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How to become a lineman

To become a lineman you train on the job in an apprenticeship that BLS says may last up to 3 years, often after a short pre-apprentice line school; public college lineworker programs we checked cost $11,162 to $19,460. Journeyman linemen are among the best-paid trades, with a U.S. median of $95,320 (May 2025).

By the Trade Salaries team · Updated · 8 sources

Lineman school payback calculator

Payback math

How fast line school pays for itself; the default new salary is the BLS 10th percentile for linemen.

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School payback · 2026 tax on the raise

2.6 years after graduation

Break-even about 35 months after the first class · 10-year gain after costs $80,254

What the program costs you
Tuition, fees, books, exams$15,311
Pay given up while in school$12,667
Loan interest$0
Total cost$27,978
Raise after tax, per year$10,823

After-tax share of the raise: 80.4% (single filer, federal + FICA). Nominal dollars, no discounting.

Planning figure, not a pay offer. Arithmetic on your inputs. The raise is taxed with 2026 federal income tax and FICA for a single filer.

On this page
  1. Steps to become a lineman
  2. Lineman school cost
  3. How long does it take to become a lineman?
  4. Lineman pay and outlook
  5. FAQ
  6. Sources

Steps to become a lineman

  1. Finish high school or a GED, the typical entry education for power-line installers.[ooh_line]
  2. Consider a pre-apprentice line school. Community college lineworker programs teach climbing, rigging and safety in a few months; prices are below.
  3. Get hired as an apprentice or groundman by a utility or a line contractor. BLS describes apprenticeship programs that may last up to 3 years and combine on-the-job training with technical instruction.[ooh_line]
  4. Reach journeyman. Where a state licenses linemen, the rule is spelled out: Texas’s journeyman lineman license requires 7,000 hours in a Department of Labor-approved apprenticeship or 3.5 years of work as a lineman.[tdlr_line]

Registered line apprenticeships follow the same federal standards as other trades: a written, rising wage schedule and at least 2,000 hours of on-the-job learning for a time-based program.[ecfr295]

Lineman school cost

Lineman school costs $11,162 to $19,460 at the public colleges below, which publish a full program price.[s_mtech][s_cb10442][s_llcc] Private line schools exist too; we list only prices that a public institution publishes.

Lineworker program prices published by public colleges (accessed Nov 14, 2026)
ProgramLengthPriceWhat the price covers
Pre-Apprentice Line Program, Highlands College of Montana Tech (MT)[s_mtech]1 semester, 30 credits$11,162Estimated tuition and fees, Montana resident (non-resident $14,574.87); includes CDL Class A, OSHA 10, rigging, flagging, first aid/CPR certificates
Lineman and Arboriculture AAT, Clover Park Technical College (WA)[s_cb10442]16 months, 101 credits (900 clock hours)$16,110Tuition $2,566.88 + fees $10,102.46 + books and supplies $3,440.63
Electrical Distribution Lineman Maintenance certificate, Lincoln Land CC (IL)[s_llcc]About 1 academic year (Aug 2026–May 2027)$19,460Tuition and fees $13,738.50 (2026–27 in-district) + estimated tools and books $5,721.31

Line school is not required in every hiring process, but it can make you a stronger apprentice applicant. Weigh the price against the pay below with the calculator at the top.

How long does it take to become a lineman?

Plan on about 3 to 4 years from the start of training to journeyman. BLS describes apprenticeships of up to 3 years; a registered construction lineman apprenticeship in the Northwest runs 4 years and 7,000 hours; and Texas’s journeyman lineman benchmark is the same 7,000 hours, about 3.5 years at 2,000 hours a year.[ooh_line][s_cb3922][tdlr_line] Add a semester or two if you attend line school first.

Lineman pay and outlook

Linemen earn a U.S. median of $95,320 ($45.83 an hour); the 10th percentile, a rough guide to apprentice and new-hire pay, is $51,470, and Texas linemen earn a median of $78,940.[onet_line] BLS projects 10% job growth from 2025 to 2035, against 3% for all occupations, with about 10,900 openings a year.[ooh_line]

Lineman pay ladder, United States, May 2025
PercentileYearlyHourly
10th$51,470$24.75
25th$67,270$32.34
Median$95,320$45.83
75th$109,740$52.76
90th$128,690$61.87

State-by-state pay and storm overtime math are on lineman salary. If climbing poles is not for you, the inside path is on electrician apprenticeship; compare all trades on the electrician salary page. For the best-paid big state, see lineman salary California, including apprentice lineman pay steps.

Frequently asked questions

How much does lineman school cost?

$11,162 to $19,460 at the public college lineworker programs we checked; each program’s page lists what the price includes.

How long does it take to become a lineman?

About 3 to 4 years: an apprenticeship of up to 3 years (BLS) plus any pre-apprentice line school. Texas’s journeyman lineman license requires 7,000 apprenticeship hours or 3.5 years as a lineman.

Do you need lineman school to become a lineman?

No. Utilities and contractors hire apprentices directly; line school is optional training that can help you get hired.

How much do linemen make?

The U.S. median is $95,320 a year (BLS, May 2025), before overtime.

Sources

  1. Occupational Outlook Handbook: Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, last modified Aug 27, 2026
  2. Construction Lineman apprenticeship, Northwest Line Construction Industry JATC (4 years, 7,000 hours) · Washington Career Bridge, Washington Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board (college-reported costs), accessed Nov 14, 2026 (no date on page)
  3. Journeyman Lineman license (7,000 hours in a DOL-approved apprenticeship or 3.5 years as a lineman; $30 fee) · Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), accessed Nov 14, 2026
  4. 29 CFR 29.5, Standards of apprenticeship (2,000-hour minimum term; 144 hours related instruction recommended; progressive wage schedule) · eCFR, Office of the Federal Register (U.S. Government), eCFR current as of Nov 14, 2026
  5. Local Wages: 49-9051.00 Electrical power-line installers and repairers (state and metro percentiles) · O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (BLS 2025 wage data), accessed Nov 14, 2026
  6. Pre-Apprentice Line Program: estimated tuition and fees (Montana resident $11,161.69) · Highlands College of Montana Technological University, 2026–27 estimate (the page also labels the same amount 2025/26)
  7. Lineman and Arboriculture AAT, Clover Park Technical College · Washington Career Bridge, Washington Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board (college-reported costs), accessed Nov 14, 2026 (no date on page)
  8. Electrical Distribution Lineman Maintenance Certificate of Achievement: tuition and fees $13,738.50 plus tools and books · Lincoln Land Community College (Illinois), 2026–27 in-district rates