Occupation salary profile

Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay

SOC 49-2095 BLS OEWS May 2025

Inspect, test, repair, or maintain electrical equipment in generating stations, substations, and in-service relays.

National median · BLS
$103,020
▲ +2.06% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$100,760
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
20,720
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay$65,730
25th$81,860
Median (50th)$103,020
75th$118,870
90th — top pay$129,920

Hourly ⇄ annual pay

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Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay

BLS projects employment of electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay to grow 9.7% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 1,800 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
20,900 → 22,900
+2,000 jobs
Projected change
+9.7%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
1,800
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
Postsecondary nondegree award
Plus less than 5 years experience
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 3)
Medium Preparation Needed. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Fastest-growing jobs → Best-paying jobs that need a postsecondary certificate (nondegree award) →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035 · BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook →

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Critical Thinking3.8
  • Equipment Maintenance3.6
  • Repairing3.6
  • Troubleshooting3.5
  • Reading Comprehension3.4
  • Operations Monitoring3.3
  • Quality Control Analysis3.3
  • Active Listening3.1
  • Complex Problem Solving3.1
  • Speaking3.1
Top knowledge areas
  • Mechanical4.3
  • Mathematics3.9
  • Engineering and Technology3.9
  • Public Safety and Security3.9
  • English Language3.8
  • Computers and Electronics3.7
  • Design3.7
  • Physics3.5
Software and technology used
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft WordAutodesk AutoCADMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft WindowsFluke Corporation FlukeView FormsMegger PowerDBOMICRON Test UniverseSupervisory control and data acquisition SCADA softwareWeb browser software

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

About the job

What electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay do

  • 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.
Also called
Relay TechnicianSubstation ElectricianSubstation TechnicianWiremanElectrical and Instrumentation Technician (E and I Technician)Electrical TechnicianInstrument and Control Technician (I and C Technician)Instrumentation and Control Technician (I and C Technician)Substation MechanicSubstation Wireman
More job titles for this occupation (31)
Apparatus LinemanCorrosion Control FitterCorrosion TechnicianElectrical Maintenance MechanicElectrical Test Technician (Electrical Test Tech)Field Electronics Tech (Field Electronics Technician)Field Technician (Field Tech)Gear TechnicianGenerating Station MechanicGenerator MechanicInside WiremanInstrumentation FitterLinemanMaintenance TechnicianMeter CraftsmanMeter TechnicianMotor Room ControllerOn Site Service Tech (On Site Service Technician)Power Generation Technician (Power Generation Tech)Power Systems Technician (Power Systems Tech)Power Transformer RepairerPowerhouse ElectricianPowerhouse MechanicProtective Relay TechnicianRelay CraftsmanRelay EngineerRelay OperatorService Technician (Service Tech)Test TechnicianTransformer RepairerTransmission Technician (Transmission Tech)

Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.