Best programs to become an electrical and electronics repairer
You do not need a college degree to become an electrical and electronics repairer. BLS lists a postsecondary nondegree award (a certificate) as the typical entry-level education. It also expects less than 5 years of related work experience. The fields of study that lead most directly to this job are Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering Technology/Technician; Electrical and Power Transmission Installation/Installer; and Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians (IPEDS completions).
4 college programs at 426 schools train electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay, graduating 11,012 people a year (IPEDS completions). The job pays a median of $103,020 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
Inspect, test, repair, or maintain electrical equipment in generating stations, substations, and in-service relays.
Best programs to study to become an electrical and electronics repairer
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 15.0303 | 7,489 | 68.0% | 358 | $59,859 | $15,372 |
| 2 | CIP 46.0301 | 2,336 | 21.2% | 60 | $39,766 | $9,500 |
| 3 | CIP 47.0199 | 1,113 | 10.1% | 23 | $37,415 | $9,500 |
| 4 | CIP 15.1702 | 74 | 0.7% | 5 | $63,554 | $17,750 |
Top 50 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
What electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metro areas
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | $102,470 | 2,360 | 1.26× | 27 | 1,824 |
| Illinois | $107,470 | 420 | 0.52× | 19 | 1,300 |
| Virginia | $99,390 | 910 | 1.66× | 24 | 1,176 |
| New York | $98,310 | 3,160 | 2.45× | 27 | 752 |
| North Carolina | $104,710 | 950 | 1.45× | 29 | 454 |
| Florida | $101,780 | 910 | 0.69× | 17 | 440 |
| Ohio | $98,700 | 1,120 | 1.52× | 23 | 377 |
| Tennessee | $96,840 | 430 | 0.99× | 13 | 313 |
| California | $121,520 | 1,680 | 0.69× | 8 | 278 |
| Pennsylvania | $101,660 | 1,110 | 1.38× | 13 | 241 |
| Michigan | $106,600 | 450 | 0.77× | 18 | 210 |
| Indiana | $105,700 | 290 | 0.68× | 7 | 204 |
| Georgia | $106,930 | 540 | 0.83× | 14 | 168 |
| Mississippi | $94,970 | 160 | 1.00× | 8 | 162 |
| Kansas | $104,970 | 280 | 1.44× | 8 | 154 |
| Arizona | $79,160 | 160 | 0.37× | 7 | 152 |
| New Jersey | $111,600 | 450 | 0.79× | 12 | 150 |
| Oregon | $131,050 | 170 | 0.65× | 8 | 141 |
| Louisiana | $80,610 | 370 | 1.42× | 5 | 136 |
| Iowa | $86,490 | 120 | 0.56× | 7 | 125 |
| Wisconsin | $108,980 | 150 | 0.38× | 9 | 117 |
| Idaholimited | $119,170 | 100 | 0.91× | 2 | 111 |
| South Carolina | $91,140 | 230 | 0.75× | 11 | 103 |
| Colorado | $125,560 | 210 | 0.54× | 7 | 100 |
| North Dakotalimited | $75,050 | 80 | 1.33× | 1 | 95 |
| Missouri | $96,850 | 290 | 0.74× | 5 | 94 |
| Arkansas | $101,120 | 260 | 1.49× | 9 | 89 |
| Minnesota | $99,900 | — | — | 8 | 82 |
| Mainemoderate | $92,570 | 160 | 1.83× | 4 | 75 |
| Oklahoma | $97,800 | 330 | 1.45× | 6 | 66 |
| Nevadalimited | $74,360 | — | — | 2 | 64 |
| Washington | $125,620 | 410 | 0.86× | 7 | 56 |
| West Virginia | $97,600 | 70 | 0.77× | 6 | 39 |
| South Dakotamoderate | $101,830 | 40 | 0.68× | 3 | 35 |
| Massachusetts | $119,460 | 430 | 0.90× | 6 | 34 |
| Nebraskalimited | $104,850 | 60 | 0.46× | 2 | 34 |
| New Mexicomoderate | $100,410 | 140 | 1.19× | 4 | 27 |
| Montanalimited | $97,380 | 130 | 1.86× | 1 | 24 |
| Alabamamoderate | $95,150 | 280 | 1.01× | 3 | 21 |
| Connecticutmoderate | $109,610 | 210 | 0.92× | 3 | 21 |
| Marylandmoderate | $117,760 | — | — | 3 | 21 |
| Utahlimited | $114,250 | 100 | 0.45× | 2 | 20 |
| New Hampshiremoderate | $81,020 | 50 | 0.60× | 3 | 14 |
| Rhode Islandlimited | $107,980 | 30 | 0.46× | 2 | 12 |
| Kentuckylimited | $98,860 | 130 | 0.50× | 1 | 11 |
| Hawaiilimited | $127,330 | 70 | 0.81× | 1 | 9 |
Skills and knowledge
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
What they do day to day
- Inspect and test equipment and circuits to identify malfunctions or defects, using wiring diagrams and testing devices such as ohmmeters, voltmeters, or ammeters.
- Prepare and maintain records detailing tests, repairs, and maintenance.
- Consult manuals, schematics, wiring diagrams, and engineering personnel to troubleshoot and solve equipment problems and to determine optimum equipment functioning.
- Analyze test data to diagnose malfunctions, to determine performance characteristics of systems, or to evaluate effects of system modifications.
- Open and close switches to isolate defective relays, performing adjustments or repairs.
- Notify facility personnel of equipment shutdowns.
- Repair, replace, and clean equipment and components such as circuit breakers, brushes, and commutators.
- Run signal quality and connectivity tests for individual cables, and record results.
Skills
- Critical Thinking3.8
- Reading Comprehension3.4
- Active Listening3.1
- Speaking3.1
- Monitoring3.0
- Writing2.9
- Active Learning2.9
- Science2.6
Knowledge areas
- Mechanical4.3
- Mathematics3.9
- Engineering and Technology3.9
- Public Safety and Security3.9
- English Language3.8
- Computers and Electronics3.7
Abilities
- Near Vision3.9
- Problem Sensitivity3.8
- Arm-Hand Steadiness3.8
- Oral Comprehension3.8
- Oral Expression3.6
- Written Comprehension3.6
Core activities
- 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
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings4.2
How to get in
How to become an electrical and electronics repairer
- Typical entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- Work experience needed
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 4 majors mapped to Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay4 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 15.0303Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering Technology/Technician
- 15.1702Power Plant Technology/Technician
- 46.0301Electrical and Power Transmission Installation/Installer, General
- 47.0199Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians, Other
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
What degree do you need to become an electrical and electronics repairer?+
You do not need a college degree to become an electrical and electronics repairer. BLS lists a postsecondary nondegree award (a certificate) as the typical entry-level education. It also expects less than 5 years of related work experience. The fields of study that lead most directly to this job are Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering Technology/Technician; Electrical and Power Transmission Installation/Installer; and Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians (IPEDS completions).
Which college majors lead to becoming an electrical and electronics repairer?+
The fields of study that lead most directly to this job are Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering Technology/Technician; Electrical and Power Transmission Installation/Installer; and Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians (IPEDS completions). In all, the NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 4 programs to this job, which together graduate about 11,012 people a year.
How much do electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay earn?+
The median is $103,020 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $65,730 at the 10th percentile to $129,920 at the 90th. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay growing?+
BLS projects a +5.5% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, faster than average, with roughly 2,000 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
426 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 4 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Wireman, Relay Technician, Substation Technician, Substation Electrician among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 49-2095.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024-25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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