How to Become an Electrician in Missouri

Missouri’s electrical industry is rapidly expanding, and that means that anyone looking for a steady career path should seriously consider pursuing this one!

If you have excellent critical thinking skills, problem-solving abilities, and the will to expand your knowledge, keep reading to find out how you can become an electrician in Missouri.

Electrician Job Duties and Skills in Missouri

According to Missouristate.edu, “Electricians perform complex technical work, on a journeyman level, in the installation, operation, maintenance, modification, service, and repair of electrical systems, equipment, fixtures, and related electro-mechanical systems, in accordance with applicable Electrical Industry Codes.

The Electrician inspects and tests elements of electrical systems to locate and diagnose faults and malfunctions performs required repairs through replacement of inoperative parts or re-wiring of circuits, and provides an estimate of repair(and/or replacement) costs beyond the capability to perform.

The Electrician also calculates branch circuit loads, interprets electrical wiring diagrams and schematics, and determines methods and requirements for wiring circuits.”

Other duties and necessary skills of an electrician include:

• Being adaptable
• Performing good customer service
• Having good project management skills
• Having good time management skills
• Possessing computer skills

How to Become an Electrician in Missouri

Becoming an electrician in Missouri will require you to obtain 8,000 hours (around five years) of work experience and 500 to 1,000 hours of classroom training.

To achieve this, you can follow the steps below.

Complete All Your Hours

You’ll need to complete 500 to 1,000 education hours and 8,000 work hours before you can apply to be licensed.

This is the most important thing to focus on when trying to get licensed.

There are two routes you can take when it comes to completing the hours required to qualify for the licensing exam.

Attend College

You can opt to go through a community college or a vocational or technical school.

This will help you gain the necessary classroom hours, but plenty of programs will also give you plenty of work hours.

While attending school, you’ll get to learn the necessary skills for being an electrician alongside classmates and with a teacher.

This way, you’re sure to gain much of the knowledge you’ll need to pursue a career in electrical work.

Join an Apprenticeship Program

A much more hands-on approach, apprenticeship programs allow you to gain a few classroom hours, but the main focus is on gaining your work hours and plenty of real-life work experience.

During your apprenticeship, you can also earn some money for your time spent out in the workforce!

This makes joining an apprenticeship a great option for anyone who needs to make money while pursuing their education.

Apply for Your License 

After successfully completing your apprenticeship and gaining enough work and classroom hours, you can apply for your license through the Missouri Division of Professional Registration.

You’ll have to take the 80-question, open-book exam after you’ve completed all your hours, but remember that you’ll need to show proof of completion.

If you pass your exam, you’ll be rewarded with a license!

Training Programs for Electricians in Missouri

Here are some institutions in Missouri that offer electrical training programs.

University of Missouri

Missouri.edu offers an Electrical Engineering program that introduces students to some of the skills needed to be an electrician.

“The Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering allows students to learn about electrical power generation, communication systems, instrumentation, circuit design, and microprocessor design.

Students have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience as well as research experience and the opportunity to develop new products.”

The program also teaches how to:

• Oversee project production efforts to ensure projects are completed on time and within budget.
• Direct or coordinate manufacturing, construction, installation, maintenance, support, documentation, or testing activities to ensure compliance with specifications, codes, or customer requirements.

And more.

Saint Louis University

SLU gives students the chance to earn A Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Electrical Engineering with the help of this hands-on course.

“SLU’s electrical engineering program coursework provides students with both breadth and depth in electrical engineering.

The program develops in students the ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, sciences, and electrical engineering to find solutions to practical problems.

It ensures that graduates have an opportunity to work on multidisciplinary teams and develop effective communication skills.”

The program also combines science and engineering, incorporating courses in biology, chemistry, math, biomedical engineering, electrical and electronic engineering, etc.

It’s a very well-structured and well-rounded course!

Missouri University of Science and Technology

Missouri University of Science and Technology offers degree programs for students who want to earn a B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering! 

Ece.mst.edu explains that “Students who are interested in electrical engineering begin in the foundational engineering and computing program, thus obtaining fundamental skills and an overview of the various degree programs at Missouri S&T, before entering the main program.

They commit to a given degree program after exposure to the different career options.

Once in the program, students gain knowledge in the main areas of electrical engineering, learn to use hardware and software tools in numerous laboratories, and apply engineering concepts in both freshman and capstone design experiences.

The curriculum exposes students to the breadth of electrical engineering and allows them to pursue electives in several areas or to emphasize a specialty.

The areas are defined as circuits and electronics, power and energy, communications and signal processing, controls and systems, electromagnetics, optic and devices, and computer engineering.”

Electrician Salaries in Missouri

Once you’ve finished your technical program or apprenticeship, the electrician profession opens a lot of doors to a wealth of job opportunities.

A diverse range of career paths awaits, allowing you to specialize in any area that you’d prefer.

Whether you’d rather focus on industrial electrical work or residential–or maybe you’d like to become a renewable energy technician or even a marine electrician!

Specializing will earn you more money, but general, entry-level electricians can expect to earn around $45,000 a year.

The average electrician’s salary is around $60,000 a year, and those with more experience and expertise can look forward to getting paid upward of $70,000 per year!

Annual Salary Range: Annual Salary by Location:

Location	Avg. Annual Salary
St. Louis	$64,255
Florissant	$64,151
Kansas City	$64,000
Independence	$63,931
St. Charles	$63,907
St. Peters	$63,768
Lee's Summit	$63,757
Columbia	$63,516
St. Joseph	$63,383
Springfield	$61,005

Regional Salary in Missouri

* Salary information based on the May 2022 Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) Survey for Electricians, OCC Code 47-2111, BLS.
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does an electrician apprentice make in Missouri?

You can expect to make around $18 to $20 an hour as an electrical apprentice in Missouri.

How do I become an apprentice electrician in Missouri?

There are tons of apprenticeship programs to join in Missouri.

You can find one by researching schools and apprenticeships near you!

Once you’ve found one that you like, read their requirements for becoming an apprentice.

Most require you to be 18 years old or older, with a high school diploma or a GED certificate.

Do you need a license to be an electrician in Missouri?

Yes.

You cannot conduct electrical work without a license in Missouri.

Electrician Info by State