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Job Outlook
Rhode Island expects a 22.8% increase in electric jobs until 2024, as stated by The Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training.
As an electrician in this state, expect to be paid on average, $50,540 per year, though the salary can reach $57,591 annually.
These salaries are higher than those across the nation, where the median one is $47,951 per year, and the highest $54,640 per year.
Annual Salary Range:Average Salary of Electricians in Rhode Island
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Providence | $50,780 |
| Warwick | $50,780 |
| Cranston | $50,780 |
| Pawtucket | $50,780 |
| East Providence | $50,780 |
| Woonsocket | $50,732 |
| Coventry | $50,684 |
| Cumberland | $50,780 |
| North Providence | $50,780 |
| West Warwick | $50,780 |
Let’s take a look at what you need to do in order to start an electrician career in this state.
Become an apprentice
Getting a Class B journeyman license requires:
- 8,000 hour and 4 years of experience
- 576 hours of education over a 4 year period
In Rhode Island, you can also get a limited journeyman license that allows you to maintain and repair electrical systems, but not to install them.
This type of certification is used by maintenance workers and only requires 4,000 hours of experience.
In order to get the needed experience, you can enroll in a vocation school, a union or non-union program.
Vocational School
These schools provide a traditional schooling setting and give you the chance to get a 2-year diploma.
Some of the subjects you would be taking are:
- Building Automation
- Conduit Bending and Fabrication
- Low Voltage Systems
- Motors
- Photovoltaics Systems (solar power)
- Test Instruments
- Transformer Principles
- National Electric Code
- First Aid/OSHA
- Blueprint Reading
A trade school will also place you in an internship which can become a full-time job after you completed your training.
You will also be offered job placement assistance or you can simply search for your own opportunities on industry boards.
3 Electrician Schools in Rhode Island
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Community College Of Rhode Island | 400 East Ave Warwick, RI 02886 |
| JATC OF Local 99 | 40 Western Industrial Drive Cranston, RI 02921 |
| New England Institute of Technology — East Greenwich Campus | One New England Tech Boulevard East Greenwich, RI 02818 |
Apprenticeship Programs
The Department of Labor and Training Division of Workforce Regulation and Safety provides an apprenticeship program without job placement.
The program includes a theory and a practice part, during which you will learn about the electrical code as well as working with electrical systems.
A Joint Apprenticeship & Training Committee (JATC) course makes it easy to train under one association, but positions are usually limited.
Rhode Island has one such program, the Cranston JATC.
The requirements for enrollment are:
- High school diploma/GED
- Driver’s license
- One year of high school algebra
- Birth certificate and high school transcript copy
- A general aptitude test
Non-union programs, also called ‘open shop’ programs, link apprentices with non-union companies.
In this state, a non-union program is available in Pawtucket.
Pass the journeyman exam
A journeyman electrician exam requires:
- An experience of 4 years
- 576 hours of education
After passing the exam, your license needs to be renewed every other year and requires 15 extra education hours.
Become an independent contractor
The independent contractor enables you to run your own business and employ other electricians with less experience.
The requirements for this license are:
- An experience of 6 years
- An experience of 2 years as a journeyman
The exam is managed by the Department of Labor and Training.
After passing it, you need to renew your license every other year and study 15 extra hours.
Electrician Schools by City
