A commercial master electrician holds a state's top electrician license, where one exists, and makes the code calls and field design decisions on a contractor's commercial jobs. They check services and switchgear against the drawings, settle questions with inspectors and engineers, and train the crews. In some states the contractor license rests on them.
By the HireBus team · Updated · Pay data: BLS, May 2025
Median pay, electrical contractors · BLS, May 2025
Responsible for overseeing and executing commercial electrical projects with precision and expertise. Provides expert solutions to complex electrical challenges while ensuring projects meet regulatory standards. Plays a key role in mentoring junior electricians and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Acts as the technical authority to deliver quality workmanship and ensure customer satisfaction.
2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Lead the planning, installation, maintenance, and repair of commercial electrical systems.
Develop and implement expert technical solutions to resolve on-site challenges.
Mentor and supervise electrical staff, ensuring skill development and adherence to best practices.
Monitor and enforce compliance with local, state, and federal electrical regulations and codes.
3. Key Tasks / Daily Activities
Inspect and assess commercial job sites to determine project requirements and safety measures.
Coordinate with project managers, contractors, and clients to streamline project execution.
Troubleshoot complex electrical problems and develop timely, effective solutions.
Conduct daily team briefings and performance reviews to maintain high operational standards.
4. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Safety compliance: 100% adherence to all regulatory standards.
Customer Satisfaction Rating: Maintain >4.8 stars on post-project surveys.
Revenue per hour: Target a minimum of $150 revenue per billable hour.
5. Required Qualifications and Skills
Valid Master Electrician license and at least 5 years of experience in commercial electrical work.
Proven expertise in electrical system design, maintenance, and troubleshooting.
Excellent leadership, communication, and mentoring abilities.
Strong knowledge of national and local electrical codes and safety standards.
6. Preferred Experience
Experience working in a commercial or industrial environment with high-volume projects.
Previous role as a senior or lead electrician managing multiple teams.
Familiarity with project management software and scheduling tools.
Demonstrated ability to deliver innovative electrical solutions in challenging environments.
7. Physical Requirements
Ability to lift and carry up to 50 lbs.
Frequent standing, walking, and climbing ladders and scaffolding.
Capacity to work in diverse conditions including confined spaces and outdoor environments.
Strong manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination required for precise electrical installations.
8. Work Environment and Schedule
Typical work hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM with occasional extended hours.
Must be available for on-call duties and emergency callouts as needed.
Travel to various commercial job sites across multiple regions may be required.
Work performed in a mix of indoor and outdoor settings, subject to weather conditions.
9. Compensation and Benefits
Salary range: $85,000 - $110,000 per year, commensurate with experience.
Eligible for performance-based bonuses and commission structures.
Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.
401(k) plan with company match, paid time off, and other fringe benefits.
10. Company Culture and Overview
We foster an inclusive and dynamic work environment where innovation and teamwork thrive.
Our culture is built on continuous learning, mutual respect, and empowering our employees to excel.
We celebrate achievements and invest in professional development to help you level up your career.
Join us in building a legacy of excellence and customer-first commitment in the commercial electrical industry.
11. How to Apply
If you meet the above criteria and want to be part of a growth-oriented company focused on customer satisfaction, please send your resume to [INSERT EMAIL HERE] or apply online at [INSERT WEBSITE LINK HERE].
Need help filling this role? HireBus posts the ad, Iris interviews every applicant by phone before you do, and you decide who to hire. Start hiring now
On commercial jobs the master's license backs the company's work, the services are larger, and the code and the paperwork can change from one permit to the next.
Their license carries the company's work
In Minnesota, an electrical contractor names a master electrician as its responsible licensed individual. That person must be responsible for all electrical work the company's employees do. When they leave, the company must tell the state within 15 days and name a new master within 30. The change doesn't count until the form is filed. Give the role the authority and the hours to check every crew's work. Source: Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry: Electrical contractor licensing basics.
Some states give the top license the permit pen
Oregon's version of the master is the general supervising electrician. The license covers design, planning and layout of work and signing all permits, and the state calls its holder the only person who may direct, supervise or control the installation or alteration of an electrical service. Getting it takes a journeyman's qualifications plus 8,000 more hours of journeyman work and an open-book exam. Source: Oregon License Directory: General supervising electrician (S).
Code editions can change mid-project
Commercial jobs can run for a year, and states adopt new editions of the National Electrical Code on their own schedules. Minnesota moved to the 2026 NEC on August 17, 2026. Permits filed before then follow the 2023 edition, and permits filed on or after it follow 2026. One crew may build to two editions on two jobs, so the master tracks which applies to each permit. Source: Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry: Electrical contractors.
Bigger services, bigger math
Commercial services are often three-phase, with switchboards, transformers and long feeders sized on an engineer's drawings. The master checks that the gear on order and the conditions in the field match the design before crews install it. A wrong rating found after the gear arrives can mean a reorder and a stalled job, so get the supplier's ship date when you release the order and plan around it.
