How to Become an Electrician in Oregon: A Complete Guide

If you’re thinking about becoming an electrician in Oregon, you’re considering a career that blends technical expertise, hands-on skills, and excellent earning potential. As a master electrician, I’ve been through the process myself, and I’ve helped train apprentices over the years. In this post, I’ll break down exactly what it takes to become an electrician in Oregon—from meeting minimum qualifications, to navigating apprenticeship programs, to sitting for the journeyman exam and building your career.

Minimum Qualifications to Begin an Apprenticeship

The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) oversees all electrical apprenticeship programs. To apply for an inside electrician apprenticeship, you must meet certain baseline requirements:

• Be at least 18 years old at the time of acceptance into the program.
• High school diploma or GED. Proof of one year of high school algebra (or equivalent with a grade “C” or better) is also required.
• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation. Jobsites are spread across large geographic areas.
• Physical fitness. You’ll be climbing ladders, pulling wire, crawling in attics, working outdoors in heat, cold, and occasional rain, and handling heavy equipment.

Meeting these minimums gets you in the door, but keep in mind that apprenticeship programs often receive more applicants than they can take. Prior construction experience, strong math skills, or additional coursework can make your application more competitive.

For a complete list of all apprenticeship opportunities available in the State of Oregon, including electricians, visit BOLI’s website at this link.

Union vs. Non-Union Apprenticeship Programs in Oregon

Oregon offers both union and non-union apprenticeship paths—but both are formally known as Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committees (JATCs).

• Union JATCs are operated by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA). For example, IBEW Local 48 in Portland runs its own JATC program. Union apprentices are dispatched to jobs through the union hall and typically receive union-negotiated benefits and wages.
• Non-Union JATCs (Area JATCs): Non-union programs are also registered with BOLI and structured geographically. These programs are organized as Area I JATC (Portland Metro), Area II JATC (Salem/Albany/Corvallis), Area III JATC (Eugene/Springfield), and so on. Apprentices in these programs usually work directly for participating contractors in their geographic region.

The training content and requirements are essentially the same statewide—both union and non-union JATCs must meet Oregon standards. One difference is that the union apprenticeship program is five years long while the non-union apprenticeship program is four years long. The real difference is in how work is assigned. Union programs use dispatch through the hall, while non-union apprentices typically stay with their training employer or rotate among participating contractors in their area.

Apprenticeship Training: Work Hours + Classroom Hours

Electrician apprenticeships in Oregon combine on-the-job training (OJT) with classroom instruction. We will focus on the requirements for the non-union electrical apprenticeship program.

• Work Hours: You’ll complete 8,000 hours of documented OJT. These hours cover a wide range of work—service installations, conduit bending, motor controls, troubleshooting, and more.
• School Hours: Apprentices also complete at least 144 classroom hours per year (576 total). Classes are usually held at a community college or training center, covering electrical theory, the National Electrical Code (NEC), blueprint reading, safety, and more.

By the time you finish, you’ll have nearly enough credits for an associate degree. Many apprentices go on to complete a few additional classes and earn their associate’s degree.

Apprentice Pay: 2025 Wage Progression

One of the biggest advantages of apprenticeship is that you earn while you learn. Apprentice pay is tied to a percentage of the prevailing journeyman wage, with regular raises as you complete hours.

For 2025, based on a non-union journeyman rate of $51.31/hour, the wage progression for Area I JATC looks like this:

The best part of this system? Raises are automatic. As long as you complete your hours and attend school, your pay gets mandatory increases whether your boss feels like giving you a raise or not!

Taking the Journeyman Exam

After finishing your 8,000 OJT hours and 576 classroom hours, you’ll qualify to sit for the Oregon General Journeyman Electrician exam.

• Format: The exam is open-book. You can bring the NEC codebook, Oregon amendments, and approved references.
• Timing: You’ll have 3 hours to complete it.
• Content: Questions cover code, electrical theory, and practical installation knowledge.

Passing earns you your journeyman license, allowing you to work independently for a company anywhere in Oregon. You will also be required to take continuing education classes to maintain your General Journeyman license. This license requires individuals to complete 24 hours of continuing education every three years. Eight hours must be code change, 12 hours must be code related, and 4 hours must be rule and law.

Career Options After Licensure

Once you have your journeyman license, you’ll need to decide what kind of electrical work fits you best:

• Residential: Wiring homes, remodels, and service work. Often means working in attics and crawlspaces.
• Commercial: Schools, offices, retail buildings. Generally more structured and steady, sometimes requiring travel.
• Industrial: Plants, mills, and factories. Heavy-duty work involving motors, controls, and equipment.
• Low Voltage: Data, security, fire alarms, and other specialized systems.

A piece of advice I received early on: pick something you don’t half mind doing. Every branch has its tough moments—whether it’s hot attics, cold outdoor sites, or long travel jobs. Find the type of work you can see yourself sticking with and be good at.

