261 metro areas
Lineman Salary by City (2026)
Linemen earn the most in San Jose, CA, an average of $153,340 a year, against $91,970 nationally. After local prices, pay goes furthest in San Jose, CA ($138,870 in national-average dollars). Every metro area with its own BLS estimate is ranked below.
- US average (mean)
- $91,970BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Highest-paying city
- $153,340San Jose, CA
- Best after cost of living
- $138,870San Jose, CA
- Metro areas
- 261With their own estimate
Top cities
Highest-paying cities for linemen
Top 10 metro areas
- San Jose, CA$153,340
- San Francisco, CA$137,860
- Eugene, OR$131,960
- Olympia, WA$131,830
- Fresno, CA$129,480
- Oxnard, CA$127,110
- Portland, OR-WA$125,220
- Bridgeport, CT$124,720
- Bend, OR$124,490
- Los Angeles, CA$123,470
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $153,340 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $137,860 |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | $131,960 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $131,830 |
| Fresno, CA | $129,480 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $127,110 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $125,220 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $124,720 |
| Bend, OR | $124,490 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $123,470 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Mean wage ÷ BEA price level
- San Jose, CA$153,340 nominal$138,870
- Pocatello, ID$119,640 nominal$134,570
- Eugene, OR$131,960 nominal$129,920
- Grand Forks, ND-MN$111,050 nominal$128,140
- Olympia, WA$131,830 nominal$127,160
- Fresno, CA$129,480 nominal$126,740
- Lewiston, ID-WA$115,070 nominal$126,230
- El Centro, CA$117,940 nominal$123,920
- Binghamton, NY$115,020 nominal$123,860
- Longview, WA$120,680 nominal$123,720
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $138,870 |
| Pocatello, ID | $134,570 |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | $129,920 |
| Grand Forks, ND-MN | $128,140 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $127,160 |
| Fresno, CA | $126,740 |
| Lewiston, ID-WA | $126,230 |
| El Centro, CA | $123,920 |
| Binghamton, NY | $123,860 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $123,720 |
Source: BLS OEWS 2025 · BEA RPP 2024
Every city
Lineman salary in every metro area
Mean annual wage, with the Department of Labor's entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) prevailing-wage benchmarks for the same metro, and the mean at national-average prices. Sorted by mean pay.
| # | Metro area | Mean | Entry (Level I) | Experienced (Level IV) | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $153,340 | $103,130 | $178,070 | $138,870 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $137,860 | $93,970 | $159,490 | $119,240 |
| 3 | Eugene, OR | $131,960 | $104,330 | $145,540 | $129,920 |
| 4 | Olympia, WA | $131,830 | $106,390 | $144,350 | $127,160 |
| 5 | Fresno, CA | $129,480 | $89,610 | $149,090 | $126,740 |
| 6 | Oxnard, CA | $127,110 | $85,260 | $147,720 | $115,000 |
| 7 | Portland, OR-WA | $125,220 | $90,420 | $142,380 | $118,780 |
