved trade school program or a registered apprenticeship in Nebraska that combines classroom instruction with supervised hands-on hours.
Gain supervised work experience. Build documented on-the-job hours under a qualified supervisor; confirm the exact total currently required with the licensing board.
Pass the state exam and apply for your license. Apply to the Nebraska State Electrical Division, pass the required examination, and obtain the electrician credential before working unsupervised in Nebraska.

Steps and hour totals vary by credential level; confirm current requirements with the state board before you apply.

Electrician License Requirements in Nebraska

The Nebraska State Electrical Division oversees electrician licensing in Nebraska ³.

License Types

License	Requirements
Electrician	Occupational Description Electricians install, connect, test, and maintain electrical systems for a variety of purposes, including power, lighting, climate control, security, and communica…
Electrician, Specialty License	Occupational Description A person licensed to plan, layout and install electrical wiring, apparatus and equipment for only those components on an Sign, Irrigation System or HVAC System.
Electrical & Computer Engineer	See the state licensing board for current requirements.

License information sourced from CareerOneStop ⁴.

Electrician Apprenticeship Information in Nebraska

Apprenticeships combine paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction and typically last 3 to 5 years. Nebraska’s apprenticeship program is administered by the Nebraska Division of Employment and Training - Registered Apprenticeship ⁵.

Contact Information:

Office: Omaha Field Office
Address: 222 South 15th Street, Omaha, NE 68102-1608
Phone: (515) 284-4632
Email: [email protected]

Federal Prevailing Wage in Nebraska

Under the Davis-Bacon Act, electricians working on federally funded construction projects in Nebraska earn a prevailing wage set by the U.S. Department of Labor. Recent Nebraska general wage determinations show approximately $20.66 per hour in base pay plus $5.74 per hour in fringe benefits, for an effective hourly rate of about $26.40 (Source: DOL Wage and Hour Division, Davis-Bacon wage determinations, 2026) ⁶.

Prevailing wages apply to federal construction contracts above the Davis-Bacon threshold and may differ from typical private-sector pay reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Rates also vary by county and by classification within electrician work.

Electrician Wages by Metro Area in Nebraska

Electricians Wages by Metro Area in Nebraska

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), electricians wages in Nebraska vary by metro area.

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Omaha	3,530	$62,440	$66,780	$44,120	$94,690
Lincoln	1,020	$60,680	$63,530	$45,950	$84,650
Sioux City	300	$73,910	$68,740	$46,600	$84,930
Grand Island	260	$52,470	$56,470	$37,910	$78,510

Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the job outlook for electricians in Nebraska? Nebraska currently employs approximately 6,440 electricians ¹. Nationally, electrician employment is projected to grow 9.5% from 2024 to 2034 ².

Can I work as an electrician in Nebraska with an out-of-state license? Contact the Nebraska State Electrical Division for details on reciprocity and credential transfer.

What training programs are available in Nebraska? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and apprenticeship programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in Nebraska. You can also contact the Nebraska Division of Employment and Training - Registered Apprenticeship for apprenticeship opportunities.

How much do electricians earn in Nebraska compared to the national average? The median annual wage for electricians in Nebraska is $60,820, which is $1,530 below the national median of $62,350 according to BLS data ¹.

In Nebraska

Best Trade Schools in Nebraska (2026)

Top local programs

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Citations

About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/oes/ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
Bureau of Labor Statistics - Employment Projections: https://www.bls.gov/emp/ ↩︎ ↩︎
Nebraska State Electrical Division - Licensing Information: https://electrical.nebraska.gov ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
CareerOneStop - Licensed Occupations: https://www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Training/find-licenses.aspx ↩︎
Nebraska Division of Employment and Training - Registered Apprenticeship: https://www.apprenticeship.gov/ ↩︎
U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division - Davis-Bacon General Wage Determinations: https://sam.gov/wage-determinations ↩︎

Data sources

Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.

Data	Provider	Vintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	May 2025
Employment Projections	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System	National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)	2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirements	CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programs	CareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2025-10-25)
O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones)	U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.)	O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13)