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California electrician prevailing wage, county by county
An electrician's prevailing wage on California public works runs from $63.58 an hour in Siskiyou County to $147.73 in Santa Clara County, wages and employer payments together. The median county is $96.77.
Main electrician classification in each county, DIR period 2026-2. DIR sets this trade county by county. Checked October 24, 2026.
How much does an electrician make on prevailing wage?
9 groups of counties with identical rates and 19 counties with rates of their own, highest main rate first, each split into wage and employer payments on one scale. The table below lists which counties are in each group.
- Santa Clara County1 county$147.73
- San Francisco County1 county$146.16
- San Mateo County1 county$143.33
- Alameda County1 county$131.67
- Inyo County1 county$111.15
- Mono County1 county$111.15
- Contra Costa County1 county$107.17
- Monterey County group3 counties$105.25
- Los Angeles County1 county$103.12
- Humboldt County group3 counties$100.56
- Sonoma County group2 counties$100.56
- Lake County1 county$100.56
- Solano County group2 counties$98.18
- Sacramento County group17 counties$96.77
- Sierra County1 county$96.77
- San Joaquin County group2 counties$90.73
- Riverside County1 county$90.66
- Orange County1 county$90.26
- San Bernardino County1 county$90.26
- Ventura County1 county$89.43
- Stanislaus County group4 counties$87.38
- San Luis Obispo County1 county$85.68
- Fresno County group4 counties$83.96
- Kern County1 county$82.01
- Santa Barbara County1 county$80.57
- Imperial County1 county$80.44
- San Diego County1 county$80.44
- Siskiyou County group2 counties$63.58
Which counties pay which rate
| Counties | Main classification | Total | Base |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Clara County | Inside Wireman, Technician | $147.73 | $95.53 |
| San Francisco County | Inside Wireman | $146.16 | $95.75 |
| San Mateo County | Inside Wireman, Technician | $143.33 | $88.00 |
| Alameda County | Inside Wireman | $131.67 | $79.25 |
| Inyo County* | Inside Wireman (Zone B) | $111.15 | $76.95 |
| Mono County* | Inside Wireman (Zone B) | $111.15 | $76.95 |
| Contra Costa County | Inside Wireman, Technician | $107.17 | $68.26 |
| Monterey County group, 3 counties: Monterey, San Benito, Santa Cruz | Inside Wireman, Technician | $105.25 | $70.41 |
| Los Angeles County | Inside Wireman, Radio Monitor Technician | $103.12 | $65.00 |
| Humboldt County group, 3 counties: Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino | Inside Wireman | $100.56 | $64.00 |
| Sonoma County group, 2 counties: Marin, Sonoma | Inside Wireman | $100.56 | $64.00 |
| Lake County | Inside Wireman | $100.56 | $64.00 |
| Solano County group, 2 counties: Napa, Solano | Inside Wireman, Technician | $98.18 | $63.81 |
| Sacramento County group, 17 counties: Alpine, Amador, Butte, Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Lassen, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, Shasta, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Yolo, Yuba | Inside Wireman | $96.77 | $53.70 |
| Sierra County* | Inside Wireman | $96.77 | $53.70 |
| San Joaquin County group, 2 counties: Calaveras, San Joaquin | Inside Wireman, Technician | $90.73 | $53.85 |
| Riverside County | Inside Wireman, Technician | $90.66 | $57.26 |
| Orange County | Inside Wireman, Technician | $90.26 | $62.76 |
| San Bernardino County* | Inside Wireman (Zone A) | $90.26 | $57.00 |
| Ventura County* | Inside Wireman | $89.43 | $56.59 |
| Stanislaus County group, 4 counties: Mariposa, Merced, Stanislaus, Tuolumne | Inside Wireman | $87.38 | $53.00 |
| San Luis Obispo County | Inside Wireman, Technician | $85.68 | $59.50 |
| Fresno County group, 4 counties: Fresno, Kings, Madera, Tulare | Inside Wireman, Technician | $83.96 | $52.00 |
| Kern County | Inside Wireman, Technician | $82.01 | $58.65 |
| Santa Barbara County | Inside Wireman | $80.57 | $54.61 |
| Imperial County | Inside Wireman, Technician | $80.44 | $58.95 |
| San Diego County | Inside Wireman, Technician | $80.44 | $58.95 |
| Siskiyou County group, 2 counties: Modoc, Siskiyou | Inside Wireman | $63.58 | $43.97 |
9 groups of counties with identical DIR rates, and 19 counties with rates of their own. * County split between areas; its page shows the rate for each part.
These are journeyperson rates. Apprentices are paid from separate DAS determinations that DIR publishes by craft, county and program.
Determinations: 061-100-3, 061-11-1, 061-11-4, 061-180-1, 061-234-1, 061-302-1, 061-332-1, 061-332-4, 061-340-7, 061-401-1, 061-413-1, 061-413-2, 061-428-1, 061-428-3, 061-440-1, 061-441-1, 061-441-4, 061-477-1, 061-551-1, 061-569-14, 061-569-16, 061-569-2, 061-595-1, 061-595-2, 061-6-1, 061-617-1, 061-639-1, 061-659-1, 061-684-1, 061-952-1, 061-952-1(TST), 061-X-7(NO), 061-X-7(NO-2), 061-X-7(NO-26-27), 061-X-7(SO)
Questions about California electrician pay
What is the electrician prevailing wage in Los Angeles County?
$103.12 an hour: a $65.00 base wage plus $38.12 in employer payments (fringe benefits), under DIR determination 061-11-1. Overtime and every electrician classification in Los Angeles County.
Does electrician prevailing wage include fringe benefits?
Yes. In Los Angeles County the $103.12 total is a $65.00 base wage plus $38.12 in employer payments (fringe benefits), about 37% of the total. The employer owes the full amount for every hour worked.
Do apprentice electricians get this rate?
Registered apprentices are paid DIR's apprentice rates, which DIR publishes separately by craft, county and apprenticeship program on its apprentice wage page. The rates on this site are journeyperson rates.
Why do some counties have the same electrician rate?
DIR sets many trades by area or region rather than one county at a time. Across California, the 58 counties with an electrician rate fall into 28 distinct sets of rates, and 9 of those sets are shared by more than one county; the largest covers 17 counties (the Sacramento County group).
Which county pays electricians the most in California?
Santa Clara County, at $147.73 an hour for the main classification. The lowest is Siskiyou County at $63.58, and the median county is $96.77.