Power Lineworkers: $95K National Median, Training, Hazards, and Fit

Electrical power-line installers and repairers keep the grid working—and move toward the damage when storms take it down. This Career Reality Check covers the workday, the training path, annual salary, regional differences, hazards, outlook, and the trade-offs that determine whether linework fits you. The May 2025 national median annual salary for this occupation was $95,320. The regional figures shown in the episode are employment-weighted summaries derived from official state wage estimates. Regional averages use state mean annual wages; the anticipated starting annual salary figures use state annual 10th-percentile wages as a comparison estimate. They are not published apprentice rates, observed beginner salaries, or guarantees. A local offer can change with apprenticeship step, employer type, labor agreement, demand, overtime availability, and travel. Career and compensation information is educational, not a job offer or a guarantee. Verify current local requirements, training terms, and compensation before making a decision. Chapters 00:00 Welcome to Career Reality Check 00:11 When the lights go out 00:50 The workday 02:31 Annual salary and regional differences 03:48 Qualifications and training 05:01 Hours, hazards, and work-life 06:36 Outlook and advancement 07:28 Is linework a fit? 08:12 Closing Footage and music credits Selected U.S. utility and restoration footage appears courtesy of DVIDS and the credited government creators: Cpl. Evan Falls / U.S. Marine Corps; Dominick Biocchi / Federal Emergency Management Agency; David Cook / U.S. Army Reserve; Airman 1st Class Franklin Harris (current credit also lists SSgt Franklin Harris) / U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Sgt. Justin Toledo / Marine Corps Installations East; and Cpl. Hunter Wagner / U.S. Marine Corps. The appearance of U.S. Department of War (DoW) visual information does not imply or constitute DoW endorsement. Additional footage is used under the Pexels License. Subscribe animation by krishnapasi21, used under the Pixabay Content License. Music: “Pulsar” by The Grey Room / Density & Time, from the YouTube Audio Library. Synthetic narration disclosure: This video uses a synthetic narrator voice. The research, script, edit, graphics, and source selection were assembled for this original Career Reality Check episode.