$50–$130 an hour for a licensed electrician in the US in 2026, with $90/hr typical. Most visits also carry a $75–$200 service call fee or a one-hour minimum, and nights or weekends run $100–$260/hr.
Licensed electrician: $50–$130/hr, $90/hr typical
Apprentice $40–$60, journeyman $60–$90, master $90–$120 an hour
Service call (often includes the first hour): $75–$200
After hours: $100–$260/hr plus a $75–$200 call-out fee
A full 8-hour day: $400–$1,050
Prices verified November 2026 · Cross-referenced against 52+ American pricing sources · See methodology
01 / PricesUSA · November 2026
Electrician rates and fees in the US (2026)
A licensed electrician bills $50–$130/hr; who is on site and when they come move the rate most.
Electrician rates and fees in the US (2026)Per hour, low to high with the typical price marked.
After-hours hourly rate$160$100–$260
Master electrician$105$90–$120
Licensed electrician, standard hourly rate$90$50–$130
Journeyman electrician$75$60–$90
Apprentice (works under a licensed electrician)$50$40–$60
$0$100$200$300
Job
Low
Typical
High
Licensed electrician, standard hourly rateper hour
$50
$90
$130
Apprentice (works under a licensed electrician)per hour
$40
$50
$60
Journeyman electricianper hour
$60
$75
$90
Master electricianper hour
$90
$105
$120
After-hours hourly rateper hour
$100
$160
$260
Service call fee (often includes the first hour)per visit
$75
$125
$200
Troubleshooting visit (finding a fault)per visit
$150
$275
$500
Emergency / after-hours call-out feeper call
$75
$150
$200
Flat-rate small jobper job
$150
$300
$600
Electrician day rate (8 × the hourly rate)per day
$400
$720
$1,050
Electrical permit, small jobper permit
$50
$150
$350
US prices, November 2026. Low is a simple job in a low-cost area; high is a bigger job or a high-cost city.
02 / By city195 cities priced
Does electrician hourly rates and service call fees change by city?
Yes. The same job costs more where labor and rent cost more. Here's how electrician prices in the biggest US metros compare with the US typical of $90/hr.
Electrician prices in the 12 biggest US metrosEach city's typical electrician price against the US typical of $90/hr.
Mostly the license level and local wages. Apprentices bill about $40–$60 an hour and must work under a licensed electrician, journeymen $60–$90, and master electricians $90–$120 or more. Many jobs use a mix, so ask who will actually be on site.
Local pay does the rest. The median US electrician earns $63,190 a year ($30.38/hr) in federal data, but that runs from about $49,000 in Arkansas to over $100,000 in Oregon. The gap between the wage and the $90/hr bill covers insurance, the truck, licensing, office time and profit.
02
Service call fees and minimums
Most shops charge $75–$200 to come out. At the higher end the fee usually includes the first hour of work; at the lower end it is a trip fee only, and labor is extra. Some shops credit the fee toward the job if you go ahead — ask before the visit.
Others skip the fee and bill a minimum of one to two hours instead. Either way, a five-minute fix costs the minimum, which is why bundling small jobs into one visit is the easiest way to save.
03
Compare
Hourly vs flat-rate pricing
Many electricians now quote flat prices for common jobs. A flat-rate small job — a fixture swap, a GFCI, a new switch — usually runs $150–$600, and bigger work like a panel upgrade is almost always quoted as one price.
Flat rates protect you from a slow electrician; hourly rates protect you from padding on a quick job. Compare the total, what's included and how surprises are priced, not the headline rate.
04
Save money
How to keep the bill down
Book weekday hours: after-hours work costs $100–$260/hr against $90/hr standard. Make a list of every small job before the visit, clear the path to the panel and the work area, and buy your own fixtures if the electrician agrees to install them.
05
Watch out
Red flags
No license number on the quote, a request that you pull the permit yourself, cash-only deals with no written scope, or a rate far below everyone else's. Licensed electricians normally pull the permit and put their license number on the paperwork.
06
Compare
What each type of electrician bills, and what they can do
Who comes to your house sets the rate. Most states have three license levels.
Who
Typical rate
What they can do
Best for
Apprentice
$50/hr ($40–$60)
Still in training. Must work under a licensed electrician. Training takes four to five years.
Helping on big jobs, like a rewire
Journeyman
$75/hr ($60–$90)
Has passed a license exam. Can do most wiring work.
Outlets, lights, new circuits, most repairs
Master
$105/hr ($90–$120)
Has more years on the job and another exam. Can pull permits and run jobs.
Panels, service upgrades, hard-to-find faults
Rules differ by state. Some states, such as Arizona and New York, have no state-level electrician license, so check with your city or county. You can look up a license number on your licensing board's website.
07
Worked example
Worked example: three small jobs, one visit
Say you need two GFCI outlets swapped and one dimmer put in. The work takes about 2.5 hours.
Line itemCost
Service call fee (includes the first hour)$125
1.5 more hours at $90 an hour$135
Labor for one visit (parts extra)$260
Book the same jobs as three separate visits and you pay three service call fees of about $125 each. This uses today's typical rates. Your shop's rates may differ.
