Updated · 2026 tax rules · Data: IRS, BLS, BEA, HUD · How we calculate

Electrician Salary in Riverside, CA

Electricians in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area earn a median $72,790 a year — 15% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $56,480 take-home, or $4,707 a month.

Median salary
$72,790
$35.00 per hour
Typical range
$45,360 – $139,430
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Riverside, CA
7,880
0.94× national concentration
▼1.6%
Pay trend: The median for electricians in Riverside, CA fell from $73,970 (May 2024) to $72,790 (May 2025). That trailed inflation (2.4%), so buying power slipped about 4.0%.

Take-home pay calculator

Pre-filled with the median electrician salary in Riverside, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.

Electrician in Riverside, CA
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$56,480
per year · effective tax rate 22.4%
$4,707Monthly
$2,353Twice a month
$2,172Every 2 weeks
$27.15Hourly
  • Federal income tax$7,184
  • Social Security (6.2%)$4,513
  • Medicare (1.45%)$1,055
  • California income tax$2,611
  • CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$946
  • Take-home pay$56,480

Marginal rate: 22% federal + 8.00% state

Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →

Electrician pay by experience in Riverside, CA

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$45,360$21.81$37,233$3,103
25th percentile$54,080$26.00$43,636$3,636
Median (50th)$72,790$35.00$56,480$4,707
75th percentile$97,530$46.89$71,334$5,944
90th percentile (top earners)$139,430$67.03$96,016$8,001

Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.

What $72,790 buys in Riverside, CA

Prices in Riverside, CA are 6.4% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.29× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median electrician's $56,480 take-home pay has the buying power of $53,062 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$1,777
38% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$2,201
47% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$2,930
per month for everything else

Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.

Electrician jobs are about as common in Riverside, CA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.94).

Best-paying cities for electricians, adjusted for cost of living

Riverside, CA ranks #33 of 56 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.

#Metro areaMedian salaryTake-homeReal value*
1Chicago, IL $102,350$75,912$73,277
2Seattle, WA $101,780$80,432$72,375
3Portland, OR $105,090$74,395$70,569
4Kansas City, MO $76,860$60,226$65,079
5St. Louis, MO $77,170$60,429$63,551
6Detroit, MI $81,990$63,276$63,088
7Milwaukee, WI $77,800$60,819$62,741
8Rochester, NY $77,310$59,640$61,462
33Riverside, CA$72,790$56,480$53,062

*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 56 metros →

About the job: electricians

Install, maintain, and repair electrical wiring, equipment, and fixtures. Ensure that work is in accordance with relevant codes. May install or service street lights, intercom systems, or electrical control systems.

Typical education
High school diploma or equivalent
Work experience
None required
On-the-job training
Apprenticeship
Job outlook, 2025–35
+9.2% (much faster than average)

Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.

Electrician salaries elsewhere in California

Frequently asked questions

How much does a electrician make in Riverside, CA?

The median electrician salary in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area is $72,790 a year, or about $35.00 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $54,080 and $97,530.

What is a electrician’s take-home pay in Riverside, CA?

On the median $72,790 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $56,480 a year ($4,707 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $3,557 in California taxes in 2026.

Is Riverside, CA a good place to work as a electrician?

Pay here is 15% above the national median of $63,190. Local prices are 6.4% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $53,062 would in a typical U.S. city. Riverside, CA ranks #33 of 56 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a electrician afford rent in Riverside, CA?

HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Riverside, CA is $1,777 a month ($2,201 for two bedrooms) — 38% of a median electrician’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.

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Cost of living & all salaries in Riverside, CA →