Best States for Line Workers: Pay, Demand, and Storm Work in 2026

Pay & Demand
Best States For Line Workers In 2026

Base hourly wage is only part of it. You want strong scale, steady utility or contractor work, storm opportunities, overtime, and enough line construction to keep your CDL, hooks, bucket skills, and ticket paying.

Data source: All wage figures are for Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers, SOC 49-9051, from CareerOneStop, which reports BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics using May 2024 estimates.
Top 10

Best States For Line Workers, Ranked

Ranked by median annual wage, with work volume, storm exposure, and long-term grid demand factored in.

#
State
Why It Ranks
Median
High
1
Washington
Highest median, hydro, transmission, storms
$125,710
$145,160
2
Oregon
Wildfire hardening, transmission, utility work
$123,180
$136,600
3
California
Huge grid, undergrounding, top-end pay
$122,520
$160,860
4
Connecticut
Strong Northeast wage, dense territory
$120,340
$133,350
5
Nevada
Growth, underground, utility expansion
$120,260
$131,660
6
Idaho
Fast growth, transmission and distribution
$120,240
$129,120
7
New York
Large footprint, major transmission needs
$117,500
$138,790
8
New Jersey
Dense grid, strong contractor market
$116,280
$125,890
9
New Hampshire
Winter storm and utility work
$115,430
$128,120
10
Vermont
High wage floor, winter storms
$108,160
$119,420

Why Washington Ranks First

Washington shows a $125,710 median and $145,160 high annual wage. That does not mean every groundman walks into $125,000. Wage data spans utilities, contractors, public systems, and all experience levels.

What Washington has is the right mix: high scale, major utility systems, hydro infrastructure, transmission corridors, winter weather, and long-term grid investment. For a journeyman with a ticket, CDL, and transmission exposure, it belongs at the top.

Why California Still Belongs Near The Top

California is not first by median, but it carries the highest top-end number at $160,860. The work is not easy money: wildfire mitigation, covered conductor, pole changeouts, underground conversion, traffic control, long commutes.

It is strongest for journeymen with utility procedures experience and the discipline to work safely under tight switching, clearance, and job-briefing rules.

Methodology

How We Ranked Them

The best state is not always the highest posted wage. A high scale with brutal housing, slow books, or limited overtime loses to a lower-scale state with steady calls and good benefits.

01
Median Annual WageWeighted heaviest. It gives you the middle of the market, not the outlier.
02
Top-End PotentialThe high annual wage shows the ceiling. It does not include every overtime year, storm call, or per diem check.
03
Work VolumeDistribution, transmission, underground, and substation support. Hours are what build a career.
04
Storm ExposureHurricane, wildfire, ice, wind, and coastal restoration. See what linemen make chasing storms.
05
Union And Contractor StrengthOutside construction, IOU, co-op, and municipal work. Hiring differs across IOUs, co-ops, and municipal utilities.
06
Long-Term Grid DemandLoad growth, renewables, data centers, reconductoring, hardening, and underground conversion.
By Career Stage

Where You Are Decides Where You Go

Groundmen
Chase Volume

Texas, Florida, California, Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia. Do not chase the highest median wage. Chase the first real line job with a CDL A, clean record, OSHA 10 ET&D, CPR and first aid, and the ability to listen.

Apprentice Linemen
Chase Hours

California, Texas, Washington, Oregon, Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Michigan, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia. A weak apprenticeship with poor hours sets you back. A busy one builds the habits that keep you alive after you top out.

Journeyman Linemen
Chase The Package

Washington, Oregon, California, Connecticut, Nevada, Idaho, New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania. Scale matters, but so do benefits, overtime rules, per diem, double time, retirement, and how the utility runs clearances. Compare against union and non-union journeyman pay scales.

Storm States

Florida shows a $92,460 median, Texas $77,560, Louisiana $74,300, Georgia $78,880. Those look low next to the top 10, but restoration, overtime, per diem, travel pay, and double time push a working year much higher.

Do not build your whole plan around storms. Build your normal wage first. Storm calls are upside, not a retirement plan.

Growth States

Texas, Virginia, Arizona, Utah, North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida all have strong long-term drivers: transmission, renewables, data center load, heat-driven demand, underground work, and hardening. A lower scale with steady overtime and open calls can beat a higher posted wage in a slow market.

By Work Type

Match The State To The Ticket

01
DistributionTexas, Florida, California, Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Colorado. Strongest where people are moving and old systems need rebuilds.
02
TransmissionTexas, California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, and the Midwest. Follows generation, load growth, and long-distance upgrades. Weighing the two? Read distribution vs. transmission lineman.
03
UndergroundCalifornia, Florida, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, Virginia, New Jersey, New York, Maryland. Fast-growth suburbs, dense cities, wildfire areas, coastal hardening. Path detail: groundman to splicer.
04
Storm RestorationFlorida, Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, the Carolinas, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan.
Full Dataset

All 50 States: Wage Data

Use median as the main comparison point and high annual to judge top-end room. These figures do not include storm checks, per diem, double-time calls, travel agreements, or benefit plans.

