Electrician Schools in Tennessee

Electricians work on electrical projects in both residential and commercial capacities, carrying out all forms of installation, repair, and upgrade services. They also adhere to strict professional and regulatory standards while following specific steps to start their careers properly.

For residents of Tennessee who would like to start successful careers as electricians, the following sections should be of valuable importance. We don’t just explore the general steps needed to become an electrician anywhere; we also reveal specific information expected of electricians in Tennessee.

Candidates will also discover, among other things, the certification and licensure procedures, the top training programs in the state to consider, and the salary outlook at various stages of an electrician career in Tennessee.

How to Become an Electrician in Tennessee

Below is a step-by-step guide on how to become an electrician in Tennessee.

Step 1: Prepare the Relevant Documents

As their first major step in becoming an electrician in Tennessee, individuals must prepare the relevant documents to secure training placement.

Currently, the state, employers, and training programs set these requirements. They include having a high school diploma or GED and being at least 18 years old with a solid foundation in algebra courses.

Step 2: Electrician Training

For their actual electrician training, the state of Tennessee requires candidates to be sound in both classroom training and hands-on experience.

Classroom Training

Classroom training is important for an aspiring electrician to learn the fundamentals of the field and develop a solid base to build their real-world practice. Candidates may receive classroom training as aspiring electricians in Tennessee by enrolling in community colleges or technical schools.

Those who go through an apprenticeship program will also participate in classroom training before they start working with actual tools in the real world.

In most counties and cities in Tennessee, the minimum classroom training required to become an electrician ranges between 576 and 900 hours.

Hands-On Training

Before starting their careers, electricians in Tennessee are expected to have received some level of on-the-job and classroom training.

The exact hours of real-world experience needed to become a journeyman electrician in Tennessee is 8,000 hours. Again, candidates may acquire such training by applying for an apprenticeship program.

We will look at some viable training destinations in an upcoming section.

Explore other trades with similar paths.

• How to become a welder in Tennessee

Licensure & Certification Requirements

Electricians in Tennessee are expected to obtain a license to start working professionally. The state body in charge is the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance and the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors.

Electricians in the state can receive a license either through the city/county regulatory body or the state body. Those in cities without local license regulations only need a state-issued Limited License Electrician credential.

Some counties where electricians need a local license include Shelby County, where these professionals must obtain a journeyman license to start their careers and then a master license once they have enough experience.

To become licensed as a journeyman electrician in Shelby County, candidates must also be at least 20 years old and have 3 years of experience.

To become a master electrician in the county, candidates must be at least 24 years old and have 4 years of experience as a journeyman electrician.

Top Electrician Schools in Tennessee

The programs below are among the best for future electricians in Tennessee.

Explore electrician schools in Tennessee by city:

• Electrician schools in Nashville

Apprenticeship Programs

Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committees (JATC) electrician apprenticeships in Tennessee can be found in Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, Oak Ridge, and Chattanooga.

Salary & Career Outlook

The average electrician in Tennessee (based on salary figures only) earns nearly $56,899 at the end of every year, the same as the national average.

Those who are successful enough to be among the highest-paid top 10% electricians in the state earn an annual average salary of around **$105,**217, while those among the bottom 10% take home an annual average salary of around $30,770.

Those curious about the highest-paying locations may consider Murfreesboro, with an annual salary of $103,377 for electricians, and Memphis, with an annual average salary of $60,599.

Knoxville, with an annual average salary of $59,184; Nashville, with an annual average salary of $57,888; and Hermitage, with an annual average salary of $55,216, are also worth mentioning.