Quick answer
- US: most residential electricians bill $80-$180 an hour, with the national middle around $100-$130 for a licensed journeyman.4 Angi puts the average job at $351 ($163-$538).1
- Rates vary a lot by region: about $65-$95 an hour in the South and $70-$100 in the Midwest,3 up to $110-$260 in New York City.6
- Canada: most residential work runs $80-$150 CAD an hour.7 Toronto licensed electricians typically charge $75-$160;8 one Vancouver contractor lists a two-hour minimum of $300, then $125 an hour.9
Electrician hourly rates
| Where | Published hourly rate |
|---|---|
| US national | $80-$180, middle $100-$1304; $50-$1302; $100-$150 average3 |
| US South / Midwest | $65-$95 / $70-$1003 |
| New York City / upstate | $110-$260 / $65-$1206 |
| Canada, most residential work | $80-$1507 |
| Ontario | $100-$20010; Toronto $75-$1608 |
| Vancouver (one contractor) | $300 for a 2-hour minimum, then $125/hr9 |
License level matters as much as location: apprentices, journeymen and master electricians bill very differently, and so do emergency and after-hours calls.
How most electricians charge
- Time and materials: your hourly rate plus parts. Simple and fair for troubleshooting, where you can't know the time in advance.
- Flat rate (price book): a set price per task - an outlet, a fixture, a panel upgrade. Clients like knowing the price, and you earn more as you get faster. Installing a light fixture, for example, is commonly quoted around $60-$100 in rate guides.12
- Service call or minimum: covers the drive and the first stretch of time on small jobs. HomeStars notes Canadian service calls often bill the first hour at a set rate.7
Many electricians use all three: a minimum for every visit, flat rates for common installs, and time-and-materials for diagnostics and unusual work. People searching for an "electrical pricing guide PDF" are usually after exactly this - a written price book.
Self-employed rate vs an electrician's wage
Canada's Job Bank shows employed electricians usually earning $20-$48 an hour;11 one salary survey puts the average at $40.13 A self-employed electrician billing $80-$150 an hour7 isn't earning three times as much - the difference pays for the van, tools, insurance, licensing, unpaid quoting and travel time, slow weeks, and both halves of payroll taxes. If your hourly rate is close to a wage, you're working for less than an employee.
What typical jobs come to
Angi puts the average cost to hire an electrician at $351, with most jobs between $163 and $538.1 Thumbtack reports $194-$634 for home projects.5 Bigger work - panel upgrades, EV chargers, rewiring - is quoted per job and runs much higher.
Licensing and permits
In both countries, electrical work is licensed and much of it needs a permit and inspection. US licensing is set by states and sometimes cities; in Canada, provinces license electrical contractors (in Ontario, for example, through the Electrical Safety Authority). Build permit fees and inspection time into your quotes, and say on the quote that they're included - it's one of the clearest differences between you and an unlicensed handyman.
Electrician rates in Canada
- Residential: $80-$150 CAD an hour for most work.7
- Toronto: $75-$160 an hour for licensed electricians.8
- Ontario overall: $100-$200 an hour.10
- Vancouver: one contractor charges a $300 two-hour minimum, then $125 an hour.9
- Marketplace "electrical help": about $55 an hour on Taskrabbit14 - general help, not licensed electrical work.
Quote in CAD before tax, and register for GST/HST once your taxable revenue passes $30,000 over four consecutive calendar quarters.
Common questions
How much should you charge for electrical work per hour?
Most US residential electricians bill $80-$180 an hour, with $100-$130 typical for a licensed journeyman. In Canada, most residential work runs $80-$150 CAD.
What is a self-employed electrician's hourly rate?
Self-employed electricians bill business rates - roughly $80-$150 CAD in Canada - well above employed wages of about $20-$48, because the rate has to cover tools, vehicle, insurance and unpaid time.
How do most electricians charge?
A minimum or service call for every visit, flat rates from a price book for common installs, and time and materials for troubleshooting.
How much does it cost to hire an electrician?
Angi puts the average at $351, with most jobs between $163 and $538 in the US.
How much do electricians charge in Canada?
About $80-$150 CAD an hour for most residential work, $75-$160 in Toronto, with minimum charges common - one Vancouver contractor charges $300 for the first two hours.
Get jobs described with photos before you quote
On 1MinuteBooking, clients send the job details, address and photos as a quote request, and you confirm the visit once it's priced - fixed jobs can be booked directly. Free plan, no time limit.
See the electrician booking pageSources
- Angi, How Much Does an Electrician Cost to Hire? [2026 Data]
- ConsumerAffairs, How Much Does an Electrician Cost? (2026 Guide)
- Fuse Service, How Much Does an Electrician Cost? Hourly Rates
- LeadDuo, How Much Do Electricians Charge Per Hour? (2026)
- Thumbtack, 2026 Electrician Cost | Get Free Estimates
- BidOrca (New York), Electrician Cost in New York (2026 Rates) | BidOrca
- HomeStars (Canada), Electrician Hourly Rate in Canada: 2026 Guide
- Green Building Canada (Toronto), Average Electrician Rates in Toronto in 2026
- Whitley Electric (Vancouver), Electrician Cost Vancouver (one contractor's published rates)
- Barrie Heating & Cooling (Ontario), How much do electricians cost in Ontario?
- Job Bank, Government of Canada, Wages Electrician in Canada (employee wages)
- MySitePlan, What's the Real Electrician Cost in 2026?
- Red Seal Recruiting (Canada), Electrician Salary in Canada (2026 Guide) (salary survey)
- Taskrabbit Canada, How much does electrical work cost?
Prices are what these sources published as of September-October 2026. Rates vary by city, season and the job itself - use them as a starting point, not a rule.