Not every utility job is the same. This guide breaks down the 25 best utility employers for linemen by pay structure, union status, benefits, and type of work so you can compare before you apply.
A high base wage means nothing if you are working for a company that puts you on a 60-day travel call twice a year with no guaranteed return date. A strong pension is irrelevant if the company is financially unstable or runs a non-union shop with at-will employment and no grievance process. These 25 utilities were evaluated on five factors: journeyman pay relative to BLS benchmarks and regional cost of living, union representation and IBEW local strength, benefits package including pension or annuity, type of work (transmission, distribution, substation, underground), and job stability based on service territory size and regulatory environment.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a median annual wage of $85,800 for electrical power-line installers and repairers as of May 2023. The top 10% earned more than $119,000. The utilities on this list generally pay at or above those benchmarks, but CBA rates change with every contract cycle. Pull the current contract before you compare offers.
| # | Company | Type | Union | Primary Territory | Notable For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Consolidated Edison | IOU | IBEW Local 3 | New York City | Among the highest journeyman scales in the country; underground-heavy |
| 2 | LADWP | Public Power | IBEW Local 18 | Los Angeles, CA | High pay scale, large T&D system, strong public employee benefits |
| 3 | Tennessee Valley Authority | Federal | IBEW (multiple locals) | TN, AL, MS, GA, KY, NC, VA | Federal pension, transmission-heavy, large infrastructure budget |
| 4 | Pacific Gas & Electric | IOU | IBEW Local 1245 | Northern/Central CA | Large workforce, grid hardening program, high California pay |
| 5 | Southern California Edison | IOU | IBEW Local 47 | Southern CA | Dense urban work, strong CBA, wildfire rebuild adding sustained hours |
| 6 | Seattle City Light | Public Power | IBEW Local 77 | Seattle, WA | Public power stability, union scale, PNW cost-of-living reflected in wages |
| 7 | American Electric Power | IOU | IBEW (varies by state) | 11-state footprint | One of the largest high-voltage transmission networks in the U.S. |
| 8 | Puget Sound Energy | IOU | IBEW Local 77 | Western WA | Strong PNW wages, mix of T&D, stable regulated territory |
| 9 | Exelon/ComEd | IOU | IBEW Local 15 | Illinois | Large urban/suburban system, strong benefits, active grid upgrade program |
| 10 | Duke Energy | IOU | IBEW (varies by state) | NC, SC, FL, IN, OH, KY | Large employer, significant storm restoration history |
| 11 | Dominion Energy | IOU | IBEW (varies by state) | VA, NC, OH, WV, RI, CT | Offshore wind transmission build adding long-term construction volume |
| 12 | Eversource Energy | IOU | IBEW (multiple locals) | CT, MA, NH | New England wages, grid modernization backlog |
| 13 | Xcel Energy | IOU | IBEW (varies by state) | MN, CO, TX, NM | Transmission buildout, renewable integration driving new construction |
| 14 | Salt River Project | Public Power | Non-union | Arizona | Competitive non-union wages, strong public benefit structure, stable employment |
| 15 | Entergy | IOU | IBEW (varies by state) | AR, LA, MS, TX | Gulf Coast territory means storm work; significant nuclear and hydro assets |
| 16 | Georgia Power | IOU | IBEW | Georgia | Southern Company subsidiary; large territory, mix of T&D and substation |
| 17 | Ameren | IOU | IBEW | MO, IL | Transmission upgrade work, competitive Midwest wages |
| 18 | PPL Electric Utilities | IOU | IBEW Local 1600 | Pennsylvania | Grid hardening investment, competitive PA wages |
| 19 | NextEra/Florida Power & Light | IOU | IBEW | Florida | Fastest-growing U.S. utility by customer count; hurricane restoration work |
| 20 | CPS Energy | Public Power | Non-union | San Antonio, TX | Large municipal utility, competitive non-union wages, stable employment |
| 21 | JEA | Public Power | Non-union | Jacksonville, FL | Public power structure, competitive wages for North Florida |
| 22 | Pedernales Electric Cooperative | Co-op | Non-union | Texas Hill Country | Largest single-service-area co-op in the U.S.; home-based crews |
| 23 | Basin Electric Power Cooperative | Co-op | Non-union | ND, SD, and 7 surrounding states | Transmission-heavy; remote territory, strong compensation |
| 24 | Tri-State Generation and Transmission | G&T Co-op | Non-union | CO, NE, NM, WY | Primarily transmission work, competitive regional wages |
| 25 | Dairyland Power Cooperative | G&T Co-op | Non-union | WI, MN, IA, IL | Transmission and substation work, stable Upper Midwest employer |
IOUs make up the bulk of this list because they employ the most linemen and tend to have the strongest IBEW contracts. The trade-off is that you are working for a publicly traded company. Rate case decisions, regulatory proceedings, and shareholder pressure can affect capital budgets and, by extension, how much construction and maintenance work gets approved year to year.