08
Compare
One 2-hour job, billed three ways
The same job can cost very different amounts. It depends on how and when you book it.
How it's billed
How it adds up
Total
Weekday, service call plus hourly
$125 call fee (first hour included), plus 1 hour at $90
$215
Weekday, flat rate
One price agreed before work starts. It doesn't change if the job runs long.
$300 typical
Nights or weekends
$150 call-out fee, plus 2 hours at $160
$470
Typical prices. Parts are extra in every case.
09
Compare
What common small jobs cost as one flat price
Many electricians quote these jobs as one price, not by the hour. Use these to check a quote.
Job
Typical price
Normal range
Replace a standard outlet
$140
$80–$200
GFCI outlet or GFCI breaker
$170
$90–$350
Dimmer switch
$140
$80–$200
Ceiling fan (box already there)
$250
$140–$450
Hardwired smoke alarm
$200
$110–$400
New 240V circuit (dryer, range, AC)
$600
$250–$1,200
Per item, installed. See every job on the electrician cost page.
10
Checklist
Ask these on the phone before you book
Five minutes on the phone can save you a surprise bill.
How much is the service call fee?
Does the fee include any work time? How much?
If I go ahead with the job, is the fee taken off the bill?
What is the hourly rate after the first hour?
Do you bill in full hours, half hours or 15 minutes?
Do you charge for drive time or trips to the parts store?
Who will come: an apprentice, a journeyman or a master?
Can you give me one flat price for this job?
Can I buy my own parts? Will you still stand behind the work?
What is your license number? Are you insured?
11
Watch out
Red flags on the bill
Check the invoice before you pay. Ask about any of these.
A trip fee and a service call fee for the same visit, when only one was quoted.
Time rounded up to full hours when you were told it was billed in 15 minutes.
A line that just says 'materials', with no list of parts.
Drive time charged when the phone quote said it was included.
The service call fee not taken off the bill when they said it would be.
After-hours rates for a visit you booked during the day.
No license number anywhere on the invoice.
12
Tip
Use the hour you already paid for
If the service call includes the first hour and your job takes 20 minutes, ask what else they can do in the time left. Have a list ready: a loose outlet, a dead light, a breaker with no label. Then check your price with the quote checker.
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Licensed electrician, standard hourly rate
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05 / Questions12 answers
Electrician hourly rates and service call fees: FAQ
What's the average hourly rate for an electrician?
About $90/hr, inside a normal range of $50–$130/hr for a licensed electrician. Big, high-cost metros run higher; small markets in the South and Southwest run lower.
Why do electricians charge a service call fee?
It covers the drive, the truck and the time to diagnose the problem. Expect $75–$200; the higher fees usually include the first hour of work.
How much more does a master electrician cost than a journeyman?
Roughly $30 an hour more: about $90–$120 against $60–$90. A master is worth it for panels, service upgrades and hard-to-find faults.
Do electricians charge for travel time?
Some do, as a separate trip fee, and it is more common for homes far from town. Ask whether the service call includes the drive before you book.
Is it cheaper to pay by the hour or a flat rate?
For small, well-defined jobs a flat rate ($150–$600) is usually cheaper and more predictable. For fault-finding, hourly billing is normal because nobody knows how long it will take.
How much is an electrician for a full day?
About $400–$1,050 for 8 hours at standard rates (8 × the hourly rate). Some shops discount full days; ask when you book a big job.
Do electricians charge for estimates?
Often not for big jobs. Many give free written quotes for panel upgrades, rewiring and new circuits. Finding a fault is different. That is billed as a troubleshooting visit, usually $150–$500.
Why do electricians charge so much an hour?
The hourly bill is not the wage. The median US electrician earned $30.38 an hour in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The typical bill of $90 an hour also pays for the truck, tools, insurance, licensing, office time and unpaid drive time.
Can I hire a handyman instead of an electrician to save money?
Only for the smallest jobs, and only where your state allows it. Most states require electricians to pass a test and be licensed. Wiring done without a license or permit can cause problems with insurance or when you sell. Check your state or city licensing rules first.
How much does a permit add to a small electrical job?
Usually $50–$350. Many cities need a permit for new circuits and new wiring. When you hire a licensed electrician, they normally buy the permit and add the fee to your bill. Simple like-for-like swaps often need no permit, but rules differ by city.
Can I buy my own parts to cut the bill?
Sometimes. Some electricians are happy to install parts you buy. Others won't, or won't stand behind them. Ask first. Buy the exact model they suggest, so a wrong part doesn't cost you a second visit.
How much does an electrician charge for 30 minutes of work?
Usually the full minimum. That is a service call fee of $75–$200, or a one- to two-hour minimum. A 30-minute job costs about the same as a one-hour job, so add other small jobs to the same visit.
These are independent estimates built from published cost guides, local city price guides, contractor price pages and federal wage data. No electrician can pay to change them, so always get two or three quotes. Last reviewed November 2026. Read the full methodology →