How much do linemen make in California?
California linemen make $129,040 a year at the median, and the middle half earn $98,680 to $156,380.[onet_line] BLS counted 8,930 power-line installer and repairer jobs in the state in May 2025.[oews_api] The California median sits near the 90th percentile of linemen nationally, and it is $52,880 more than the California electrician median of $76,160.[onet_elec]
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly | Take-home* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $77,350 | $37.19 | $63,246 |
| 25th | $98,680 | $47.44 | $78,251 |
| Median (50th) | $129,040 | $62.04 | $99,465 |
| 75th | $156,380 | $75.18 | $118,152 |
| 90th | $167,090 | $80.33 | $125,472 |
*Single filer, 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare; before state tax.
California lineman pay by metro area
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA pays California linemen the most, at a median of $157,620; Vallejo, CA is lowest at $112,990.[onet_line] Small crews mean some area estimates rest on few workers, so read a single metro figure as a guide, not a quote.
| Area | Median | Hourly | 10th pct. | 90th pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $157,620 | $75.78 | $100,200 | $196,690 |
| 2. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $137,180 | $65.95 | $83,620 | $189,980 |
| 3. El Centro, CA | $134,950 | $64.88 | $68,210 | $134,950 |
| 4. Fresno, CA | $134,150 | $64.50 | $86,140 | $157,770 |
| 5. North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $132,710 | $63.80 | $74,550 | $159,420 |
| 6. Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $131,050 | $63.00 | $82,610 | $166,610 |
| 7. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $130,440 | $62.71 | $77,250 | $169,540 |
| 8. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $128,750 | $61.90 | $75,080 | $163,260 |
| 9. Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $127,160 | $61.13 | $59,880 | $162,510 |
| 10. Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $126,670 | $60.90 | $75,040 | $152,080 |
| 11. San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $123,650 | $59.45 | $72,680 | $152,020 |
| 12. San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $120,870 | $58.11 | $65,670 | $158,870 |
| 13. Vallejo, CA | $112,990 | $54.32 | $76,680 | $157,170 |
California vs the top lineman states
California ranks 4th for lineman pay. Hawaii leads at $134,340, and Texas, the other big line-work state, pays a median of $78,940.[onet_line] Texas has no state income tax on wages, which narrows the take-home gap but does not close it.[txtax]
| State | Median | Hourly | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Hawaii | $134,340 | $64.59 | $144,170 | 600 |
| 2. Washington | $133,060 | $63.97 | $147,810 | 2,340 |
| 3. Oregon | $131,090 | $63.02 | $153,860 | 1,640 |
| 4. California | $129,040 | $62.04 | $167,090 | 8,930 |
| 5. Connecticut | $126,850 | $60.99 | $135,730 | 940 |
| 6. Idaho | $125,410 | $60.29 | $131,140 | 860 |
| 42. Texas | $78,940 | $37.95 | $107,550 | 17,280 |
Journeyman lineman salary
A journeyman lineman salary is best read from the upper half of the BLS distribution: $95,320 to $109,740 nationally and $129,040 to $156,380 in California.[onet_line] BLS does not split linemen by license level. The program-level record is higher than either: Washington’s outcome data puts former construction-lineman apprentices at a median $78.00 an hour ($198,000 a year).[s_cb3922o] That program reports a 32% completion rate, and 97% of completers were working 7 to 9 months later. Texas is one of the few states with a journeyman lineman license: it takes 7,000 hours in a DOL-approved apprenticeship or 3.5 years of line work.[tdlr_line]
Overtime is where linemen out-earn the tables. BLS figures are straight-time only.[oews_faq] At the California median rate, an 80-hour storm week (40 regular plus 40 at time and a half) grosses about $6,204.[flsa]
Apprentice lineman salary
An apprentice lineman salary is a rising share of the journeyman rate. The registered construction-lineman program in Washington runs 4 years and 7,000 hours with no tuition.[s_cb3922][ecfr295] On the California median rate of $62.04, an example ladder from 50% to 90% with a raise every 6 months pays $303,988 over those 7,000 hours. Year 1 starts at $31.02 an hour, and the last 6 months pay $55.83.
Apprentice lineman pay calculator
Apprentice pay mathCalifornia median rate by default. Type your program’s journeyman rate and steps for an exact ladder.
Lineman (power-line installer) apprentice · 4-year ladder, raise every 6 months · 7,000 work hours
$303,988 earned while training
Starts at $31.02/hour, ends at $55.83 · average 70% of the $62.04 journeyworker rate (BLS median, California)
| Period | Share | Hourly | 6 months |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1, 1st half | 50% | $31.02 | $27,142 |
| Year 1, 2nd half | 56% | $34.56 | $30,244 |
| Year 2, 1st half | 61% | $38.11 | $33,346 |
| Year 2, 2nd half | 67% | $41.65 | $36,448 |
| Year 3, 1st half | 73% | $45.20 | $39,550 |
| Year 3, 2nd half | 79% | $48.74 | $42,651 |
| Year 4, 1st half | 84% | $52.29 | $45,753 |
| Year 4, 2nd half | 90% | $55.83 | $48,855 |
| Journeyworker | 100% | $62.04 | $54,284 |
Pay given up against the full rate over the same hours: $130,281, the price of training with no tuition.
Even steps from first to final period at 1,750 hours a year; your program's written wage schedule sets the real steps. Before tax, no overtime.
Planning figure, not a pay offer. Arithmetic on the steps you enter. Each registered program publishes its own wage schedule; a union or employer contract sets the journeyworker rate.
A single filer at the California median keeps about $99,465 after 2026 federal income tax and FICA, before California income tax; add your state rate in the calculator.[irs] The route in, from pre-apprentice line school to topping out, is on how to become a lineman. Every state is ranked on lineman salary, and California’s inside wiremen are covered on master electrician salary.
Frequently asked questions
How much do linemen make in California an hour?
$62.04 at the median (BLS, May 2025); $37.19 at the 10th percentile and $80.33 at the 90th, before overtime.
What is the journeyman lineman salary?
About $95,320–$109,740 nationally (median to 75th percentile) and $129,040–$156,380 in California. Former Washington lineman apprentices report a median of $78 an hour.
How much do apprentice linemen make?
A share of the journeyman rate on the program schedule. An example 50%-to-90% ladder on the California median starts at $31.02 an hour.
Is California the highest-paying state for linemen?
No, California ranks 4th. Hawaii has the highest median at $134,340.
Sources
- Local Wages: 49-9051.00 Electrical power-line installers and repairers (state and metro percentiles)
- OEWS May 2025 employment and median wage series (OEUN/OEUS), Public Data API v2
- Local Wages: 47-2111.00 Electricians (state and metro percentiles)
- Texas Taxes (Texas does not have a state personal income tax)
- Construction Lineman apprenticeship, Northwest Line Construction Industry JATC: completion rate 32%, employment rate 97%, median earnings $78 an hour ($198,000 a year); 91% of graduates in construction
- Construction Lineman apprenticeship, Northwest Line Construction Industry JATC (4 years, 7,000 hours)
- Journeyman Lineman license (7,000 hours in a DOL-approved apprenticeship or 3.5 years as a lineman; $30 fee)
- OEWS Frequently Asked Questions (wage definition; 2,080-hour year)
- Overtime Pay (Fair Labor Standards Act: time and one-half after 40 hours in a workweek)
- 29 CFR 29.5, Standards of apprenticeship (2,000-hour minimum term; 144 hours related instruction recommended; progressive wage schedule)
- IRS releases tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2026 (Rev. Proc. 2025-32)