Consolidated Edison stands apart on pay. IBEW Local 3 in New York City runs one of the strongest contracts in the country, and Con Ed's journeyman scales reflect both union leverage and New York City cost of living. The work is almost entirely underground, which means splice work, cable pulling, and vault operations rather than poles and overhead transmission. If underground is where you want to build your career, Con Ed belongs at the top of your list.
American Electric Power is worth attention for scale. AEP owns one of the largest high-voltage transmission networks in the U.S., spanning 11 states, according to AEP's published infrastructure data. If transmission work is where you want to be long-term, AEP's footprint means consistent work volume and movement opportunities across multiple states.
Pacific Gas & Electric had a rough decade due to wildfire liabilities and a bankruptcy proceeding, but it remains one of the largest T&D employers in the country. IBEW Local 1245 is among the largest IBEW bargaining units in the U.S. PG&E's ongoing grid hardening program, driven by California Public Utilities Commission requirements, is producing years of sustained construction work.
Duke Energy and Dominion Energy are significant employers in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, respectively. Both operate large service territories, both have active transmission upgrade programs, and both deal with significant hurricane and ice storm restoration demands. Dominion's offshore wind commitments are also driving new transmission construction off the Virginia coast, which means additional construction hours for the foreseeable future.
Public power utilities, including municipal utilities and public utility districts, tend to offer competitive wages with more job stability than an IOU in a contested regulatory environment. Because they are not accountable to shareholders, capital budgets are generally more predictable. Many public power utilities also carry defined benefit pension components alongside 457(b) deferred compensation plans.
LADWP is consistently at or near the top of lineman pay in the country. IBEW Local 18 represents LADWP workers, and the combination of Los Angeles cost-of-living adjustments and public power employer economics produces some of the highest lineman wages in the U.S. The system is large, dense, and has significant underground infrastructure throughout the metro.
Salt River Project in Arizona operates as a public power utility without a union on the T&D side, but its wages and benefits are competitive with union utilities in the region. SRP has a large service territory covering the Phoenix metro and surrounding areas and a long track record of internal advancement and employee retention.
Seattle City Light pays at the same IBEW Local 77 scale as Puget Sound Energy for most classifications, with the added stability of being a city-owned utility. Budget volatility is lower than a comparable IOU, and storm exposure in western Washington is more predictable than Gulf Coast or Southeast utilities.
Co-ops attract linemen who want to stay in one place. Because co-ops are member-owned and locally governed, the mandate is to serve the territory, not generate profit. Most co-ops run home-based crews and avoid the extended travel calls that define contractor and storm-season IOU work.
Pay at co-ops generally runs slightly below the top IBEW IOU rates in the same region, but total compensation including benefits can close that gap significantly. The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association reports that co-ops typically provide defined benefit pension plans or strong retirement contributions, which are less common in the non-union contractor sector.
Pedernales Electric Cooperative in Texas is the largest co-op in the country by customers served in a single service territory. It operates as a non-union employer but maintains competitive wages to attract qualified linemen in a tight Texas labor market. Crews are home-based in the Texas Hill Country.
