Electrician Trade Schools in NYC

It doesn’t matter whether you’ve just graduated high school or are already on your way to becoming an electrician; there are several different ways to make your electrician journey much more pleasant and less time-consuming. 

One of the primary concerns some students have is having to go to college to study. Some people dread the four-year period they have to spend to start working as electricians. Others simply don’t have the money to pay for all the resources they need to have a decent studying experience.  

In New York City, the problem becomes even worse since many things are much more expensive there, including education. Thankfully, there are some approved institutions that will allow students to study everything they need to become an electrician in a shorter time frame, and therefore, spend less money. 

On this page, we’ll take a look at trade schools in NYC, which are one of the best alternatives to college students can consider today. Overall, electrician programs in NYC are specialized for those who want to learn particular skills in the electrician area, which will allow them to seek higher-paying jobs in the future. 

However, there’s more to electrician trade schools in NYC than meets the eye. If you want to start your electrician apprenticeship in NYC, you’ve come to the right place since this page will tell you everything you need to know about trade schools in NYC for electricians. 

On the other hand, we’ll elaborate on the major industries you will be able to work in after you finish your electrician school in NYC. If you want to seek electrician training in NYC right away, there’s a contact form below you can fill out to get help. We’ll give you all the information you need about electrician programs in NYC and what you need to get started

Why Choose an NYC Trade School Over College?

While the decision on where you want to study is entirely up to you, there are some factors you may want to consider first.

Money

It isn’t a surprise to anyone that electrician training in NYC is expensive, especially in college. You must spend money on resources, textbooks, tuition, and transportation, depending on where you live. 

Generally speaking, colleges are more expensive than technical schools in NYC, so if you don’t have the budget, you may go toward vocational schools to get the education you want. 

Time

Vocational schools in NYC have shorter programs. Typically, you may expect to study for a few months up to two years. Regardless of the amount, it’s still shorter than what you would expect to study in college. This doesn’t mean that electrician courses in NYC; as long as you pay attention to what you’re doing and take on-the-job experience, you’ll be likely to find high-paying work in New York.

Skills

One of the greatest things about New York City trade schools is that you can focus on a particular skill you want to learn. Maybe you’re a residential worker and want to improve to become a commercial or industrial electrician. In that sense, finding an electrical training center in New York City can be a cost-effective alternative to gain more experience, and therefore, find more work. 

The Great Debate | Are Linemen the Same as Electricians?

Not at all! There has been an ongoing debate regarding linemen and electricians. This is because, typically, linemen win more money than electricians but their job is in lower demand. On the other hand, electricians are thought to work in safer environments than linemen but earn less money.  

To put it simply, a lineman works, installs, or repairs electrical power systems, fiber optics, telecommunication lines, and other high-voltage systems. On the other hand, an electrician can work with anything around power outlets, cable trays, circuit breakers, lighting fixtures, and other things in residential or commercial properties. 

In the end, the best option is the one that fits your needs the best. Once you seek information on trade schools in New York City with us, we’ll go over all the options available so that you can consider everything. We know choosing your career path alone is hard, so we want to help you with that. 

How to Become an Electrician in NYC & The Things You'll Need

The requirements to get an NYC electrical license are a bit different from other states. While these requirements are similar throughout the country, keep in mind the following things while seeking higher education in New York: 

First, you must be at least 21 years old to become eligible to take the master electrician or special electrician licensing exam. Moreover, you must comply with all of the requirements the Department of Buildings requests from you. 

 Some of the most important requirements include: 

• Complete a program from a qualified technical school registered with the New York State Department of Labor. 
• Achieve at least 7.5 years of electrical work experience. Moreover, you need at least 10,500 hours of experience as a union/non-union journeyman, meaning you need to work under supervision.
  

Once you’re done with all of the requirements, New York City requires aspiring electricians to complete a background investigation to see if they’re eligible to work as licensed electricians.  

Why Become a Licensed Electrician in NYC? 

First (and most importantly), it’s required by law in most cities in New York to have a license to work legally in electrical settings. In other words, if you don’t have a license, you can’t legally start working anywhere. New York City is fairly strict with these measures. 