How much commercial master electricians make
Electricians who work for electrical contractors earned a median of $29.60 an hour ($61,570 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s about the same as the $63,190 median for electricians in all industries. About 541,390 of the 757,220 electricians in that survey work for electrical contractors.
This template offers a yearly salary with bonus and commission. A federal rule keeps electricians in non-management jobs eligible for overtime however much they earn. Whether this master is exempt turns on whether managing crews is the main job, so have the classification checked before you post a salary.
Electrical contractors
$61,570$61,570 median Middle half $48,310–$80,740 10th–90th $39,560–$108,780
All industries
$63,190$63,190 median Middle half $49,430–$83,940 10th–90th $42,640–$108,510
$25k$50k$75k$100k$125k
10th–90th percentileMiddle halfMedianAnnual pay, May 2025. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Annual pay by percentile
Group
10th
25th
Median
75th
90th
Electrical contractors
$39,560
$48,310
$61,570
$80,740
$108,780
All industries
$42,640
$49,430
$63,190
$83,940
$108,510
BLS reports residential and commercial electrical contractors together. Post a real range for your market in the ad.
The pay line in the template above is an example from our Role Blueprint. Set yours from these figures and what local companies pay.
Skills to hire for, and what you can teach
Hire for these
A master license, or your state's equal, valid where you pull permits
Sizes services, feeders and transformers and checks fault-current ratings
Reviews engineer drawings and gear submittals and spots conflicts early
Resolves failed inspections and design conflicts with inspectors and the engineer of record
Leads foremen and journeymen across several jobs at once
Teach these on the job
Your takeoff, job cost and labor reports
Each owner's and general contractor's closeout requirements
How you hand submittals and field questions to the project manager
Permit portals and inspection scheduling where you work
Your preferred gear makers and supply house contacts
Much of a master's tool time is on screens: PDF markup software for drawings and submittals, short-circuit and voltage drop calculators, and the code book each jurisdiction enforces. In the ad, say whether they will be the license holder of record, how many crews they oversee and what kinds of buildings you build.
Commercial master electrician interview questions
Two of the 6 questions we'd ask, and what a strong answer sounds like. Ask every candidate the same questions, and rate each answer on your own before you compare notes.
Situational · Mentoring
You notice a journeyman torquing terminations by feel. How do you handle it?
A strong answer: Explains why torque values matter and that code requires them to be applied correctly, shows using a calibrated tool, and checks their work later.
Behavioral · Leading teams
Tell me about the most complex electrical project you led, such as a switchgear replacement in an occupied building.
A strong answer: Gives the scope, their role, a hard problem they solved and how it finished.
These measure the master's crews as much as the master. Base each target on commercial jobs you have already closed.
Safety compliance
Energized work permits written and approved before gear is opened, plus findings from your own site audits, general contractors' safety walks and any OSHA visit. Go over each finding with the foreman on that job.
Project completion rate
Measure against substantial completion in the contract or the general contractor's schedule, not an internal goal. Log each slip with its cause, such as late switchgear, a redesign or another trade, so the master is judged on what they controlled.
Customer Satisfaction Rating
Closeout surveys from general contractors, owners and facility managers, and whether each one invites you to bid the next job. A repeat invitation says more than a score.
Revenue per hour
Revenue on the master's jobs over the field labor hours spent, compared with the estimate. On fixed-price work, labor hours against budget tells you more than revenue does.
Career path
Journeyman electricianLogs the extra years the master exam asks for, ideally on larger services.
Field supervisorRuns crews on large jobs and learns the schedule side.
Master electricianSigns off on gear, permits and code questions across every crew.
Operations managerTakes on scheduling, staffing and job cost for the whole field.
Does a commercial master electrician replace an electrical engineer?
No. Many commercial jobs come with an engineer's stamped drawings, and the master builds to them; design changes go back to the engineer. Some smaller jobs are design-build, where the contractor lays out the system. Who may do that varies by state. Oregon, for one, puts design, planning and layout under its supervising electrician license. Look up your state's rules on electrical design before you bid it.
How much does a commercial master electrician make?
Electricians who work for electrical contractors earned a median of $29.60 an hour ($61,570 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $48,310 and $80,740 a year. Pay also depends on your local market, experience and overtime.
Should a commercial master electrician still work on the tools?
Some time on the tools keeps their eye sharp, but at a contractor your size the master's hours go further on drawing reviews, inspections and training several crews. Save their tool time for startups, hard troubleshooting and gear terminations where their judgment matters most.
Where do commercial master electricians come from?
Look first at foremen who already run large services and read submittals. They are closest to the exam, and paid prep time helps. Facility electricians at hospitals, plants and campuses often know switchgear well. They may need time to learn bid work, schedules and general contractors. Ask each candidate which permits they have signed, and for what kinds of buildings.
What does a master electrician check on switchgear submittals?
That voltage, phase, ampacity and short-circuit ratings match the drawings and the fault current available at the site. That breakers and settings line up with what the engineer intended. That the gear fits the room with the working space the electrical code requires in front of it. They also confirm the ship date fits the job schedule before the order is released.