| 8 | Bridgeport, CT | $124,720 | $103,750 | $135,050 | $116,710 |
| 9 | Bend, OR | $124,490 | $93,120 | $139,940 | $120,160 |
| 10 | Los Angeles, CA | $123,470 | $78,460 | $145,640 | $108,720 |
| 11 | Kahului, HI | $123,140 | $96,140 | $136,450 | $112,570 |
| 12 | San Luis Obispo, CA | $122,620 | $83,570 | $141,860 | $112,910 |
| 13 | Seattle, WA | $122,120 | $85,700 | $140,050 | $109,890 |
| 14 | Sacramento, CA | $121,600 | $75,420 | $144,350 | $114,000 |
| 15 | Kiryas Joel, NY | $120,740 | $85,740 | $137,990 | $110,340 |
| 16 | Longview, WA | $120,680 | $101,570 | $130,100 | $123,720 |
| 17 | Riverside, CA | $120,540 | $79,350 | $140,840 | $113,240 |
| 18 | Spokane, WA | $120,490 | $97,050 | $132,060 | $120,070 |
| 19 | San Diego, CA | $120,120 | $77,980 | $140,860 | $107,360 |
| 20 | Pocatello, ID | $119,640 | $103,650 | $127,500 | $134,570 |
| 21 | Wenatchee, WA | $119,330 | $96,430 | $130,620 | $114,900 |
| 22 | Salem, OR | $118,850 | $74,130 | $140,880 | $114,670 |
| 23 | Bakersfield, CA | $118,410 | $83,080 | $135,800 | $117,370 |
| 24 | El Centro, CA | $117,940 | $81,600 | $135,840 | $123,920 |
| 25 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $116,580 | $80,680 | $134,280 | $105,060 |
| 26 | Fairbanks, AK | $115,380 | $81,810 | $131,910 | $111,790 |
| 27 | Albany, OR | $115,190 | $80,370 | $132,350 | $112,820 |
| 28 | Lewiston, ID-WA | $115,070 | $81,520 | $131,580 | $126,230 |
| 29 | Binghamton, NY | $115,020 | $84,160 | $130,230 | $123,860 |
| 30 | Boise City, ID | $114,110 | $77,150 | $132,310 | $115,980 |
| 31 | Vallejo, CA | $113,920 | $75,500 | $132,850 | $105,020 |
| 32 | Medford, OR | $113,860 | $73,740 | $133,620 | $112,250 |
| 33 | Worcester, MA | $112,380 | $95,950 | $120,470 | $109,610 |
| 34 | Chicago, IL-IN | $112,240 | $85,760 | $125,280 | $108,340 |
| 35 | Syracuse, NY | $111,240 | $80,700 | $126,260 | $116,190 |
| 36 | Grand Forks, ND-MN | $111,050 | $97,300 | $117,810 | $128,140 |
| 37 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $110,780 | $85,680 | $123,160 | $112,700 |
| 38 | New York, NY-NJ | $110,680 | $71,820 | $129,810 | $98,330 |
| 39 | Albany, NY | $110,240 | $75,250 | $127,460 | $110,720 |
| 40 | Reno, NV | $110,050 | $75,250 | $127,190 | $108,950 |
| 41 | Atlantic City, NJ | $109,910 | $89,270 | $120,080 | $111,180 |
| 42 | Boston, MA-NH | $108,280 | $84,550 | $119,970 | $100,010 |
| 43 | Traverse City, MI | $107,890 | $87,760 | $117,810 | $115,550 |
| 44 | Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $107,270 | $77,630 | $121,850 | $104,600 |
| 45 | Boulder, CO | $106,680 | $68,350 | $125,550 | $101,400 |
| 46 | Minneapolis, MN-WI | $106,580 | $86,090 | $116,690 | $101,680 |
| 47 | Buffalo, NY | $106,000 | $74,010 | $121,760 | $110,600 |
| 48 | Springfield, IL | $105,980 | $92,750 | $112,510 | $114,270 |
| 49 | La Crosse, WI-MN | $105,710 | $94,810 | $111,090 | $115,190 |
| 50 | Providence, RI-MA | $105,580 | $78,810 | $118,750 | $103,740 |
| 51 | Utica, NY | $105,580 | $73,960 | $121,160 | $113,920 |
| 52 | South Bend, IN-MI | $105,370 | $81,890 | $116,940 | $113,470 |
| 53 | Fort Collins, CO | $105,290 | $70,970 | $122,180 | $104,120 |
| 54 | Billings, MT | $104,870 | $80,270 | $116,980 | $112,130 |
| 55 | Milwaukee, WI | $104,730 | $83,080 | $115,380 | $108,040 |
| 56 | Idaho Falls, ID | $104,580 | $67,700 | $122,760 | $110,770 |
| 57 | Yakima, WA | $104,520 | $66,930 | $123,030 | $109,390 |
| 58 | Grand Rapids, MI | $104,330 | $76,360 | $118,120 | $109,190 |
| 59 | Rochester, MN | $104,080 | $89,590 | $111,220 | $114,600 |
| 60 | Amherst Town, MA | $103,650 | $87,940 | $111,400 | $103,400 |
| 61 | Watertown, NY | $103,290 | $73,960 | $117,730 | $117,790 |
| 62 | Allentown, PA-NJ | $102,810 | $79,520 | $114,280 | $102,840 |
| 63 | Detroit, MI | $102,480 | $72,070 | $117,460 | $102,180 |
| 64 | Salt Lake City, UT | $102,400 | $65,330 | $120,660 | $101,520 |
| 65 | Pittsburgh, PA | $101,320 | $77,290 | $113,150 | $107,020 |
| 66 | Mankato, MN | $100,880 | $86,550 | $107,950 | $110,910 |
| 67 | Norwich, CT | $100,860 | $69,680 | $116,210 | $100,410 |
| 68 | Casper, WY | $100,820 | $68,760 | $116,630 | $107,450 |
| 69 | Bremerton, WA | $100,670 | $72,260 | $114,670 | $95,330 |
| 70 | Green Bay, WI | $100,130 | $74,110 | $112,940 | $107,570 |
| 71 | Lawrence, KS | $99,720 | $67,750 | $115,460 | $110,500 |
| 72 | St. Joseph, MO-KS | $99,650 | $74,900 | $111,840 | $115,360 |
| 73 | Hartford, CT | $99,260 | $50,360 | $123,340 | $96,610 |
| 74 | Bismarck, ND | $99,240 | $70,570 | $113,360 | $109,030 |
| 75 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $99,010 | $81,580 | $107,600 | $114,520 |
| 76 | Pueblo, CO | $98,880 | $67,250 | $114,460 | $107,760 |
| 77 | Rochester, NY | $98,570 | $60,200 | $117,480 | $101,580 |
| 78 | Topeka, KS | $98,160 | $70,200 | $111,950 | $110,520 |
| 79 | Dover, DE | $98,070 | $76,110 | $108,890 | $100,580 |
| 80 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $97,530 | $79,890 | $106,230 | $109,630 |
| 81 | Niles, MI | $97,390 | $74,590 | $108,620 | $105,430 |
| 82 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $97,360 | $69,600 | $111,030 | $102,390 |
| 83 | Manhattan, KS | $97,300 | $66,980 | $112,260 | $107,920 |
| 84 | Baltimore, MD | $97,050 | $68,100 | $111,320 | $92,880 |
| 85 | Ames, IA | $96,840 | $79,080 | $105,580 | $109,020 |
| 86 | Canton, OH | $96,700 | $70,120 | $109,780 | $108,160 |
| 87 | Fort Wayne, IN | $96,640 | $75,420 | $107,100 | $104,390 |
| 88 | Grand Junction, CO | $96,530 | $62,000 | $113,530 | $101,100 |
| 89 | Duluth, MN-WI | $96,410 | $75,900 | $106,520 | $108,610 |
| 90 | Colorado Springs, CO | $96,160 | $55,290 | $116,290 | $95,480 |
| 91 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $95,910 | $75,420 | $106,000 | $105,820 |
| 92 | Wheeling, WV-OH | $95,830 | $64,960 | $111,030 | $108,500 |
| 93 | Manchester, NH | $95,530 | $67,430 | $109,390 | $90,420 |
| 94 | Las Vegas, NV | $95,470 | $63,750 | $111,090 | $95,270 |
| 95 | Fond du Lac, WI | $95,310 | $73,550 | $106,020 | $104,000 |
| 96 | Denver, CO | $95,200 | $63,130 | $110,990 | $90,000 |
| 97 | Des Moines, IA | $95,160 | $74,280 | $105,460 | $103,770 |
| 98 | Fargo, ND-MN | $95,140 | $62,210 | $111,360 | $104,700 |
| 99 | Davenport, IA-IL | $95,010 | $72,570 | $106,060 | $106,660 |
