Electrician Classes in Minnesota (Top Schools)

Job Outlook

The job demand for electricians in Minnesota is said to increase by 10.6% until 2024.

As an electrician in the State of Minnesota, expect to be paid $48,910 per year, though the salary can reach $55,733 annually.

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

Becoming an Electrician

By 2024, about 2,870 people will receive their electrician license.

Let’s have a look at the requirements for becoming an electrician in Minnesota:

• Become an apprentice
• Pass the journeyman exam
• Get a Master Electrician License
• Get an electrical contractor license

Become an apprentice

You can either get a 2-year electrician diploma and 3 years of practical experience or get 4 years of on-job experience to get licensed.

Each of the electrician licenses issued by The Minnesota Department of L&I – Board of Electricity have different requirements:

• Journeyman Class A Electrician – 48 Months/8,000 hours
• Maintenance Electrician – 48 Months/8,000 hours
• Outside Lineman – 48 Months/8,000 hours
• Power Limited Technician – 36 Months/6,000 hours
• Journeyman Elevator Constructor – 36 Months/6,000 hours
• Installer B – 12 Months/2,000 hours

The most common license to get is the journeyman license.

Vocational schools

They are the easiest way to get the needed experience for your license before getting employed as an electrician.

Your training will last for a shorter period, and you will get placed by your school in an entry-level job once it is completed.

Apprenticeship Programs

You will have to take 144 hours of education for each of the years spent training.

Some of the classes include:

• Cable splicing
• Code calculations
• Electrical grounding
• Instrumentation
• National Electrical Code
• Electrical safety work practices
• OSHA/construction safety
• Basic welding

Apprenticeship requirements:

• Be 17 years old
• High school diploma/GED
• Be able to perform your job
• Driver’s license

Some apprenticeship programs require an aptitude test.

Apprentices earn about half of a journeyman salary.

At the end of your program, you will be issued a Certificate of Completion and a Journey-worker Card from the Department of Labor and Industry Apprenticeship Unit.

Pass the journeyman exam

You will need to fill in the Individual Electrical License Examination Application along with a $50 fee for the exam.

You also need to submit a copy of your Certificate of Completion and Journeyworker Card.

Send the application along with original transcripts from the course and a form verifying your work experience.

You can take the test in locations like St. Paul, Duluth, Detroit Lakes, St. Cloud, Owatonna and Granite Falls.

This test has 80 questions, lasts for 5.5 hours, and requires a 705 passing score,

The topics follow:

• General electrical concepts
• Wiring and protection
• National Electrical Code (2014 version)
• Wiring methods and materials
• Equipment for general use
• Special occupancies
• Special conditions
• Tables
• Applied electrical theory, systems, and equipment

The certification you receive must be renewed once at 2 years, for which you need to take 16 hours of education.

From these 16 hours, 4 must cover the electrical code.

Reciprocal licensing is offered by the following states:

• Alaska
• Colorado
• Iowa
• Montana
• Nebraska
• North Dakota
• South Dakota
• Wyoming

Get a Master Electrician License

You can apply for this license after 1 year of work as a journeyman.

You will need to bring an Individual Electrical License Examination Application and pay a $50 fee to take the exam.

The exam for the master electrician license is the same as the previous one, with extra questions added.

The license needs to be renewed once at 2 years, and the first term does not require any extra education hours,

Later on, you will have to take 16 hours of classes before getting your certification renewed.

You will also be able to work as a licensed master electrician in:

• Iowa
• North Dakota
• South Dakota
• Nebraska

Get an electrical contractor license

The following steps must be taken before you get the license:

• Contact the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development for info on how to start a business
• Visit the Minnesota Secretary of State’s office to register your company
• Get a State Tax ID number and Federal Employer Identification Number
• Apply for an Electrical Contractor Business License and pay the $168 fee
• Submit your Unemployment Insurance Number if you hired other electricians
• Send a $25,000 surety bond
• Fill in the Certificate of Insurance Covering General Liability and Property Damage
• Get a $100,000 general liability insurance and a $50,000 property damage insurance
• Fill in the Certificate of Compliance–Minnesota Workers Compensation Law

Make sure to also fill in the Certificate of Responsible Individual-Master Electrician and prove you have a master electrician working in your company.