Electrician Schools in Massachusetts: Classes & Salary Info (2023 Updated)

Potential Salary

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Massachusetts electricians have the following salary information:

Mean Wage:

Annually – $75,850
Hourly – $36.47

Percentile	Average Annual Wage
10%	$38,420
25%	$48,370
50%	$75,990
75%	$98,610
90%	$127,900

Annual Salary Range:

$38K

$75K

$12K

Average Salary of Electricians in Massachusetts

City Name	Salary
Boston	$54,544
Worcester	$50,492
Springfield	$50,108
Lowell	$52,266
Cambridge	$54,544
Brockton	$51,931
New Bedford	$50,540
Fall River	$50,540
Lynn	$54,544
Quincy	$54,544

* Salary information last updated 2023

How to Become an Electrician

The MA Board of State Examiners of Electricians oversees the regulations and licensing of electricians.

They’ll issue the following licenses:

Journeyman electrician
Master electrician
System technician
System contractor

For apprentices, the MA Division of Apprentice Standards (DAS) will do the overseeing.

Becoming an Apprentice Electrician

DAS understands that an apprenticeship is a way for you to receive on-the-job training and technical instruction while earning a salary.

So to become an apprentice, you need to enroll in an approved apprenticeship program.

Afterward, enter into an apprenticeship agreement with your sponsor employer, which enables you to receive the apprentice ID card.

This ID card will need to be worn at all times during the working hours of your apprenticeship.

Your sponsor will apply and annually renew the ID card for you to DAS, whereas you’ll complete the application form along with a passport-size photo.

Becoming a Journeyman Electrician

Qualifications

To qualify, you must meet the following:

Holds a high school diploma or equivalent
At least 600 hours of classroom instruction from an approved electrician program
At least 4 years with 8,000 hours of experience
Successfully pass the licensure exam

License Application

To apply, you must submit the following:

Completed and notarized application form
Proof of completing the required education hours
Proof of work experience
Copy of MA Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI)
Certificate of completing an approved 15-hour code update course(s)
Fees:
- Application and exam fee – $226
- License fee – $104

Exam Details

The Board has contracted with PSI to help administer the electrician licensure exams.

For the journeyman exam, here are the exam details:

Open book exam with only authorized references allowed to bring at the testing center
Content
- Part I (theory) – 70 questions covering these topics:
  - General knowledge
  - Services
  - Grounding and bonding
  - Wiring methods and devices
  - Motors
  - Transformers
  - Low-voltage distribution
  - Special occupancies and equipment
  - Overcurrent protection
  - Lighting
  - Alarm systems
- Part II (applied) – 30 questions covering these topics:
  - Circuit calculations (Ohm’s Law)
  - Electrical schematics and plans
  - Materials and components
  - Troubleshooting and testing
  - MA amendments
  - Licensing laws and regulations
Duration
- Part I – 180 minutes
- Part II – 60 minutes
Passing rate – 70%
Retakes – 6 chances within the 1-year eligibility period

License Renewal

Your license will expire after 3 years.

To renew, you must submit the following:

Completed online renewal application
Proof of completing 21 hours of approved continuing education courses, of which 15 hours are spent on code updates
Renewal fee – $78

Becoming a Master Electrician

Qualifications

To qualify, you must meet the following:

At least 150 hours of classroom instruction from an approved electrician program
At least 1 year of experience as a licensed journeyman
Successfully pass the licensure exam

License Application

To apply, you must submit the following:

Completed and notarized application form
Proof of completing the required education hours
Proof of work experience
Copy of MA CORI
Certificate of completing an approved 15-hour code update course(s)
Fees:
- Application and exam fee – $226
- License fee – $104

Exam Details

For the master electrician exam, here are the exam details:

Open book exam with only authorized references allowed to bring at the testing center
Content
- Part I (theory) – 80 questions covering these topics:
  - State-specific electrical requirements
  - General knowledge
  - Services
  - Grounding and bonding
  - Wiring methods and devices
  - Motors
  - Transformers
  - Low-voltage distribution
  - Special occupancies and equipment
  - Overcurrent protection
  - Lighting
  - Alarm systems
- Part II (business and law) – 50 questions covering these topics:
  - MA licensing
  - Estimating and bidding
    Lien law
  - Financial management
  - Tax laws
    Labor laws
  - Project management
  - Contracts
  - Business organization
  - Risk management
  - Environmental and safety
Duration
- Part I – 240 minutes
- Part II – 120 minutes
Passing rate – 70%
Retakes – 6 chances within the 1-year eligibility period

License Renewal

Your license will expire after 3 years.

To renew, you must submit the following:

Completed online renewal application
Proof of completing 21 hours of approved CE courses, of which 15 hours are spent on code updates
Renewal fee – $117

Becoming a System Technician

Qualifications

To qualify, you must meet the following:

Holds a high school diploma or equivalent
At least 300 hours of classroom instruction from an approved electrician program
At least 2 years with 4,000 hours of experience
Successfully pass the licensure exam

License Application

To apply, you must submit the following:

Completed and notarized application form
Proof of completing the required education hours
Proof of work experience
Copy of MA CORI
Certificate of completing an approved 15-hour code update course(s)
Fees:
- Application and exam fee – $226
- License fee – $104

Exam Details

For the system technician exam, here are the exam details:

Open book exam with only authorized references allowed to bring at the testing center
Content
- Part I (theory) – 50 questions covering these topics:
  - NEC alarm requirements
  - Fire detection and notification
- Part II (applied) – 30 questions covering these topics:
  - Circuit calculations (Ohm’s Law)
  - Electrical schematics and plans
  - Materials and components
  - Troubleshooting and testing
  - Licensing laws and regulations
Duration
- Part I – 180 minutes
- Part II – 60 minutes
Passing rate – 70%
Retakes – 6 chances within the 1-year eligibility period

License Renewal

Your license will expire after 3 years.