| 100 | Springfield, MA | $94,950 | $73,090 | $105,730 | $98,840 |
| 101 | Appleton, WI | $94,870 | $66,600 | $108,780 | $102,650 |
| 102 | St. Cloud, MN | $94,870 | $75,420 | $104,460 | $108,260 |
| 103 | Iowa City, IA | $94,830 | $74,510 | $104,850 | $103,630 |
| 104 | Waterloo, IA | $94,810 | $74,920 | $104,600 | $108,910 |
| 105 | Madison, WI | $94,700 | $59,530 | $112,030 | $97,340 |
| 106 | Janesville, WI | $94,680 | $67,040 | $108,310 | $101,040 |
| 107 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $94,560 | $65,330 | $108,970 | $102,180 |
| 108 | Springfield, MO | $94,160 | $74,530 | $103,810 | $106,290 |
| 109 | Omaha, NE-IA | $93,660 | $67,040 | $106,770 | $101,900 |
| 110 | Wildwood, FL | $93,660 | $71,510 | $104,560 | $109,640 |
| 111 | Lawton, OK | $93,370 | $66,750 | $106,500 | $108,640 |
| 112 | Joplin, MO-KS | $93,230 | $76,670 | $101,380 | $108,760 |
| 113 | Youngstown, OH | $93,140 | $69,310 | $104,890 | $106,570 |
| 114 | Cheyenne, WY | $92,850 | $66,930 | $105,620 | $96,230 |
| 115 | Indianapolis, IN | $92,710 | $59,300 | $109,160 | $96,880 |
| 116 | Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV | $92,710 | $63,810 | $106,930 | $85,150 |
| 117 | Anchorage, AK | $92,440 | $58,930 | $108,930 | $87,690 |
| 118 | Greeley, CO | $91,770 | $59,570 | $107,620 | $91,610 |
| 119 | Jefferson City, MO | $91,670 | $65,690 | $104,460 | $104,200 |
| 120 | Akron, OH | $91,640 | $69,410 | $102,590 | $98,150 |
| 121 | Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $91,580 | $69,850 | $102,290 | $106,390 |
| 122 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $91,350 | $66,100 | $103,790 | $91,140 |
| 123 | Wichita, KS | $91,350 | $62,610 | $105,520 | $102,700 |
| 124 | North Port, FL | $91,270 | $63,730 | $104,830 | $89,120 |
| 125 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $91,230 | $66,290 | $103,520 | $95,660 |
| 126 | Sheboygan, WI | $91,150 | $58,340 | $107,310 | $96,950 |
| 127 | Mobile, AL | $91,040 | $66,460 | $103,150 | $103,340 |
| 128 | Little Rock, AR | $91,000 | $58,120 | $107,200 | $101,830 |
| 129 | Sierra Vista, AZ | $90,980 | $63,900 | $104,310 | $101,950 |
| 130 | Hagerstown, MD-WV | $90,770 | $61,530 | $105,190 | $96,390 |
| 131 | Dayton, OH | $90,250 | $69,950 | $100,240 | $97,360 |
| 132 | Knoxville, TN | $90,110 | $65,370 | $102,290 | $97,340 |
| 133 | Florence, AL | $90,020 | $81,410 | $94,270 | $106,130 |
| 134 | York, PA | $89,630 | $55,060 | $106,660 | $93,360 |
| 135 | Bangor, ME | $89,460 | $65,210 | $101,420 | $92,700 |
| 136 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $89,250 | $60,690 | $103,290 | $96,820 |
| 137 | Cleveland, OH | $89,210 | $66,290 | $100,530 | $94,980 |
| 138 | Birmingham, AL | $89,150 | $58,050 | $104,460 | $97,280 |
| 139 | Lakeland, FL | $89,020 | $62,590 | $102,040 | $91,640 |
| 140 | Gettysburg, PA | $89,000 | $72,450 | $97,160 | $93,310 |
| 141 | Deltona, FL | $88,980 | $62,400 | $102,090 | $89,550 |
| 142 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $88,940 | $60,960 | $102,710 | $103,550 |
| 143 | Lake Havasu City, AZ | $88,690 | $56,470 | $104,560 | $94,250 |
| 144 | Yuma, AZ | $88,690 | $71,840 | $96,990 | $95,670 |
| 145 | Winston, NC | $88,400 | $61,980 | $101,400 | $96,040 |
| 146 | Anniston, AL | $88,320 | $60,820 | $101,860 | $102,760 |
| 147 | Columbia, MO | $88,280 | $62,590 | $100,940 | $98,710 |
| 148 | Oshkosh, WI | $88,210 | $54,890 | $104,640 | $94,920 |
| 149 | Johnson City, TN | $87,820 | $68,930 | $97,120 | $99,880 |
| 150 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $87,550 | $60,780 | $100,730 | $99,800 |
| 151 | Cleveland, TN | $87,420 | $64,710 | $98,590 | $99,250 |
| 152 | Valdosta, GA | $87,340 | $62,110 | $99,760 | $98,950 |
| 153 | St. George, UT | $87,320 | $54,410 | $103,520 | $89,720 |
| 154 | Miami, FL | $87,030 | $58,490 | $101,090 | $76,240 |
| 155 | Tampa, FL | $87,010 | $62,440 | $99,110 | $86,240 |
| 156 | Jonesboro, AR | $86,840 | $62,090 | $99,050 | $101,120 |
| 157 | Montgomery, AL | $86,760 | $59,340 | $100,280 | $96,740 |
| 158 | Gainesville, FL | $86,690 | $56,060 | $101,800 | $89,620 |
| 159 | Tucson, AZ | $86,320 | $56,240 | $101,130 | $89,090 |
| 160 | Atlanta, GA | $86,050 | $57,970 | $99,860 | $86,000 |
| 161 | Rapid City, SD | $85,990 | $54,560 | $101,460 | $96,440 |
| 162 | Shreveport, LA | $85,470 | $54,770 | $100,570 | $100,830 |
| 163 | Pensacola, FL | $84,930 | $60,340 | $97,050 | $86,910 |
| 164 | Daphne, AL | $84,760 | $55,790 | $99,030 | $89,510 |
| 165 | Toledo, OH | $84,470 | $57,570 | $97,740 | $92,360 |
| 166 | Lincoln, NE | $84,300 | $52,830 | $99,800 | $92,050 |
| 167 | Tulsa, OK | $84,240 | $55,910 | $98,200 | $94,420 |
| 168 | Ogden, UT | $84,120 | $48,570 | $101,630 | $83,830 |
| 169 | Columbus, OH | $83,990 | $58,070 | $96,740 | $87,980 |
| 170 | Portland, ME | $83,930 | $58,280 | $96,550 | $82,400 |
| 171 | Houston, TX | $83,760 | $55,740 | $97,570 | $84,920 |
| 172 | Gainesville, GA | $83,700 | $55,490 | $97,570 | $86,500 |
| 173 | Lake Charles, LA | $83,550 | $54,910 | $97,660 | $97,320 |
| 174 | Goldsboro, NC | $83,140 | $58,260 | $95,390 | $93,980 |
| 175 | Morristown, TN | $82,970 | $61,820 | $93,390 | $96,070 |
| 176 | Nashville, TN | $82,910 | $59,450 | $94,450 | $86,060 |
| 177 | Hattiesburg, MS | $82,800 | $63,360 | $92,370 | $94,480 |
| 178 | Orlando, FL | $82,740 | $56,180 | $95,830 | $81,580 |
| 179 | Jacksonville, FL | $82,700 | $55,520 | $96,120 | $83,130 |
| 180 | Decatur, AL | $82,450 | $47,300 | $99,780 | $94,540 |
| 181 | Phoenix, AZ | $82,060 | $55,350 | $95,220 | $79,430 |
| 182 | Columbus, GA-AL | $81,970 | $56,510 | $94,520 | $91,800 |
| 183 | Monroe, LA | $81,890 | $50,900 | $97,180 | $97,960 |
| 184 | Lewiston, ME | $81,540 | $56,060 | $94,080 | $86,070 |
| 185 | Blacksburg, VA | $81,520 | $54,370 | $94,890 | $87,930 |
| 186 | Ocala, FL | $81,520 | $51,710 | $96,180 | $85,600 |
| 187 | Oklahoma City, OK | $81,520 | $52,770 | $95,680 | $90,170 |
| 188 | Charlotte, NC-SC | $81,390 | $55,660 | $94,060 | $83,610 |
| 189 | Austin, TX | $81,310 | $53,290 | $95,120 | $82,910 |
| 190 | Jackson, TN | $81,310 | $58,950 | $92,310 | $95,070 |
| 191 | Augusta, GA-SC | $81,180 | $55,270 | $93,950 | $88,330 |
| 192 | Huntsville, AL | $81,060 | $49,940 | $96,390 | $87,090 |