State
Low Annual
Median Annual
High Annual
Alabama
$44,310
$84,340
$105,150
Alaska
$79,300
$107,330
$139,830
Arizona
$51,370
$101,980
$129,560
Arkansas
$46,540
$79,140
$108,400
California
$67,690
$122,520
$160,860
Colorado
$62,400
$108,040
$123,030
Connecticut
$45,440
$120,340
$133,350
Delaware
$60,940
$87,460
$121,440
Florida
$49,270
$92,460
$107,740
Georgia
$50,850
$78,880
$116,940
Hawaii
$73,430
$107,810
$140,680
Idaho
$63,330
$120,240
$129,120
Illinois
$62,670
$105,970
$123,050
Indiana
$61,340
$100,260
$113,630
Iowa
$56,760
$95,850
$107,510
Kansas
$50,960
$102,400
$110,500
Kentucky
$44,510
$76,050
$101,930
Louisiana
$37,660
$74,300
$102,090
Maine
$48,950
$83,030
$116,070
Maryland
$60,030
$93,170
$114,350
Massachusetts
$81,290
$106,610
$124,110
Michigan
$58,320
$103,310
$130,270
Minnesota
$73,010
$104,800
$118,320
Mississippi
$42,580
$68,810
$98,860
Missouri
$56,590
$93,580
$117,720
Montana
$66,280
$107,540
$120,890
Nebraska
$49,280
$88,910
$113,710
Nevada
$21,320
$120,260
$131,660
New Hampshire
$63,640
$115,430
$128,120
New Jersey
$80,030
$116,280
$125,890
New Mexico
$36,630
$78,670
$102,470
New York
$57,240
$117,500
$138,790
North Carolina
$48,670
$75,630
$102,830
North Dakota
$59,230
$97,460
$117,810
Ohio
$49,550
$84,470
$109,000
Oklahoma
$41,380
$66,840
$101,720
Oregon
$52,820
$123,180
$136,600
Pennsylvania
$51,190
$103,750
$121,590
Rhode Island
$77,920
$107,770
$129,430
South Carolina
$47,270
$75,010
$100,340
South Dakota
$61,390
$92,060
$102,500
Tennessee
$45,950
$80,160
$101,200
Texas
$48,520
$77,560
$104,850
Utah
$46,810
$81,380
$115,120
Vermont
$83,670
$108,160
$119,420
Virginia
$48,970
$77,190
$106,350
Washington
$72,950
$125,710
$145,160
West Virginia
$48,570
$83,920
$110,500
Wisconsin
$48,190
$104,420
$117,960
Wyoming
$61,050
$98,490
$116,040

What The Wage Numbers Do Not Show

  • Storm per diem, subsistence, and travel time. Detail in the traveling lineman per diem guide.
  • Double time, callout pay, and overtime distribution.
  • Union health and welfare, pension, and annuity.
  • Contractor bonus pay and troubleman schedules.

Two linemen in the same state can have very different years. One works straight 40s at a utility. One works 6-10s on a contractor job. One catches storms. One sits. The wage gets your attention. The agreement, call volume, and hours decide whether it is worth it.

High Pay Versus Take-Home Pay

California, Washington, Oregon, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Hawaii pay well, but housing and taxes take a bite. A $105,000 median in a lower-cost state can beat $122,000 in a high-cost one. A $90,000 base with heavy overtime can beat both.

Before You Move

How To Pick Your Next State

  1. Check The Wage Table
    Start with median and high annual wage, not the number somebody quoted in a hotel parking lot.
  2. Check The Work Type
    Distribution, transmission, underground, substation support, or storm. Match it to your ticket.
  3. Check The Total Package
    Hourly scale, overtime, per diem, benefits, retirement, travel, and show-up rules.
  4. Check Cost Of Living
    Housing near the work matters more than statewide averages.
  5. Check The Path
    Groundman, apprentice, JL, foreman, troubleman, operator, or substation route.
  6. Check The Employer
    IOU, co-op, municipal, contractor, or government utility.
  7. Check The Books Or Postings
    A good state on paper does not matter if nobody is hiring.
Common Questions

FAQ

What is the best state for powerline workers in 2026?
Washington ranks first because it has the highest median annual wage in the 50-state table at $125,710, plus strong utility systems, transmission work, hydro infrastructure, and storm exposure.
What state has the highest top-end wage for linemen?
California shows the highest high annual wage in the table at $160,860. That number reflects top-end earning room, but it does not guarantee every lineman in California earns that amount.
Are storm states better for linemen?
Storm states can be better for linemen who are safe, experienced, and willing to travel. Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, the Carolinas, and the Northeast can produce strong storm money, but storms are not steady income.
What is the best state for a groundman?
The best states for groundmen are high-volume work states like Texas, Florida, California, Georgia, North Carolina, Arizona, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Virginia. Groundmen need entry-level calls more than top-scale wage numbers.
Should apprentices chase the highest-paying states?
Not at first. Apprentices should chase hours, training quality, and varied work. A busy apprenticeship with distribution, transmission, underground, and storm exposure beats a high-wage state where you cannot get consistent hours.
Why do BLS wage numbers look lower than what some linemen make?
BLS wage data does not capture every storm check, per diem deal, double-time run, travel package, callout schedule, or union benefit package the way linemen talk about pay. It is a baseline, not the best year a hard-traveling JL ever had.
Keep Reading

Related Pay Guides

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Written by Matthew Sorensen Skilled trades recruiting executive and founder of PowerLinemanJobs.com. Matthew has 15+ years placing electrical and commercial trades professionals, authored four books on hiring, and hosted the Hired podcast, ranked in the top 0.5% of career podcasts worldwide.

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