The state of Utah expects the number of jobs for electricians to increase twice as fast as the national average. The Utah Department of Workforce Services predicts that these jobs will increase by nearly 29% during the ten-year period ending in 2022.
The rate of job growth for electricians in the Provo-Orem area exceeds that for Utah overall. The Department expects an increase of 45% during this time frame.
Partly fueled by construction, Utah led the nation in job growth in 2015 according to the state Governor’s Office of Economic Development. The heavy volume of construction in Utah causes a shortage of skilled workers such as electricians. In fact, 85% of the contractors in Utah who were surveyed for 2015 responded that they were concerned about the difficulty of finding skilled craft workers over the coming year.
Utah Business described a wide array of construction projects throughout the state as of May 2016. Apartments and other living facilities topped the list ranging from luxury apartments to senior living facilities. In addition, a $20 million new housing complex for Dixie State University in St. George should be completed in the fall of 2016.
Substantial office space construction is taking place around the state with the Traverse Mountain Office Building in Lehi being a major highlight:
- 5 million-square feet of office space
- A 200-room hotel
- 400,000-square feet of large-scale retail
- 120,000-square feet of small-scale retail and restaurants
New technical facilities being built include the $45 million, 120,000-square foot Farmington Health Center. Other major science and technology construction projects include:
- A new crime lab in Salt Lake City
- A 150,000-square foot building to house Dixie Applied Technology College in St. George
Major performing arts centers currently under construction include:
- $119 million Eccles Performing Arts Center in Salt Lake City
- $41 million Hale Center Theatre in Sandy
Salaries for Residential Electricians in Utah’s Urban and Rural Areas
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides the range of salaries earned by electricians throughout Utah. Highly skilled master electricians can expect to earn salaries at the highest end of these ranges (2015):
Salaries for Specialty Electricians in Utah’s Major Cities
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides salaries for a number of different types of specialized electricians that work in the major cities in Utah (2015). Those with the most education and experience tend to earn salaries at the upper end of the ranges shown here:
Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers:
- Ogden-Clearfield: $64,370 – $97,800
- Provo-Orem: $64,300 – $96,550
- George: $73,030 – $94,920
Electrical and Electronics Repairers Specializing in Commercial and Industrial Equipment:
- Logan: $42,550 – $51,880
- Ogden-Clearfield: $59,910 – $66,230
- Provo-Orem: $63,220 – $75,480
- Salt Lake City: $58,080 – $74,130
Electronic Home Entertainment Equipment Installers and Repairers:
- Salt Lake City: $38,650 – $49,030
Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers:
- Ogden-Clearfield: $42,280 – $57,990
- Provo-Orem: $43,960 – $51,390
- Salt Lake City: $44,080 – $57,080
The statewide average for electricians in these specialized roles is shown in the table below:
Salaries for Electrician Apprentices in Salt Lake City, Provo, and Rural Utah
Rural Southwest Utah had the 3rd highest concentration of jobs for electrician apprentices of any rural area in the country as of 2015 according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Bureau provides salary data for the occupational classification for “Electrician’s Helpers” in Salt Lake City, Provo-Orem, and two rural areas of Utah. Shown below is information that represents the wages earned during an electrical apprenticeship: