California
Lineworker programs in California
18 listed power-line worker programs in California, plus BLS pay data for the state and 12 metro areas.
- $125,270Average pay (state, all experience levels)
- $77,350Entry-level / bottom 10%
- $129,040Median pay (state)
- $167,090Top 10% earn over
8,930 jobs in California · 18 listed programs. Average = BLS mean across all experience levels, not starting pay. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15.
Cities with listed programs
BLS wage data
Lineworker pay in California
Annual wages from the BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15.
| Area | 10th pct | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | 90th pct | Mean | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $77,350 | $98,680 | $129,040 | $156,380 | $167,090 | $125,270 | 8,930 |
| United States | $51,470 | $67,270 | $95,320 | $109,740 | $128,690 | $91,970 | 131,070 |
Metro areas
| Area | 10th pct | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | 90th pct | Mean | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $100,200 | $121,590 | $157,620 | $196,690 | $196,690 | $153,330 | 300 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $83,620 | $107,170 | $137,180 | $166,670 | $189,980 | $137,870 | 770 |
| El Centro, CA | $68,210 | $98,790 | $134,950 | $134,950 | $134,950 | $117,940 | 40 |
| Fresno, CA | $86,140 | $110,120 | $134,150 | $157,770 | $157,770 | $129,470 | 230 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $82,610 | $101,120 | $131,050 | $166,390 | $166,610 | $127,110 | 200 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $77,250 | $86,800 | $130,440 | $168,040 | $169,540 | $123,470 | 2,140 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $75,080 | $94,810 | $128,750 | $149,280 | $163,260 | $120,540 | 1,580 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $59,880 | $98,140 | $127,160 | $155,440 | $162,510 | $121,600 | 650 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $75,040 | $103,950 | $126,670 | $152,080 | $152,080 | $118,400 | 280 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $72,680 | $102,500 | $123,650 | $152,020 | $152,020 | $122,620 | 170 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $65,670 | $97,660 | $120,870 | $157,640 | $158,870 | $120,110 | 740 |
| Vallejo, CA | $76,680 | $81,500 | $112,990 | $134,950 | $157,170 | $113,920 | 360 |
Programs
Listed programs in California
Every power-line worker program we matched in California. Schools with published tuition are listed first.
| Program / provider | Location | Type | Graduates 2023-24 | Tuition | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chaffey College Electrical and Power Transmission Installation/Installer, General | Rancho Cucamonga, CA | Certificate (1-2 years) | 22 | $1,184–$11,120 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 46.0301 |
| Chaffey College Electrical and Power Transmission Installation/Installer, General | Rancho Cucamonga, CA | Associate degree | 10 | $1,184–$11,120 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 46.0301 |
| Chaffey College Electrical and Power Transmission Installation/Installer, General | Rancho Cucamonga, CA | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 23 | $1,184–$11,120 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 46.0301 |
| College of the Sequoias Electrical and Power Transmission Installation/Installer, General | Visalia, CA | Certificate (under 12 weeks) | 26 | $1,394–$9,038 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 46.0301 |
| Imperial Valley College Electrical and Power Transmission Installation/Installer, General | Imperial, CA | Certificate (1-2 years) | 5 | $1,148–$8,972 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 46.0301 |
| Laney College Electrical and Power Transmission Installation/Installer, General | Oakland, CA | Certificate (1-2 years) | 0 | $1,258–$10,138 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 46.0301 |
| Laney College Electrical and Power Transmission Installation/Installer, General | Oakland, CA | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 5 | $1,258–$10,138 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 46.0301 |
| San Bernardino Valley College Electrical and Power Transmission Installation/Installer, General | San Bernardino, CA | Certificate (1-2 years) | 0 | $1,185–$11,121 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 46.0301 |
| San Bernardino Valley College Electrical and Power Transmission Installation/Installer, General | San Bernardino, CA | Associate degree | 2 | $1,185–$11,121 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 46.0301 |
| San Bernardino Valley College Electrical and Power Transmission Installation/Installer, General | San Bernardino, CA | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 13 | $1,185–$11,121 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 46.0301 |
| San Diego City College Electrical and Power Transmission Installation/Installer, General | San Diego, CA | Certificate (1-2 years) | 2 | $1,154–$10,010 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 46.0301 |
| San Diego City College Electrical and Power Transmission Installation/Installer, General | San Diego, CA | Associate degree | 8 | $1,154–$10,010 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 46.0301 |
| San Diego City College Electrical and Power Transmission Installation/Installer, General | San Diego, CA | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 25 | $1,154–$10,010 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 46.0301 |
| Santiago Canyon College Electrical and Power Transmission Installation/Installer, General | Orange, CA | Associate degree | 1 | $1,160–$11,384 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 46.0301 |
| Santiago Canyon College Electrical and Power Transmission Installation/Installer, General | Orange, CA | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 249 | $1,160–$11,384 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 46.0301 |
| American Lineman College | Bakersfield, CA | Registered apprenticeship sponsor | n/a | Contact program | DOL Office of Apprenticeship |
| Northwest Lineman College Oroville Campus | Oroville, CA | Registered apprenticeship sponsor | n/a | Contact program | DOL Office of Apprenticeship |
| Cal-nev Power Lineman J.A.T.C. | Riverside, CA | Registered apprenticeship sponsor | n/a | Contact program | DOL Office of Apprenticeship |
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Related resources
Keep researching
Lineworker career path for veteransMilitary experience, pre-apprenticeship and utility hiring. · MilitaryToTrades.comGI Bill-approved electrical programsElectrical schools that accept VA education benefits. · VeteranTradeSchools.comAll registered apprenticeships in CaliforniaThe full DOL sponsor list for the state. · RegisteredTradeSchools.com
Sources
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15 (news release USDL-26-0725; data tables). Cross-checked against the BLS Public Data API on 2026-11-03.
- Occupation: O*NET OnLine, 49-9051.00 Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers, retrieved 2026-11-03 (CC BY 4.0).
- Apprenticeship sponsors: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship: partner sponsors file, retrieved 2026-10-29 (Partner Finder).
- Schools & graduates: U.S. Department of Education, NCES IPEDS Completions 2023-24 (C2024_A) and Institutional Characteristics (HD2024), award year 2023-24, matched by 6-digit CIP code (completions file; CIP-SOC crosswalk).
- Tuition: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (Most Recent Cohorts: Institution + Field of Study), data updated 2026-10-15, matched by IPEDS unit ID (source).
Program listings are matched from public files by occupation code or organization name; they are not endorsements and we have not visited or tested any program. Confirm schedules, entry requirements and costs with the program. Compiled by the HighPayingTrades team; last refreshed 2026-11-03.