- In Wisconsin, a business that installs, repairs or maintains electrical wiring must hold a DSPS Electrical Contractor license, and a master electrician must be responsible for the work of anyone who is not a master.
- To sit for the master exam you need one of these: a bachelor's or master's degree in electrical engineering, 12 months of wiring experience while licensed as a journeyman electrician, or at least 60 months and 10,000 hours of wiring experience.
- Plan for a trade exam.
- Pay runs from about $21.55 an hour for the lowest-paid tenth of electricians to $48.93 for the top tenth.
- Jobs are projected to grow 13.9% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the 6.5% projected nationally.
The path in Wisconsin, step by step
Wisconsin licenses electrical work at the state level through the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS). These are the steps it lays out, in order.
- Work as a registered electrician or apprentice and earn your Journeyman Electrician license.
- Get 12 months of wiring experience as a licensed journeyman (or meet another listed path).
- Apply for the Master Electrician license in LicensE with the Trades Experience Form and pass the open-book exam.
- Set up an organization account in LicensE and apply for the Electrical Contractor credential ($200 plus $35).
- Renew both every 4 years by June 30, with 24 hours of CE for the master.
The full license guide, with every fee and form: electrical license in Wisconsin.
Finding an apprenticeship in Wisconsin
Wisconsin runs Registered Apprenticeship through its own State Apprenticeship Agency, recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor to register and oversee programs there. Its staff are state employees, and it may use the federal paperwork or forms of its own. Apprenticeship.gov lists the Wisconsin State Apprenticeship Agency as the contact.
Either way, a registered program means paid work with a mentor, raises as you progress, classroom instruction and a credential recognized in every state. Search open spots in the Apprenticeship Job Finder.
Across the country. Most electricians learn the trade in a 4 or 5 year apprenticeship. Each year brings about 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training plus some classroom instruction.
License levels and exams in Wisconsin
The license to aim for: Electrical Contractor license, with a licensed Master Electrician.
Trade exam. The master electrician exam is open book with a passing score of 70%. The Electrical Contractor credential has no exam.
Keeping it. The Electrical Contractor and Master Electrician credentials are valid for 4 years and renew by June 30. The master needs 24 hours of continuing education; the contractor credential needs none.
Coming from another state. Wisconsin grants Master Electrician reciprocity to people who hold a valid master electrician license earned by state exam in Iowa.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Electrical Contractor | Organization credential for the business; no exam. |
| Master Electrician | Individual license; a master must be responsible for the work of non-masters. |
| Residential Master Electrician | Separate residential master credential. |
| Journeyman Electrician | Individual license; 12 months as a journeyman qualifies you for the master exam. |
What the Wisconsin license costs
The fees the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) lists. Exam fees from a testing company, insurance and any bond come on top.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Electrical Contractor credential fee | $200 |
| Electrical Contractor application fee | $35 |
| Master Electrician credential fee | $200 |
| Master Electrician application fee | $35 |
| Electrical Contractor or Master Electrician renewal (every 4 years) | $200 |
What electricians earn in Wisconsin
The median electrician in Wisconsin earned $36.80 an hour in May 2025, 13th of 51 states, with 14,310 on payrolls. The national median was $30.38.
At the bottom of the range, a quarter of electricians in Wisconsin earned under $26.84 an hour and a tenth under $21.55. At the top, a quarter earned over $45.09 and a tenth over $48.93.
| Pay level | Hourly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $21.55 | $44,830 |
| 25th percentile | $26.84 | $55,820 |
| Median | $36.80 | $76,540 |
| 75th percentile | $45.09 | $93,780 |
| 90th percentile | $48.93 | $101,770 |
Every state, the neighbors and what a business should charge: electrician salary in Wisconsin.
Jobs ahead in Wisconsin
Wisconsin's labor market office projects jobs for electricians growing from 12,040 in 2022 to 13,710 in 2032, a change of 13.9%. Counting people who retire or change careers, that is about 1,290 openings a year.
Jobs are projected to grow 13.9% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the 6.5% projected nationally, ranking 19th of the 50 states in the file.
These are the state's own long-term projections, published together on Projections Central for the occupation group electricians.
Starting your own electrician business in Wisconsin
To contract on your own in Wisconsin, the license is the Electrical Contractor license, with a licensed Master Electrician.
Pricing comes next. Paying yourself the Wisconsin median of $36.80 an hour, the labor rate calculator's starting numbers (one person, 2 unbilled hours a day, $90,000 of overhead, 15% profit) come to $135.22 per billable hour. Try your own in the electrician labor rate calculator.
The full checklist is in how to start an electrical business. The free Koira Office plan gives you a website on a Koira address, estimates customers sign with a deposit, invoices with card payments and your day's jobs in one place, with no per-person fee. See the plans.
Where this comes from
The license steps, fees and rules are from the official pages below, read on the date shown. Pay is the BLS May 2025 state estimate, the job outlook is Wisconsin's own long-term projection, and the apprenticeship details are from the U.S. Department of Labor. A detail an official page did not confirm is left out.
- DSPS: Electrical Contractor (checked 2026-10-08)
- DSPS: Master Electrician (checked 2026-10-08)
- DSPS: Master Electrician licensure by examination (checked 2026-10-08)
- Wis. Stat. 101.862: License required (checked 2026-10-08)
- DSPS: Credential fees and renewal dates (checked 2026-10-08)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 47-2111
- Projections Central, long-term occupational projections 2022 to 2032 (state labor market offices) (checked 2026-10-09)
- U.S. Department of Labor, Apprenticeship System (Office of Apprenticeship and State Apprenticeship Agencies) (checked 2026-10-09)
- U.S. Department of Labor, State Offices (checked 2026-10-09)
- U.S. Department of Labor, Registered Apprenticeship Program (checked 2026-10-09)
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Electricians (checked 2026-10-09)
Training, schools and certifications for every state: how to become an electrician.