Installation, Maintenance, and Repair · Career brief

Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay

Is it a good career to pursue?

The 30-second read

Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay at a glance

Six signals to look at before you spend time on the full guide.

1Pay

$103,020

High national median pay

2025 national median. Top quarter for pay among careers on ChooseField.

2Demand

9.7%

Strong projected growth

Projected employment growth for 2025–2035. Top 10% for growth among careers on ChooseField.

3Openings

1,800

Relatively fewer openings

Average openings per year in 2025–2035, including replacement hiring. Below the middle of ChooseField careers for openings.

4Route in

Certificate / award

A four-year degree is not the typical entry route

Postsecondary nondegree award + related experience. Related work experience is typically required.

5The work

Hands-on

Practical work with tools, systems, or physical environments

Inspect and test equipment and circuits to identify malfunctions or defects, using wiring diagrams and testing devices such as ohmmeters, voltmeters, or ammeters.

6The catch

Know this first

What could make this a poor fit

BLS lists less than 5 years of related experience. This is normally reached through feeder roles, not directly from school.

ChooseField take

The strongest national signals are pay and growth; each ranks in the top quarter of ChooseField careers. It makes the most sense if hands-on work appeals to you and you are comfortable with a certificate or nondegree award. Main tradeoff: BLS lists less than 5 years of related experience. This is normally reached through feeder roles, not directly from school.

Before choosing, compare:Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment Avionics Technicians Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians

National labor-market measures: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. Work-profile signals: O*NET. See sources and caveats.

Compare Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay with another field Explore rankings in Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Open shareable infographic

Want the evidence behind the snapshot?

Market and path

Pay, outlook, and the route in

National median pay (2025)

$103,020

A midpoint for workers nationwide, not a starting salary.

2025–2035 outlook

9.7%employment growth1,800openings per year

Openings include replacement hiring, not only newly created jobs.

Typical entry route

Postsecondary nondegree award; Prior related experience: less than 5 years; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing

BLS reports the usual education, related experience, and on-the-job training, not a guaranteed minimum for every employer.

2025 employment

20,900

A small national occupation; local availability may be uneven.

Source: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 occupational projections ↗ · Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay (49-2095).

Actual responsibilities

What you would be trusted to own

Selected O*NET task statements, not a list of traits that applies to almost every career.

Inspect and test equipment and circuits to identify malfunctions or defects, using wiring diagrams and testing devices such as ohmmeters, voltmeters, or ammeters.
Consult manuals, schematics, wiring diagrams, and engineering personnel to troubleshoot and solve equipment problems and to determine optimum equipment functioning.
Open and close switches to isolate defective relays, performing adjustments or repairs.
Prepare and maintain records detailing tests, repairs, and maintenance.

Decision-changing realities

What could make this a poor fit

BLS lists less than 5 years of related experience. This is normally reached through feeder roles, not directly from school.
This is a small national occupation (20,900 jobs in 2025), so location and employer concentration can matter more than the national median suggests.
Errors can seriously affect people, equipment, or operations. Checking and accountability are part of the job, not optional polish.

Work profile

What the work emphasizes

O*NET importance scores. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment4.4
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.4
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials4.3
Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.3
Getting Information4.3

Interest profile

Career interests

O*NET interest scores describe work someone may enjoy, not personality requirements. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Relative mix of the interest scores below, not percentages of your workday.

Realistic7.0
Conventional5.3
Investigative3.5
Enterprising1.3
Social1.1
Artistic1.0

Preparation

What the training must make you competent at

Subject matter

Mechanical Mathematics Engineering and Technology Public Safety and Security

Before choosing the major or training

Run a cheaper test first

Take a supervised shop, maker, or trade class and finish one project while following its measurement, cleanup, and safety rules.
Ask someone doing this job which feeder role built the required experience, what that earlier job paid, and how long the transition actually took.

The fuller career guide

How the evidence fits together

Pay and demand: reading the benchmark

The pay and outlook figures describe Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay nationally. They do not establish the salary or number of vacancies available in your area.

Median pay is the middle wage across workers, not a starting offer. Projected openings include replacements as well as growth; neither measure predicts an individual worker's job security.

Before choosing a program

O*NET lists Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening among this occupation's skills. Ask a program to show the assignments, supervised practice, and assessment that develop these skills. Compare those examples with local job descriptions.

Common questions

Questions people ask about this career

Can I enter this occupation without related work experience?

Prior related experience: less than 5 years. Look for the preceding roles and promotion route before treating this as a first job.

What should I check before paying for training?

Get the full prerequisite and completion timeline, total cost, placement arrangements, and any licensing eligibility in writing. Ask local employers whether they hire graduates from the route you are considering and whether paid training is available.

Adjacent options