To renew, you must submit the following:

Completed online renewal application
Proof of completing 21 hours of approved CE courses, of which 15 hours are spent on code updates
Renewal fee – $78

Becoming a System Contractor

Qualifications

To qualify, you must meet the following:

At least 75 hours of classroom instruction from an approved electrician program
At least 1 year of experience as a licensed systems technician
Successfully pass the licensure exam

License Application

To apply, you must submit the following:

Completed and notarized application form
Proof of completing the required education hours
Proof of work experience
Copy of MA CORI
Certificate of completing an approved 15-hour code update course(s)
Fees:
- Application and exam fee – $276
- License fee – $155

Exam Details

For the system contractor exam, here are the exam details:

Open book exam with only authorized references allowed to bring at the testing center
Content
- Part I (theory) – 70 questions covering these topics:
  - General electric and electronic theory and knowledge
  - NEC alarm requirements
  - Intrusion detection and notification
  - Fire detection and notification
- Part II (business and law) – 50 questions covering these topics:
  - MA licensing
  - Estimating and bidding
  - Lien law
  - Financial management
  - Tax laws
  - Labor laws
  - Project management
  - Contracts
  - Business organization
  - Risk management
  - Environmental and safety
Duration
- Part I – 180 minutes
- Part II – 120 minutes
Passing rate – 70%
Retakes – 6 chances within the 1-year eligibility period

License Renewal

Your license will expire after 3 years.

To renew, you must submit the following:

Completed online renewal application
Proof of completing 21 hours of approved CE courses, of which 15 hours are spent on code updates
Renewal fee – $78

How Master Electricians/System Contractors Obtain an MA Business License

As a master electrician or system contractor, you may want to operate your own business.

To apply for a business license, you must meet these qualifications:

You’ve been contracted to be the business’s Licensee of Record (LOR)
Business has been registered with the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s (SOC) Corporations Division

Afterward, you can submit the following minimum requirements to the Board:

Completed online application
Copy of the SOC filing
Copy of the license of the LOR
Letter of intent of the LOR
License fee – 221

Electrical Training Programs and Schools in Massachusetts

To become an electrician, you’ll need practical training and education in key areas of the trade.

You can get this either through an accredited vocational school or an approved apprenticeship program.

In a vocational school, you’ll earn a certificate or diploma which can help in your job placement upon graduation.

Also, many schools offer apprenticeships as part of their curriculum, where you’ll learn and earn under the supervision of a local employer.

Meanwhile, in an apprenticeship program, you’ll directly receive on-the-job training under the supervision of licensed electricians.

You’ll also receive a salary, which will start at 40% of that of a journeyman, with period increments upon good performance evaluation.

To enroll in an apprentice program, you need to meet these qualifications:

Must be at least 18 years old
High school diploma or GED
Passing grade in high school algebra
Take a drug test
Pass an aptitude test
Valid driver’s license

The table below lists some of the schools and associations that you can consider enrolling in.

22 Electrician Schools in Massachusetts

School Name	Address
Bay Street Tech	225 Turnpike Street Canton, MA
Ben Franklin Institute of Technology	41 Berkeley Street Boston, MA
Bristol Community College	777 Elsbree Street Fall River, MA 02720
Bunker Hill Community College	250 New Rutherford Avenue Boston, MA 02129
IEC of New England	1800 Silas Deane Highway Rocky Hill, CT 06067
JATC of Boston	194 Freeport Street Dorchester, MA 02122
JATC of Brockton	111 Rhode Island Road Lakeville, MA 02347
JATC of Springfield	185 Industry Avenue Springfield, MA 01104
JATC of Worcester	242 Mill Street Worcester, MA 01602
Massasoit Community College	1 Massasoit Boulevard Brockton, MA 02302
Massachusetts Bay Community College - Wellesley Hills Campus	50 Oakland Street Wellesley Hills, MA 02481
Martin Electrical and Technical School	130 Kerry Place Norwood, MA 02062
Porter and Chester Institute of Canton	5 Campanelli Circle Canton, MA 02021
Porter and Chester of Chicopee	134 Dulong Circle Chicopee, MA 01022
Porter and Chester Institute of Woburn	8 Presidential Way Woburn, MA 01801
Porter and Chester Institute of Worcester	220 Brooks Street Worcester, MA 01606
Springfield Technical Community College	1 Armory Street Springfield, MA 01102-9000
The Peterson School of Vocational Training - Woburn Campus	25 Montvale Ave. Woburn, MA
The Peterson School of Vocational Training - Worcester Campus	486 Chandler Street Worcester, MA 01602
The Peterson School of Vocational Training - Westwood Campus	350 University Ave. Westwood, MA
Wentworth Institute of Technology	550 Huntington Avenue Boston, MA 02115
Worcester Electrician School	1000 Washington St #710, Boston, MA 02118

Electrician Schools by City

Boston