Moreover, keep in mind that licensed electricians are allowed to operate and advertise their services within their city or state. Additionally, they may have an easier time passing inspections, pulling building permits, and even working on government projects. 

A license shows that you have the experience, skills, and knowledge to work on particular projects in NYC, giving you a much more competitive advantage in the market. 

Where Can You Thrive as an Electrician in NYC?

This is where things get interesting. If you didn’t know already, New York currently has one of the biggest economies in the entire country, as happens with other states like California and Texas. This means there are several industries where you can find work as an electrician, thrive, and make serious money. 

The following page will overview some of these industries and why they would benefit from having new electricians. If you’re interested, keep reading! 

What Are the Major Industries in NYC? 

Finance

New York City is considered the financial capital of the entire world since it has the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ, which are some of the most important institutions worldwide. Moreover, the finance sector in NYC hosts some vital banking institutions for the U.S., including Bank of America, Bank of United States, Bank of New York Mellon, and more.  

All of these banking institutions rely on complex electrical and technological systems to keep working every single day, so while it may not seem like it, you can find work as an electrician here. 

Healthcare

Did you know that approximately a third of all hospitals in the state of New York is in New York City? Currently, there are half a million residents employed in this industry, making it one of the most important ones in the state.  

Healthcare institutions in NYC focus on biomedical research and medical services. In that sense, these institutions work with state-of-the-art electrical systems to keep everything running smoothly. There are at least 60,000 physicians working in these medical institutions, and they likely use equipment powered up with electricity to work. 

Real Estate

New York City has some of the most expensive square-foot pricing for real estate. Taking that into consideration, these high-valued properties need to have impeccable electrical systems to that their value increases even more. 

Media and Publishing

Mass media and publishing are two critical sectors in New York City. Some institutions include HBO, Bloomberg, NBC, the New York Times, TIME, and more.

Overall, New York City has provided residents in the entire country (and the world) with the best communication channels, and that’s only possible with properly maintained electrical systems. Regardless if you want to go for television, radio, or even online settings, you’re likely to find work as an electrician. 

Manufacturing

Several important manufacturers in the United States are based in NYC. These manufacturers rely on electrical systems to produce processed foods, chemicals, apparel, and other product types. This provides people with a major source of jobs, including electrician jobs. 

These are some of the areas where you can thrive as an electrician in NYC, but considering that it has such a big economy, there are other areas where you can consider finding work as an electrician, including: 

• Entertainment 
• Education 
• Tourism 
• Sports 
• Research 
• Technology 

Population Growth Statistics for NYC in 2022

Luckily for aspiring electricians, the population growth in NYC is positive, meaning there will be an increasing demand for new electricians over the following years. 

Currently, the metro area population for NYC is 18,867,200, which supposes a 0.23% increase from the last year. While 0.23% sounds a bit low, it’s one of the highest growth rates the city has experienced in the past few years. 

New York City has more population than other popular cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston. If you’re looking to thrive as an electrician, this may be the city for you. 

Major Building Projects for NYC for the Following Years

Currently, there are several NYC building projects you can expect to get worked on over the following years. Considering the increasing demand for workers in the area, you may also expect new projects to come up in the next few years. 

Some projects worth considering include: 

• NYBC Center East Applied Life Sciences Hub 
• Acme Smoked Fish Factory 
• 615 River Road 
• Windflower Studios 
• 415 Madison Avenue 

What Is the Salary for Electricians in NYC?

It depends on the type of electrician you work as: 

An electrician apprentice, for example, is expected to earn $22.58 per hour and $5,500 per year in overtime. On the other hand, a standard, a licensed electrician can expect to earn $27,40 per hour and at least $6,438 per year in overtime. 

Finally, a master electrician can expect to win $40.40 per hour and approximately $10,000 per year in overtime. As you can see, your salary will likely increase as you gain more experience. However, keep in mind that the salary range can vary depending on the education, certifications, skills, years of working, the industry you choose to work in and other things. 

Bottom Line

Regardless of the state, there are many opportunities you can start considering if you want to become an electrician, but you must be willing to put effort and time into your education. 

If you’re considering trade schools in NYC as an option for your next education, make sure to fill out the contact form below. We’ll help you go through all the things you need to get started, such as tuition costs, textbook requirements, transferability requirements, and many more factors!