A Master Electrician is someone who has completed the last level of the Journeyman Electrician certification process. The title usually means either 5–9 years as a journeyman or an electrical engineering degree plus a passing score on the master electrician test. The master electrician’s education and experience give them the ability to deal with any situation that may arise throughout the course of a project.
Master electricians hold the highest license level in many jurisdictions, with the training and experience to handle residential, commercial and industrial electrical work. Journeyman electricians also install safe and reliable electrical systems. Master electricians add more training and experience so they can manage complex projects and lead teams, with more responsibility on the job.
What is the Average Salary of an Electrician?
The average annual pay for a master electrician is $55,000 USD. This varies greatly based on your sector, state, years of experience and employer. Master electricians can manage the work of their less experienced colleagues in the workplace. They have the option of working for contractors or starting their own electrical businesses.
Master electricians should expect far more income in the mining and oil and gas sector than they would on a typical residential job. Plus, certain states (like Alaska and New York) will have greater average incomes than others. See the full breakdown of electrician salary by state.

Tips for Becoming a Master Electrician.
A master electrician is one who has been through thorough training and testing and has shown a strong grasp of the national electrical code. Customers can trust that the state has evaluated the electrician’s skills and awarded them the strongest grade available through this credential. Master electricians have also shown they can build complex systems of wires and circuits. If an electrician carries the “master” title, it also means they have passed the state’s “master” test and done any further training that was mandated. Check out our recommended reading for electricians to get a jump start on your studies.
Reaching master electrician status in Texas takes sustained training and skill. Candidates complete programs that include an electrical apprenticeship and an advanced licensing course, with more than 12,000 hours of hands-on experience. Mentoring by a master electrician helps prepare them for the title. Pay statements and similar records prove that experience before someone advances from journeyman to master electrician.
An electrician is eligible to sit for the master electrician examination after gaining at least two years of experience as a journeyman and successfully passing that level’s exam. Candidates need to study the National Electrical Code carefully, because that knowledge is required for a passing score and for master electrician status.
Once the exam is passed, submit the $50 application fee and the completed Experience Verification Form, signed by every master electrician the applicant worked under, to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. A response on license status usually arrives within 30 days.
Those who want master electrician status must put in real time and effort. A master electrician carries heavy responsibility. They evaluate jobs, secure permits and supervise electricians in training and on the job. They should also be able to supervise the planning and installation of electricity wiring and lighting fixtures, and to implement any electrical design. They must also make sure the workers are safe, secure and careful with the property.
While standard electricians are skilled at repairing and maintaining electrical components like wiring, lighting and networks, master electricians oversee large construction and installation projects. Their role covers securing electrical permits, documenting system configurations and managing project paperwork. With their advanced training and certification, master electricians have the skills and education to handle all of these tasks.
Salary, licensing and project responsibility
Master electricians typically earn an average salary of $55,000 annually, but this figure can change a lot depending on the industry, geographic location, experience level and the employing company. Those working in sectors like mining and oil and gas can anticipate substantially higher earnings compared to standard residential positions. For more on the profession and related study material, explore our curated list of recommended readings for electricians. A master electrician is required for the planning, execution and supervision of any large building and installing projects.
Obtaining the distinction requires a person to have completed both an electrical apprenticeship program and an intermediate electrical licensing program. Exam-takers should review the National Electrical Code before sitting for the test. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation typically responds about license status within 30 days.
Content Summary:
- A master electrician is someone who has either worked as a journeyman for 5–9 years or has an electrical engineering degree and has passed the master electrician test.
- The master electrician’s education and experience provide them the ability to deal with any situation that may arise throughout the course of a project.
- Master electricians are licensed professionals with extensive expertise and training who are qualified to complete virtually any electrical task.
- A journeyman electrician is a trained professional who specializes in the safe and reliable installation of electrical wiring in structures, power lines and other electrical components.
- There is no difference between a master electrician and a journeyman electrician in terms of competence; the latter just has more training and experience.
- The average annual pay for a master electrician is $55,000 USD.
- This varies greatly based on your sector, state, years of experience and employer.
- Master electricians can manage the work of their less experienced colleagues in the workplace.
- They have the option of working for contractors or starting their own electrical businesses.
- Master electricians should expect far more income in the mining and oil and gas sector than they would on a typical residential job.
- Plus, certain states (like Alaska and New York) will have greater average incomes than others.
- See the full breakdown of electrician salary by state.
- A master electrician is one who has been through thorough training and testing and has demonstrated an in-depth understanding of the national electrical code.
- Customers may rest easy knowing the state has evaluated the electrician’s skills and awarded them the best possible grade thanks to this credential.
- Master electricians have proven their ability to build complex systems of wires and circuits, which is another indication of their expertise.
- If an electrician carries the “master” title, it also signifies they have passed the state’s “master” test and done any further training that was mandated.
- To be considered a “master electrician” in the Lone Star State, one must meet stringent qualifications.
- Obtaining the distinction requires a person to have completed both an electrical apprenticeship program and an intermediate electrical licensing program.
- They need 12,000 hours of apprenticeship work experience, preferably under the watchful eye of a master electrician.
- The application for a master license is not complete without proof of the required training.
- Statements of pay are the most reliable proof of employment.
- A licensed electrician can seek for his or her journeyman status after completing 8,000 hours of apprenticeship with a master electrician.
- An electrician can take the master electrician test after they have worked as a journeyman electrician for at at least two years and passed that exam.
- Exam-takers should review the National Electrical Code before sitting for the test.
- The $50 application fee and the completed Experience Verification Form, signed by all master electricians the applicant has worked under, must be submitted to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation once the exam is passed.
- Applicants should expect to hear back from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation on the status of their license application within 30 days.
- Those who want master electrician status must put in real time and effort.
- A master electrician has a lot of weight on their shoulders.
- They evaluate jobs, secure permits and supervise electricians in training and on the job.
- They should also be capable of supervising the planning and installation of electricity wiring and lighting fixtures, as well as implement any electrical design.
- They must also make sure the workers are safe, secure and careful with the property.
- In terms of fixing and maintaining things like wires, dimmers, lights, networks and power distribution, any electrician can do the job.
- However, a master electrician is required for the planning, execution and supervision of any large building and installing projects.
- They are responsible for acquiring all necessary electrical permits, recording and maintaining records of all circuiting and system configurations, and handling any other documentation arising from the project.
- These certified electricians have the skills and education to handle all of these tasks.