Electrician education & training requirements + costs

There are quite a few ways to gain the training and education required to become an electrician. Completing one or more of the options listed below will help you start your career as an electrician.

Note that you may have to complete an apprenticeship regardless of your previous training depending on where you live.

Trade school

Attending trade school is a great way to learn the basics of being an electrician.

Trade school is a great choice if you would rather skip the classes that do not have anything to do with actually working as an electrician. If you choose trade school, you will strictly learn the trade you are there to learn.

Electrician trade school can be completed in as little as 8 months and can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $15,000.

Community college (associate's degree)

Getting an Associate’s degree is a great option if you would like to get a more classical college education. It usually takes two years to complete and will cost you $3,440 per year, on average.

Apprenticeship

The most cost-effective way to learn to become an electrician is an apprenticeship, which also happens to be required in every state. 

Instead of paying to learn, you will be paid to learn during an apprenticeship. Electrician apprenticeships usually take around 4 to 5 years to complete.

There are multiple ways to learn to become an electrician and each method comes with a unique cost and time to complete.

Note that you may have to complete an apprenticeship regardless of if you’ve completed trade school or an Associate’s degree depending on where you live.

How much does electrician training cost?

Electrician trade school cost (certificate program)

Overview: Trade school is a great way to begin your education to become an electrician. With electrician trade school, you will focus solely on skills related to electrician work. Some examples of electrician trade schools are Electrical Training Center, Austin Career Institute, and Apex Technical School.

Cost: The cost for Electrician trade school is usually between $1,000 and $15,000. For example, the average cost for Electrical Training Center is $3,000, for Austin Career Institute is $19,000, and for Apex Technical School is $18,400.

Time Required: Electrician trade school can take as little as 8 months and as long as 18 months.

Work Opportunities: After completing electrician trade school, the next step is to get an apprenticeship. After that, the work opportunities are limitless.

Community college to be an Electrician cost (Associate's degree)

Overview: Another method to learn how to become an electrician while also learning more classical subjects is community college. Some of the top Associate’s degree programs for aspiring electricians are Everest Institute, Coyne College, and Fortis College.

Cost: The average cost for Community College is $3,440 per year. The average total cost for Everest Institute is $17,465, for Coyne College is $16,461, and for Fortis College is $14,630.

Time Required: It typically takes 18 to 24 months to graduate from community college though some may have shorter programs that are a year or less.

Work Opportunities: After completing electrician trade school, the next step is to get an apprenticeship. After that, the work opportunities are limitless.

Electrician apprenticeship cost

Overview: An apprenticeship is a great and cost-effective way to learn to be an electrician while also being paid. Unlike other trades, an electrician apprenticeship is required to work as an electrician. New apprenticeship opportunities are always opening and a great place to start looking is the Department of Labor’s apprenticeship search.

Cost: Apprentices typically get paid while learning instead of paying to learn like the other education methods. You can expect to make around $15 to $25 an hour as an apprentice. 

Time Required: Electrician apprenticeships typically take 4 to 5 years.

Work Opportunities: After completing your apprenticeship, you can try and stay on with the same company or apply at other companies if you would like a change of scenery as a full-time electrician.

How to pay for electrician school

Apply for Grants. Grants are a good way to pay for electrician school, as they do not need to be paid back. Grants can be hard to come by, however, because most have strict requirements for eligibility and are highly competitive. 

Apply for Scholarships. Another good way to pay for electrician school is scholarships. Like grants, scholarships do not require repayment, but are also highly competitive and can be hard to obtain. Look for scholarships that are specifically for aspiring electricians or for people with certain skills/traits that you do.

Fill out the FAFSA. Filling out the FAFSA is a must if attending a college. The FAFSA will show you federal grants, scholarships, and student loans that you qualify for with a single application.

Use Savings. Using personal savings is another way to pay for electrician school. This is a good option if you have a decent amount of savings and don’t want to go into debt. Not everyone has enough savings to pay for school out of pocket, so this option is not for everyone.