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Role hub · Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers

Lineman: what the job is, what it pays, and how to get hired.

The work, the skills that matter, the tools in demand and the pay range, from U.S. government data, plus every TryHired page for the role.

Maid DizdarevicCareer coach · 8x LinkedIn Top Voice
Updated Oct 24, 2026 · Data: BLS OEWS May 2025 · O*NET 31.0
Pay ladder · select a percentile
Median percentile pay

Half of linemans earn more than this and half earn less.

Annual
$95,320
Hourly
$45.83
Source
BLS May 2025
Quick answer

Linemans install or repair cables or wires used in electrical power or distribution systems. The median pay is $95,320 a year ($45.83 an hour) (BLS, May 2025). The most commonly reported education requirement is a high school diploma or equivalent (50% of workers surveyed by O*NET).

Median pay
$95,320
BLS May 2025
Employed in the U.S.
131,070
BLS May 2025
Preparation
Job Zone 2 of 5
some preparation
Most common education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
50% of workers

Data Government data groups this job as Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers (O*NET-SOC 49-9051.00). Figures on this page are for that occupation.

Explore the role

Every page for Linemans

SalaryLineman salary

Pay by percentile, state and metro, with a negotiation script.

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The work

What linemans do day to day

Data Core tasks rated most important by workers in the role (O*NET).

  1. Adhere to safety practices and procedures, such as checking equipment regularly and erecting barriers around work areas.
  2. Drive vehicles equipped with tools and materials to job sites.
  3. Open switches or attach grounding devices to remove electrical hazards from disturbed or fallen lines or to facilitate repairs.
  4. Climb poles or use truck-mounted buckets to access equipment.
  5. Install, maintain, and repair electrical distribution and transmission systems, including conduits, cables, wires, and related equipment, such as transformers, circuit breakers, and switches.
  6. Inspect and test power lines and auxiliary equipment to locate and identify problems, using reading and testing instruments.
  7. Coordinate work assignment preparation and completion with other workers.
  8. Replace or straighten damaged poles.
Skills that matter

Ranked by importance to the job

Data O*NET importance ratings. The first three are core.

TroubleshootingcoreActive ListeningcoreOperations MonitoringcoreOperation and ControlMonitoringCoordinationComplex Problem SolvingRepairingQuality Control Analysis

Knowledge areas: Building and Construction, English Language, Education and Training, Public Safety and Security, Transportation, Mechanical.

Tools and technology

Software linemans use

Data Examples reported for the role; employer demand flags from O*NET.

  • Bentley MicroStationComputer aided design CAD softwareHot technology
  • Computer aided design and drafting CADD softwareComputer aided design CAD software
  • Geographic information system GIS systemsGeographic information system
  • Global positioning system GPS softwareMobile location based services software
  • Microsoft ExcelSpreadsheet softwareHot technology
  • Microsoft Office softwareOffice suite softwareHot technology
  • Microsoft OutlookElectronic mail softwareHot technology
  • Microsoft WordWord processing softwareHot technology
  • ZoomVideo conferencing softwareHot technology
  • Email softwareElectronic mail software

Also called: Electrical Lineman, Class Gloving Electrical Lineman, Class Rubber Gloving Lineman, Electrical Lineworker, Lineworker, Power Lineman.

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Method

How this page is built

Tasks, skills, tools, education and related roles come from O*NET 31.0. Pay and employment come from the BLS OEWS May 2025 national estimates. The skill-match score is our calculation: Skill match is the correlation between the two occupations' skill profiles: for each of 35 O*NET skills (10 essential, 25 transferable) we multiply importance by level, subtract the average across all occupations, and correlate the two profiles. 100 means identical shape; 0 or below means unrelated. Only occupations that O*NET itself lists as related are compared.

What this page can't tell you
  • How a specific employer defines the job.
  • Pay for self-employed workers (OEWS covers employees).
  • Your own chances: data describes the occupation, not you.
Sources
  1. O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. TryHired selected, ranked and combined the data; O*NET is not responsible for these pages.
  2. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates (public domain).