| 193 | Kingsport, TN-VA | $80,950 | $57,720 | $92,410 | $93,640 |
| 194 | Tallahassee, FL | $80,950 | $54,180 | $94,140 | $86,190 |
| 195 | Morgantown, WV | $80,700 | $51,380 | $95,160 | $86,470 |
| 196 | Provo, UT | $80,480 | $55,200 | $92,910 | $81,930 |
| 197 | Beaumont, TX | $80,450 | $57,300 | $91,850 | $89,340 |
| 198 | College Station, TX | $80,410 | $52,730 | $94,040 | $88,410 |
| 199 | Huntington, WV-KY-OH | $80,310 | $53,410 | $93,540 | $90,830 |
| 200 | Greensboro, NC | $79,730 | $49,880 | $94,430 | $85,860 |
| 201 | Staunton, VA | $79,440 | $50,900 | $93,500 | $87,170 |
| 202 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $79,310 | $59,380 | $89,130 | $86,710 |
| 203 | Crestview, FL | $79,290 | $56,180 | $90,670 | $81,720 |
| 204 | Corpus Christi, TX | $79,040 | $52,020 | $92,350 | $85,290 |
| 205 | El Paso, TX | $78,960 | $46,240 | $95,080 | $87,820 |
| 206 | Waco, TX | $78,940 | $55,180 | $90,630 | $85,290 |
| 207 | Spartanburg, SC | $78,890 | $58,160 | $89,110 | $86,640 |
| 208 | Victoria, TX | $78,890 | $54,560 | $90,900 | $87,810 |
| 209 | Cape Coral, FL | $78,830 | $53,160 | $91,480 | $77,020 |
| 210 | Baton Rouge, LA | $78,770 | $51,310 | $92,310 | $86,770 |
| 211 | Longview, TX | $78,750 | $57,180 | $89,380 | $88,000 |
| 212 | Raleigh, NC | $78,710 | $53,020 | $91,350 | $80,190 |
| 213 | Grand Island, NE | $78,620 | $49,960 | $92,750 | $90,730 |
| 214 | Hilton Head Island, SC | $78,620 | $53,370 | $91,040 | $80,210 |
| 215 | Asheville, NC | $78,560 | $53,040 | $91,120 | $81,400 |
| 216 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $78,560 | $55,470 | $89,920 | $86,380 |
| 217 | Lexington, KY | $78,560 | $55,000 | $90,190 | $84,570 |
| 218 | Fayetteville, AR | $78,350 | $55,240 | $89,730 | $85,770 |
| 219 | Lubbock, TX | $78,290 | $53,460 | $90,520 | $85,730 |
| 220 | Richmond, VA | $78,190 | $54,480 | $89,880 | $79,900 |
| 221 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $77,710 | $51,750 | $90,500 | $83,490 |
| 222 | Dallas, TX | $77,380 | $50,340 | $90,710 | $75,060 |
| 223 | San Antonio, TX | $77,380 | $52,670 | $89,540 | $81,700 |
| 224 | Abilene, TX | $76,980 | $53,960 | $88,340 | $85,190 |
| 225 | Greenville, SC | $76,690 | $53,230 | $88,230 | $82,230 |
| 226 | Florence, SC | $76,520 | $52,440 | $88,400 | $88,180 |
| 227 | Auburn, AL | $76,230 | $48,280 | $90,020 | $86,690 |
| 228 | Charleston, SC | $76,020 | $54,580 | $86,590 | $75,300 |
| 229 | Farmington, NM | $76,000 | $52,730 | $87,460 | $86,650 |
| 230 | Durham, NC | $75,860 | $52,020 | $87,590 | $77,750 |
| 231 | Albany, GA | $75,340 | $49,520 | $88,050 | $85,940 |
| 232 | New Orleans, LA | $75,300 | $45,200 | $90,130 | $81,320 |
| 233 | Paducah, KY-IL | $75,300 | $51,000 | $87,260 | $87,470 |
| 234 | Dothan, AL | $75,250 | $46,320 | $89,520 | $89,760 |
| 235 | Palm Bay, FL | $75,070 | $49,360 | $87,730 | $75,070 |
| 236 | Albuquerque, NM | $74,510 | $46,760 | $88,170 | $77,980 |
| 237 | Dalton, GA | $74,280 | $52,770 | $84,880 | $82,680 |
| 238 | Midland, TX | $74,170 | $54,620 | $83,800 | $77,440 |
| 239 | Hickory, NC | $73,720 | $47,990 | $86,380 | $83,310 |
