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Job Outlook
In Oklahoma, 3 companies from the top 5, operate in the construction field.
This means that there’s a steady demand for electricians as well, and the state’s Employment Security Commission expects 15.9% more jobs between 2014 and 2024.
As an electrician in this state, expect to be paid $45,074 per year, though the salary can reach $51,362 annually.
By contrast, these salaries are a little lower than at the national level, with the median one being $47,951 per year, and the highest being $54,640 per year.
Annual Salary Range:Average Salary of Electricians in Oklahoma
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Oklahoma City | $45,472 |
| Tulsa | $45,908 |
| Norman | $45,184 |
| Broken Arrow | $45,764 |
| Lawton | $40,806 |
| Edmond | $45,328 |
| Mooreland | $42,635 |
| Enid | $45,040 |
| Stillwater | $45,040 |
| Muskogee | $45,476 |
Becoming an Electrician
Those who want to start a career in the electrical field, need to get licensed by the Oklahoma Construction Industries Board.
This Board oversees all the stages of becoming an electrician:
- Gain sufficient experience as an apprentice
- Pass the journeyman exam
- Become an Independent Electrical Contractor
Apprenticeship Period
The apprenticeship period lasts for 8,000 hours and it’s usually a paid position supervised by a journeyman or electrical contractor.
You have the option to either enroll in a technical college or join either a union or a non-union apprenticeship program.
Half of the experience you accumulate must be in a commercial space, and you can substitute 2,000 hours of classroom education for 2,000 hours of hands-on work experience.
Technical College
If you attend a technical college, you can earn a certificate of competency or even an associate of applied science degree.
These institutions will help you learn the basics when it comes to electrical systems, which is essential knowledge for an electrician.
These are some of the topics you’ll study:
- Industrial Safety
- Electrical Theory
- AC/DC Circuits
- Electrical Construction Calculations
- National Electric Code
- Commercial and Residential Wiring
- Electrical Motor Controls
- Transformers
- Motors
- Blueprints
You still have to earn work experience, and this is done by either receiving help from your school to find an appropriate position or find a job on your own.
You can try applying to one of these companies:
- Buxton Electric LLC in Tulsa
- Delta Electrical Contractors Inc in Oklahoma City
- Ward, Ramsey Electric Company in Ardmore
20 Electrician Schools in Oklahoma
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Canadian Valley Tech Center — El Reno Campus | 6505 Route 66 El Reno, OK |
| Central Tech — Sapulpa Campus | 1720 South Main Street Sapulpa, OK 74066 |
| Eastern Oklahoma Tech Center | 4601 North Choctaw Choctaw, OK |
| Gordon Cooper Tech Center | One John C. Bruton Boulevard Shawnee, OK |
| Great Plains Tech Center | 4500 West Lee Boulevard Lawton, OK |
| IEC of Oklahoma City | 1504 South Walker Avenue Oklahoma City, OK 73109 |
| Indian Capital Tech Center | 2403 North 41st Muskogee, OK |
| JATC Ponca City | 112 Northeast 50th Street Oklahoma City, OK 73105 |
| JATC of Tulsa | P.O. Box 50158 Tulsa, OK 74150 |
| Kiamichi Tech Centers — Poteau Campus | 1509 South McKenna Poteau, OK |
| Metro Technology Centers | 1900 Springlake Drive Oklahoma City, OK 73111 |
| Meridian Tech Center | 1312 South Sangre Stillwater, OK |
| Mid-America Tech Center | 27438 State Highway 59 Wayne, OK |
| Moore Norman Technology Center — South Penn Campus | 13301 South Pennsylvania Oklahoma City, OK 73170 |
| Moore Norman Tech Center — Franklin Road Campus | 4701 Twelfth Avenue Norman, OK |
| Northeast Technology Center — Afton Campus | 19901 South Highway 69 Afton, OK 74331 |
| Northeast Technology Center — Kansas Campus | 450 North Highway 59 Kansas, OK 74347 |
| Northeast Tech Center — Pryor Campus | 6195 West Highway 20 Pryor, OK 74361 |
| Tulsa Tech | 6111 East Skelly Drive Tulsa, OK |
| Wes Watkins Technology Center | 7892 Highway 9 Wetumka, OK 74883 |
Union and Non-Union Apprenticeships
To find an apprenticeship program in Oklahoma, you need to contact one of the JATCs in your area -see them in the list above, but keep in mind that you must join the union.
