Introduction
Every time the lights come on, a power-line worker had something to do with it. Electrical power-line installers and repairers—often simply called “linemen”—are the professionals who build, maintain, and repair the network of power lines that delivers electricity to homes, businesses, and industries.
It’s a physically demanding and sometimes hazardous career, but also one of the most essential. Without lineworkers, the grid fails, outages spread, and modern life grinds to a halt. If you’re looking for a career that combines outdoor work, technical skill, and high earning potential, this might be one of the best options in skilled trades.
What Do Power-Line Installers and Repairers Do?
The work involves both installation of new power lines and ongoing maintenance:
- Installing new power lines and poles to expand the electrical grid.
- Repairing downed lines after storms, accidents, or equipment failures.
- Maintaining existing lines to prevent outages.
- Climbing poles or using bucket trucks to access high-voltage systems.
- Working with underground cables in some cases.
- Using specialized equipment to test, splice, and connect lines.
- Following strict safety protocols when working with high-voltage systems.
This is one of the most physically active and safety-critical roles in electrical work.
Skills You’ll Need
Being a lineman requires strength, skill, and sharp focus:
- Physical stamina – Climbing, lifting, and working outdoors in all weather.
- Electrical knowledge – Understanding high-voltage systems.
- Problem-solving – Quickly diagnosing and fixing power failures.
- Attention to detail – Mistakes can be deadly when working with electricity.
- Teamwork – Lineworkers typically operate in crews.
- Courage & resilience – Comfort with heights and hazardous conditions.
Education & Training
This role requires structured, hands-on training:
- High school diploma or GED – Required.
- Apprenticeship – Most lineworkers enter a 4-year apprenticeship program through unions or utilities.
- On-the-job training – Apprentices learn under experienced journeymen.
- Certifications – OSHA safety training, CDL (commercial driver’s license), and electrical certifications.
- Continuous training – Required to stay updated on grid technology and safety.
This is a trade where you earn while you learn, apprentices are paid during training.
2025 BLS Salary and Job Outlook
The figures below are U.S. national estimates. Wages refer to May 2025; job growth and annual openings refer separately to the 2025–2035 BLS employment projections.
Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers
Related O*NET occupation: Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers (49-9051.00). BLS reporting code: 49-9051.
- Median wage (May 2025): $95,320 per year.
- Mean wage (May 2025): $91,970 per year.
- 10th percentile wage (May 2025): $51,470 per year.
- 25th percentile wage (May 2025): $67,270 per year.
- 75th percentile wage (May 2025): $109,740 per year.
- 90th percentile wage (May 2025): $128,690 per year.
- OEWS employment estimate (May 2025): 131,070. This estimate excludes self-employed workers.
- Employment in the projections base year (2025): 131,900.
- Projected employment (2035): 145,500.
- Projected employment change (2025–2035): 10.3%.
- Projected annual openings (2025–2035 average): 10,900. Openings include employment growth and workers leaving the occupation; they are not all newly created jobs.
Wage percentiles describe the distribution of wages, not guaranteed entry-level or experienced-worker salaries. National figures can differ from pay in a particular state, industry, or employer. OEWS wages do not include self-employed earnings. The projections employment estimates use a different coverage basis and may include self-employed workers.
Sources: BLS May 2025 national OEWS wage estimates; BLS 2025–2035 occupational projections, Table 1.2; BLS OEWS coverage and definitions.
Job outlook:
- Major growth is driven by renewable energy integration and aging infrastructure upgrades.
- Lineworkers also see spikes in demand after storms and natural disasters.
Work Settings
Power-line installers and repairers typically work for:
- Utilities – Electric companies maintaining the power grid.
- Contracting firms – Building and repairing power systems.
- Government agencies – Maintaining public energy infrastructure.
- Renewable energy companies – Connecting solar and wind farms to the grid.
Work is almost always outdoors, in urban, rural, and remote environments.
Career Growth Opportunities
This field offers clear advancement options:
- Journeyman lineman – Full credential after apprenticeship.
- Crew leader/foreman – Supervising lineworker teams.
- Field supervisor – Overseeing operations for a utility.
- Safety trainer – Teaching new apprentices.
- Transition roles – Moving into utility management or electrical engineering (with further education).
Would You Actually Like It?
This is a career for people who want physical, adventurous, and high-responsibility work. It’s rewarding but also tough.
You’ll likely enjoy it if you:
✅ Like working outdoors and with your hands.
✅ Want a career with strong pay and job security.
✅ Don’t mind heights or challenging environments.
✅ Enjoy teamwork and structured training.
You might not enjoy it if you:
❌ Are uncomfortable with heights or electricity.
❌ Want a low-risk or indoor job.
❌ Dislike physically demanding work.
My MAPP Fit
Here’s where the MAPP Career Assessment becomes invaluable.
Power-line workers often align with MAPP profiles emphasizing physical activity, mechanical aptitude, teamwork, and resilience. If your results show motivation for hands-on, high-responsibility careers, this could be a strong fit.
👉 Is this career path right for you? Find out Free with the MAPP Career Assessment.
