Electrician Classes in Illinois (Top Schools)

If you feel being an electrician is the right career for you, read on to learn more about becoming one.

Occupation Outlook

The Illinois Department of Employment Security claims there will be a 15% increase in electrician jobs in the next 6 years.

On average, Illinois electricians make $49,404 per year, while the better-paid ones make around $56,296 per year.

By contrast, these salaries are a bit lower at a national level, with the median one being $47,951 per year, and the highest being $54,640 per year.

Becoming an Electrician

In Illinois, each city issues its own certifications, after which you are allowed to work anywhere in the state.

To get licensed, you need to follow some steps:

• Become an apprentice
• Take the licensing exam
• Get certified as an Independent Electrical Contractor

Becoming an apprentice

Although the requirements vary based on the city, you will typically need to have 8,000 hours of job experience and between 500 and 800 hours of class training.

To meet the required standards, you have to:

• Get into a technical program and then get hired for an entry-level position
• Enroll in an apprenticeship program with the IBEW union
• Attend a program that is not part of the union

Technical Programs

The easiest way to meet the standards is by getting an associate’s degree or diploma in electrical technology.

In some regions, it is possible to replace some of the job experience hours with the diploma. 

You can get hired in one of the larger companies in the state after getting your degree:

• Handyman Matters in Chicago
• Storm Electric Company in Melrose Park
• Powell Construction and Decorating in Addison

Apprenticeship Programs

Illinois programs meet the standards of the National Training Alliance, the association which manages the JATCs (Joint Apprenticeship & Training Committees) all over the country.

This table contains all the institutions you can contact to become an electrician:

To attend a program, you need to:

• Be 18 years old
• Have the physical abilities to do your job
• Means of transportation
• Take a general aptitude exam
• Bring a high school diploma/GED
• Finish a high-school algebra class 

You will also need to become a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW).

If you choose a non-union option, you can complete your training with a non-union contractor in Illinois and find employment that way. 

Some of the companies offering programs are:

• Midwest IEC
• IEC Greater Saint Louis (serving Illinois localities in Bridgeton, Missouri)
• ABC-Illinois Chapter (Elk Grove Village, Springfield)

Take the Licensing Exam

The state of Illinois mostly offers electrical contractor certifications, with the exception of Chicago where a journeyman license is required first.

In order to show proof of finishing your apprenticeship hours in your region, take the City of Chicago exam. 

Chicago 

The “Supervising Electrician Certification” is the license electricians get in Chicago after they pass an exam. 

As a supervising electrician, your activities will be overseen by an electrical contractor.

The electrical contractor must work with a supervising electrician, or meet the qualification himself.

In Chicago, this is the final stage in becoming an electrician if you don’t want to start your own business.

To get certified, you need to:

• Be 21 years old or older
• An electrical experience totaling 2 years
• Passing a test
• Proof you worked under a supervising electrician

You will need to complete a form, after which the certification exam will be scheduled.

The test is managed by the Continental Testing Service.

The certification must be renewed after 1 to 4 years, and you can find info on the City of Chicago site.

Get Certified as an Independent Electrical Contractor

You will need to register in any city you want to work in, and below are the requirements for the biggest counties in the state:

Cook County

This county requires:

• Be licensed as a supervising electrician in the county
• Apply in person at the Department of Building and Zoning Office
• A Certificate of General Liability up to $1 million
• If your business is a corporation, a copy of your corporation papers with a list of corporate officers is required
• Submit a Child Support Compliance Data Form

Your electrical contractor certification will need to be renewed yearly, and you will be contacted with a few weeks before the deadline.

DuPage County

In this county, you can either work as a sub-contractor or a contractor.

As a contractor, you will be allowed to do technical work in all trades.

As a sub-contractor, you can only do electrical work. 

To get licensed, visit the Contractor Registration Information on the county’s official website.

The requirements are below:

• Knowledge of the DuPage County Ordinances, Codes, and Regulations
• The proper registration fee
• The required liability insurance

As a contractor, you need to have the liability insurance listed below:

• General liability – $1 million
• Worker’s compensation and employee liability – Broad form coverage as indicated by law

As a sub-contractor, you need to have the liability insurance listed below:

• General liability insurance
• Worker’s compensation and employee liability

Your certification will need to be renewed once a year.

Will County

You will have to complete the Contractor Registration Application on the Will County Building Division page, and meet the below requirements:

• The proper fee
• A Supervising Electrician Certification copy that shows the test date 

Your certification will need to be renewed once a year.

Electrician Schools by City

• Chicago