To begin becoming an electrician in Indiana, there are a few things to consider. Firstly, you must choose between different educational categories and then decide on a specific program within your desired category.
Then you must fulfill some requirements to get certified and properly licensed in the state. Of course, you may also have to meet a few requirements before you can get into a training program in the first place.
If all of this sound overwhelming, rest assured they are not. Once you get familiar with the process, it all becomes infinitely easier. To that end, below is an in-depth guide containing everything you need to know about becoming an electrician in Indiana so that the entire process becomes easier.
How to Become an Electrician in Indiana
Indiana, like most states in the country, encourages its electricians to be as educated as possible. They do this through a series of requirements and licensing prerequisites.
Firstly, to become an electrician in Indiana you must be properly trained at an accredited school or apprenticeship program. The schools, in turn, usually ask that applicants possess a high school diploma or GED.
Experience on the job also counts a lot regarding getting certified and licensed. So aspiring electricians usually find a way to acquire this while they are still engaged in the training process or afterwards.
From there, graduates may apply for and pass the licensing tests, after which they may finally consider themselves professional electricians.
Top Electrician Schools in Indiana
There are many factors to remember when choosing an electrician school in Indiana. High-quality programs with an emphasis on real-world training, along with reasonable tuition fees, come to mind.
Below are some of the top programs that fulfill these requirements.
1. Ivy Tech Community College
50 W. Fall Creek Parkway N. Drive, Indianapolis, Indiana 46208 - 5752
Ivy Tech is often first on the list of great technical programs in Indiana. Students here have the luxury of choosing between a certificate program and an associate program. The former lasts a year, while the latter can be completed in two.
A particular highlight of the program is that it tries as much as possible to cover a wide range of electrical engineering subjects, including advanced ones such as electrical power and machinery, process control and automation, robotics, transportation, and even computing and networking.
The Higher Learning Commission and the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools accredit the school.
2. Lincoln College of Technology Indianapolis
7225 Winton Drive - Building 128, Indianapolis, Indiana 46268
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Lincoln College of Technology Indianapolis is one of the premier higher institutions in the state with a wonderful program for aspiring electricians.
As a student here, you can choose between pursuing a certificate or an associate degree.
3. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)
Even though this program is an apprenticeship program and not a college one, the electrician training program offered by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) remains one of the best.
The Brotherhood is popular nationwide, with different chapters in many states. In Indiana, they have 8 different training centers, including locations in Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Wabash County, South Bend, Terre Haute, Muncie, Kokomo, and Lafayette.
Explore Electrician Schools by City:
Licensure and Certification Requirements
Just as it is in most states, electricians in Indiana are required by law to get licensed before they can start taking on contracts legally. But unlike some other states, electricians in Indiana have to get licensed by their local municipalities instead of state bodies.
To do this, they must sit for and pass the residential or journeyman electrician electrical exam. To qualify for the exam, applicants must complete an official application, turn in an employer letter detailing six years of electrical trade experience, and also provide three customer reference letters.
Journeyman electricians may then proceed to earn a master electrician license after a year more years of experience.
Learn about electrician licensing and certification in neighboring states:
Salary and Job Outlook
Aspiring electricians in Indiana can look forward to an impressive annual average salary of $56,395. Of course, this figure only applies to those who have spent a significant amount of time on the job. Entry-level professionals just starting out can look forward to earning an annual average salary of about $39,254.
Those in the upper echelon of earners take home as much as $81,022 every year. Overtime earnings can add as much as $9,438 per year.
The top paying cities for electricians in Indiana as of 2023 are Butland, South Bend, and Fishers, with an annual average salary of $75,070, $60,911, and $60,457, respectively. Electricians in Indianapolis earn an annual average salary of $57,551.
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