Basin Electric Power Cooperative operates as a generation and transmission co-op serving portions of nine states across the Northern Plains and Rocky Mountains. The work is primarily high-voltage transmission. The service territory is remote, which means crews sometimes log significant drive time between jobs, but it also means steady transmission work in an area with less contractor competition than the coasts.
Tri-State Generation and Transmission and Dairyland Power Cooperative round out the G&T co-op options. Both focus on bulk transmission and substation work rather than distribution line maintenance. If you want to specialize in transmission without working for an IOU, these are legitimate paths.
TVA operates as a federally owned corporation, not a traditional IOU or co-op. That structure means federal-style benefits: a defined benefit pension plan, competitive health insurance, and long-term job stability tied to congressional funding rather than rate case proceedings.
TVA operates approximately 16,000 miles of transmission lines across seven states, along with hydroelectric, nuclear, gas, and coal generation assets. IBEW locals represent TVA craft workers. The combination of federal benefits and IBEW wage scales makes TVA consistently competitive on total compensation. If you want a defined pension and you want to stay in the Southeast, TVA deserves serious consideration alongside the IOU options in the region.
The table above is a starting point. Before you accept any utility position:
Urban utilities in high cost-of-living areas pay the highest absolute wages. Consolidated Edison in New York City and LADWP in Los Angeles are consistently at the top for hourly journeyman scale. TVA and large IBEW IOU utilities in high-density metro areas also rank very high when pension contributions and health benefits are factored into total compensation. The BLS reported a median of $85,800 and a top-10% threshold above $119,000 for power-line workers as of May 2023. IBEW locals in major metros routinely set journeyman scales above that median.
It depends on what you want from the job. Utility work offers more stability, better benefits, and a predictable schedule. Contractor work pays more per hour on direct labor but trades that premium for significant travel requirements, less job security, and benefits that typically do not match an IBEW utility contract. Most linemen who stay in the trade long-term end up at a utility. Most start in contractor work to build hours and experience before landing a utility seat.
Many do. IBEW-represented utility linemen typically have access to an IBEW Pension Benefit Fund, a local annuity fund, and sometimes an employer-sponsored defined benefit plan on top of that. Public power utilities and co-ops often maintain their own pension structures. TVA offers a defined benefit pension as a federal employer. The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association notes that co-op retirement benefits are generally strong compared to non-union contractor alternatives. Confirm the specifics in the current CBA or employee benefit summary before accepting an offer.
IOUs are investor-owned and accountable to shareholders and state regulators. Co-ops are member-owned and exist to serve their territory at cost. In practice, IOUs tend to pay higher wages in IBEW markets but carry more corporate overhead, layoff risk during regulatory disputes, and sometimes mandatory storm travel. Co-ops pay slightly less in most regions but offer home-based work, stable employment, and benefits structures that can close the total compensation gap. Neither is universally better. The right answer depends on whether you prioritize top hourly rate or stability and schedule.
Most IOU lineman jobs are represented by the IBEW. Public power utilities are split: LADWP and Seattle City Light are union, while SRP and CPS Energy are not. Co-ops are mostly non-union, with regional exceptions. Federal employers like TVA are union. Non-union utilities and co-ops that want to hire qualified linemen in competitive markets generally have to match or approach IBEW wage and benefit benchmarks in their region, though that is not guaranteed everywhere.
Check the utility's careers page directly and monitor PowerLinemanJobs.com, which posts exclusively for line work. Many utilities post internally before external job boards, so building a relationship with a local IBEW hiring hall that services the utility can give you earlier notice on openings. For co-ops, checking the NRECA job board and regional co-op websites directly is worth the effort.
PowerLinemanJobs.com posts exclusively for power line work: journeyman linemen, apprentices, groundmen, and operators in transmission, distribution, substation, and underground. No inside wire, no general electrical. Every listing is line work. Search open utility positions by state at PowerLinemanJobs.com.