Non-union apprenticeships are also available in this state, and we included the appropriate bodies to contact, on the list above.
Non-union apprenticeships are for those who don’t want to join the union and would rather find a position on their own.
Apprentice Registration
All apprentices must register with the Construction Industries Board, and this is done by filling out this application.
Keep in mind that your apprenticeship must be renewed every year while you are an apprentice.
Pass the Journeyman Exam
Once your apprenticeship period is over, you’re eligible to take the exam to become an unlimited journeyman.
Requirements:
- 8,000 hours of apprenticeship
- 4,000 hours performing industrial or commercial work
- Apply or the Unlimited Journeyman license and pass the exam – score at least 75%
This exam lasts for 4 hours and 15 minutes, has 100 questions and is open book, thus you can consult the 2014 National Electric Code and any edition of Ugly’s Electrical Reference.
Topic breakdown:
- General Electrical Knowledge – 10 questions
- Electrical Installation Requirements – 10 questions
- Services, Feeders, and Branch Circuits – 10 questions
- Grounding and Bonding – 10 questions
- Special Occupancies and Equipment – 10 questions
- Lighting and Signs – 10 questions
- Raceways and Boxes – 7 questions
- Low Voltage, Alarms, Signaling Systems, and Communications – 7 questions
- Overcurrent Protection – 6 questions
- Conductors and Cables – 6 questions
- Motors and Transformers – 6 questions
- Safety – 4 questions
- General Knowledge – 4 questions
You’ll need to use this form to renew your license every year.
Every 3 years you’ll have to complete 6 hours of continued education, and the Board’s website has a list of approves classes.
Become an Independent Electrical Contractor
You can move to this stage after completing 4,000 hours of work as a journeyman.
As a contractor, you can hire other electricians and sell your services to the public.
Requirements:
- 12,000 hours of experience as an electrician
- 4,000 hours of experience as an unlimited journeyman electrician
- 6,000 hours of experience in commercial/industrial work
- Pass the electrical contractor exam – score at least 75%
- Pass the Business & law exam – score at least 75%, and you can learn more about it this page.
- Have a $5,000 bond issued to the Bonds and Insurance Unit
- Have general liability insurance of $50,000
You’ll first have to fill out an application and if you’re approved, you can schedule your exams.
The business and law exam has only 50 questions, are 2 hours long and open book.
Breakdown of topics:
- Bidding and Estimating – 10 questions
- Financial – 8 questions
- Project Management and Supervision – 7 questions
- Licensing Requirements – 6 questions
- Payroll and Payroll Taxes – 5 questions
- Contracts – 5 questions
- Labor and Personnel – 5 questions
- Risk Management – 4 questions
The exam for the electrical contractor has 100 questions, lasts 4 hours and you can consult the 2014 National Electric Code and any edition of Ugly’s Electrical Reference.
Topic breakdown:
- Grounding and Bonding – 10 questions
- Special Occupancies and Equipment – 10 questions
- Lighting and Signs – 10 questions
- General Electrical Knowledge – 10 questions
- Electrical Installation Requirements – 10 questions
- Services, Feeders, and Branch Circuits – 10 questions
- Raceways and Boxes – 7 questions
- Low Voltage, Alarms, Signaling Systems, and Communications – 7 questions
- Overcurrent Protection – 6 questions
- Conductors and Cables – 6 questions
- Motors and Transformers – 6 questions
- General Knowledge – 4 questions
- Safety – 4 questions
You can use this form to renew your license every year, and you must also continue your education every 3 years with 6 hours in the courses approved by the Board.
