Electrician · District of Columbia · SOC 47-2111
District of Columbia Electrician Salary — 2026 BLS + BEA RPP
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2024 reference period · BEA Regional Price Parity 2023 vintage · Last synced 2026-05-05.
TL;DR
- BLS reports District of Columbia Electrician median pay at $81,950. Adjusted for state cost of living, real purchasing power equals $74,020.
- Quartile range $68,840 (bottom 25%) to $119,800 (top 25%); the P10-P90 envelope is $51,480 to $124,490.
- Real wage trails nominal by $7,930 after BEA adjustment — the cost-of-living bill, mostly rents.
- Nominal: #6/51 · Real: #14/51 — ranking shifts by 8 positions after RPP.
Wage breakdown — District of Columbia
| Percentile | Nominal (BLS) | Real (BEA RPP-adjusted) |
|---|---|---|
| P10 (entry tier) | $51,480 | $46,499 |
| P25 (lower quartile) | $68,840 | $62,179 |
| P50 (median) | $81,950 | $74,020 |
| P75 (upper quartile) | $119,800 | $108,208 |
| P90 (top tier) | $124,490 | $112,444 |
| Mean | $90,800 | $82,014 |
| Employment | 2,130 Electricians in District of Columbia | |
Cost of living — BEA Regional Price Parity
| Component | District of Columbia index (US = 100) |
|---|---|
| All-items RPP | 110.7 |
| Goods | 106.5 |
| Services | 109.0 |
| Rents | 168.1 |
District of Columbia is a high-cost state — RPP 110.7 above the national 100 baseline. Most of the cost premium routes through rents (168.1) and services (109.0).
After-tax take-home — District of Columbia (2024 BLS · 2024 tax year, single filer)
Layer-by-layer take-home math at the BLS median
| Layer | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Gross BLS P50 (Electrician) | $81,950 | nominal median |
| Federal income tax | −$9,276 | 11.3% effective; std deduction $15,750 applied |
| State income tax | −$4,125 | 4–10.75% (graduated) |
| FICA (SS 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%) | −$6,269 | SS capped at $183,600 wage base |
| Take-home (after-tax) | $62,280 | 76.0% of gross |
| Real take-home (RPP-adjusted) | $56,254 | ÷ (110.7 / 100) BEA cost-of-living |
What the District of Columbia state-tax burden means for Electrician take-home
Mid-band state-tax burden at 5.0% effective. Combined with federal and FICA, take-home is $62,280 (76.0% of gross). After the 110.7 RPP, real take-home is $56,254.
Computed from 2026 IRS federal brackets (Rev. Proc. 2025-32), 2026 state DOR brackets, and 2026 FICA rates. Single filer, standard deduction, no other adjustments. See methodology · tax for limitations (married filers, ITM/SALT itemizers, retirement deferrals, HSA, dependent credits, etc.).
National context
Across the United States, BLS reports a national median of $62,350 for Electricians with mean pay of $69,630 and total employment of 742,580. District of Columbia sits at #6 on nominal pay and #14 on real (cost-adjusted) pay among the 51 states and DC. After cost adjustment, District of Columbia falls 8 positions — the cost premium eats into the headline wage.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the real (cost-adjusted) Electrician salary in District of Columbia?
- After BEA RPP adjustment (regional price parity index 110.7 for District of Columbia), the real-wage equivalent is $74,020 — what the $81,950 nominal salary actually buys. Quartiles in real terms: $62,179 to $108,208.
- What does the top of the Electrician pay scale look like in District of Columbia?
- The 90th percentile lands at $124,490. That tier typically reflects senior roles, specialty certifications, high-cost-of-living metros within the state, or union-negotiated rate cards. Below that, the P75 quartile is $119,800.
- How many Electricians does District of Columbia employ?
- BLS OES counts 2,130 Electricians employed in District of Columbia in the most recent release. Employment density relative to population determines whether wage tiers reflect a robust competitive market or a thinner labor pool.
- Why is the BEA RPP for District of Columbia different from a single CPI number?
- BEA splits regional price parity into three components — goods, services, and rents — reweighted to the BEA's national consumption basket. District of Columbia's overall index of 110.7 reflects rents 168.1, services 109.0, and goods 106.5.
- Is District of Columbia a 'real-wage arbitrage' state for Electricians?
- No — District of Columbia's RPP of 110.7 sits above 100, meaning the $81,950 nominal wage compresses to a real-wage equivalent of $74,020. The cost premium goes mostly to rents and services.
- Union vs non-union electrician pay in District of Columbia?
- BLS does not split union from non-union pay. In {state}, IBEW-represented electricians typically earn 15-30% above the non-union median once benefits and pension contributions are included. The premium is concentrated in commercial and industrial work; residential is more often non-union.
- How much do journeyman vs master electricians earn in District of Columbia?
- Master electrician status (typically 4+ years post-journeyman plus state exam) commands a 15-25% premium over journeyman pay in most District of Columbia markets. Master licensure also enables business ownership and permit-pulling — the income upside compounds via owner-operator scenarios.
Sources & methodology
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES), SOC 47-2111, 2024 reference period.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities, 2023 vintage (all-items, goods, services, rents).
- Real-wage figures = nominal BLS wage ÷ (state RPP / 100).
- See the methodology page for full computation details and limitations.
Cross-comparison: see how District of Columbia Electrician pay ranks against the other 254 state × occupation pages on the Real Wage Atlas → — four-way ranking by real wage, after-tax take-home, state-tax savings, and cost-of-living arbitrage.