| 240 | Warner Robins, GA | $73,720 | $50,790 | $85,010 | $78,600 |
| 241 | Odessa, TX | $73,610 | $56,140 | $82,200 | $78,400 |
| 242 | Panama City, FL | $73,300 | $49,050 | $85,240 | $75,340 |
| 243 | Virginia Beach, VA-NC | $73,240 | $52,120 | $83,660 | $74,780 |
| 244 | San Juan, PR | $73,110 | $56,600 | $81,240 | N/A |
| 245 | Killeen, TX | $72,990 | $48,780 | $84,910 | $80,090 |
| 246 | Fayetteville, NC | $72,920 | $51,940 | $83,260 | $79,280 |
| 247 | Aguadilla, PR | $72,510 | $58,820 | $79,250 | N/A |
| 248 | Lafayette, LA | $72,260 | $50,090 | $83,180 | $82,860 |
| 249 | Wilmington, NC | $72,130 | $48,980 | $83,530 | $74,810 |
| 250 | Alexandria, LA | $71,800 | $48,030 | $83,510 | $83,790 |
| 251 | Wichita Falls, TX | $71,490 | $49,250 | $82,450 | $79,870 |
| 252 | Columbia, SC | $71,410 | $49,210 | $82,330 | $76,240 |
| 253 | Jackson, MS | $71,030 | $46,970 | $82,890 | $79,770 |
| 254 | Houma, LA | $69,830 | $43,180 | $82,950 | $82,050 |
| 255 | Gulfport, MS | $69,600 | $44,890 | $81,760 | $77,330 |
| 256 | Greenville, NC | $69,120 | $50,250 | $78,400 | $78,190 |
| 257 | Sherman, TX | $68,560 | $47,320 | $79,040 | $73,110 |
| 258 | Las Cruces, NM | $68,220 | $46,450 | $78,960 | $75,620 |
| 259 | McAllen, TX | $66,910 | $39,830 | $80,270 | $77,900 |
| 260 | Bowling Green, KY | $66,460 | $50,710 | $74,190 | $73,700 |
| 261 | Rocky Mount, NC | $65,940 | $43,180 | $77,130 | $74,920 |
More
More on linemen
Method
About these numbers
- Mean wages are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 estimates for each metropolitan statistical area, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 OFLC prevailing-wage file. Only metros with their own BLS estimate are listed.
- Entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) are the Department of Labor’s prevailing-wage levels for the occupation in that metro, used for employer visa filings. They are benchmarks from the same OEWS survey, not percentiles.
- OEWS top-codes wages at $115 an hour ($239,200 a year); top-coded means are shown as "$239,200+" and left out of rankings.
- At US prices divides the mean by the metro’s BEA Regional Price Parity (2024) over 100, a NueCareer calculation.
Questions
Lineman salary by city: FAQ
Which city pays linemen the most?
San Jose, CA, where the average (mean) wage is $153,340 a year, followed by San Francisco, CA ($137,860), Eugene, OR ($131,960), Olympia, WA ($131,830). The national mean is $91,970 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do linemen earn the most after cost of living?
Divided by each metro's BEA price level, pay goes furthest in San Jose, CA ($138,870 at national prices, $153,340 nominal), Pocatello, ID ($134,570 at national prices, $119,640 nominal), Eugene, OR ($129,920 at national prices, $131,960 nominal).
How much do linemen make in the biggest cities?
New York, NY-NJ: $110,680; Los Angeles, CA: $123,470; Chicago, IL-IN: $112,240; Dallas, TX: $77,380; Houston, TX: $83,760 (mean annual wage, BLS OEWS May 2025).
Where do linemen earn the least?
Of the 261 metro areas with their own estimate, Rocky Mount, NC has the lowest mean wage, $65,940. At local prices that is worth $74,920.