Utility Construction Salary

Salary

Electricians earned an average of $51,810 as of 2010 installing electrical wiring and equipment in the construction of new buildings, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Sewage pipes, drains and water mains were installed by pipe-layers, who earned an average income of $38,230 a year. Systems for water and gas utilities were assembled and installed by plumbers, pipe-fitters and steam-fitters, who earned an average salary of $50,360 a year.

The largest employer for electricians as of 2010 was building equipment contractors, which offered an average salary of $51,550 a year. Those working in commercial building construction earned an average annual salary of $50,070. In the industry of utility system construction, pipe-layers earned an average of $38,220 a year, while plumbers, pipe-fitters and steam-fitters earned an average of $48,460. These workers were also employed by building equipment contractors, which offered pipe-layers an average salary of $41,580 a year and plumbers, pipe-fitters and steam-fitters an average salary of $50,690.

For many utility construction workers, Alaska was the highest-paying state in the nation, as it has a high demand for workers. Electricians in Alaska earned an average salary of $69,010 a year, while plumbers, pipe-fitters and steam-fitters earned an average of $73,380. Illinois was the second-highest paying state for electricians at an average of $68,430 and plumbers, pipe-fitters and steam-fitters at an average of $66,200, as well as the top-paying state for pipe-layers with a salary average of $57,420. Pipe-layers earned an average salary of $57,380 in Minnesota, making it the second-highest paying state for their profession.

The job outlook for all types of utility construction positions is good, as the BLS reports an expected 16 percent increase in the employment rate of plumbers, pipe-layers, pipe-fitters and steam-fitters and a 12 percent increase for electricians between 2008 and 2018. Growth is largely attributed to an overall population growth and resulting increase in both residential and commercial buildings. The BLS also reports a "coming emphasis" on training in the conservation of energy and water, or "green technologies," for workers in utility construction.