Also consider where you live. In larger cities, you’ll have more work options. In smaller towns, the market may be more limited.

How Much Do Electricians Make?

Electricians are consistently among the better-paid trades. According to the National Association of Home Builders’ list of the highest-paid construction occupations in 2023, Elevator/Escalator Installers and Repairers topped the list, followed by Pile-Driver Operators, Construction Managers, and Plumbers. Electricians ranked just below plumbers—still in the upper tier of trades wages.

With steady demand and the potential to advance into supervisory or contractor roles, electricians enjoy strong long-term earning potential.

Advanced Licenses You Can Earn Later

Once you’re a journeyman, you can continue advancing with additional licenses in Oregon:

1. General Supervising Electrician: Allows you to oversee installations and pull permits.
2. Electrical Inspector Certificate: Work for municipalities or the state inspecting electrical installations.
3. Electrical Contractor License: Required if you plan to operate your own business.
4. Construction Contractors Board (CCB) License: Needed for contracting work in Oregon.

At the top of the ladder is the Chief Electrical Inspector for the State of Oregon, who oversees compliance statewide.

Final Thoughts

Becoming an electrician in Oregon is more than a job—it’s a career with stability, growth, and pride in craftsmanship. From your first day as an apprentice to earning your journeyman card, you’ll be building skills that last a lifetime.

If you’re thinking about this path, know that it requires dedication, study, and long hours. But the payoff—in wages, opportunities, and satisfaction—can be well worth it.

The State of Oregon lists the following apprenticeship opportunities on their website at this link:

• Air Frame & Power Plant Mechanic
• Aircraft Mechanic
• Bio Quality Control Technician
• Boiler Operator
• Bricklayer and Masonry Restoration
• Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity
• Cabinetmaker
• Carpenter
• Caulker, Pointer, Cleaner
• Cement Mason
• Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor
• Certified Nursing Assistant
• Certified Pharmacy Technician
• Child Care Development Specialist
• CTE Teacher Secondary
• Dental Assistant
• Drywall Finisher
• Early Childhood Educator
• Electric Motor Repairer
• Electrical Meter Repairer
• Electrician, Environmental Control System Servicer/Installer
• Electrician, Inside
• Electrician, Limited Building Maintenance
• Electrician, Limited Energy Technician Class A
• Electrician, Limited Energy Technician Class B
• Electrician, Limited Maintenance
• Electrician, Limited Residential​​
• Electrician, Manufacturing Plant
• Electrician, Renewable Energy Technician
• Electrician, Sign Erector
• Electrician, Stationary Engineer
• Electrician, Substation
• Elevator Mechanic
• Estimator
• Exterior Interior Specialist
• Fire Fighter
• Firestop Containment Worker
• Food Service Manager
• Gas Appliance Servicer
• Glazier
• Grading & Paving Operator
• Heat and Frost Insulator
• Heating, Air Conditioning, Refrigeration Mechanics/Installer
• Heavy Duty Bus Mechanic
• Heavy Duty Repairer
• HVAC/R Technician
• Hydro Journeyman Operator Maintenance
• Industrial Engineering Technologists & Technicians
• Industrial Fabricator/Welder
• Industrial Instrument Repairer
• Industrial Instrumentation Technician
• Industrial Maintenance Machinist
• Industrial Maintenance Mechanic
• Industrial Manufacturing Technician
• Industrial Manufacturing Technician, Youth
• Industrial Mobile Equipment Mechanic
• Industrial Welder
• Instrument Mechanic
• Ironworker
• Janitors and Cleaners
• K-12 Teacher
• Laborer
• Lineworker
• Lineworker - Outside Electrician
• Lineworker - Power Line Construction/Maintenance
• Lubrication Technician
• Machine Repair Mechanic
• Machinist
• Maintenance Technician
• Maintenance Wireman
• Marble Setter
• Mason Trades Finisher
• Medical Assistant
• Metal Fabricator
• Meter Person
• Meterman
• Millwright
• Mold Maker
• Operating Engineer
• Painter
• Pile Driver
• Pipefitter
• Pipefitter, Industrial
• Pipefitter, Metal Trades
• Plasterer
• Plumber
• Programmable Controller Technician
• Qualified Mental Health Associate
• Qualified Mental Health Professional
• Resilient Floor & Decorative Coverings
• Roll Turner
• Roofer
• Scaffold Erector
• Sheet Metal Worker
• Signal Technician
• Sprinkler Fitter
• Steamfitter
• Structural Ironworker
• Surgical Technologist
• Terrazzo Worker
• Test, Adjust and Balance Technician
• Tile Trades Finisher
• Tile Trades Setter
• Tool and Die Maker
• Traffic Painter
• Tree Trimmer
• Water Service Mechanic
• Water Service Utility Worker
• Wellness Coach
• Wireman, Station-Substation Construction and Maintenance (Extended Service)