Compare A Construction Laborer ↔ B Residential Wireman

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3 moves

No pay difference shown for this route: electrical Apprentice: All Electricians (47-2111) at every experience level, the occupation apprentices are counted in (SOC Classification Principle 7). Mostly journeyman-level workers, so it is not apprentice pay and is never subtracted.

Gates on this route

Move 1, to Facilities Technician: license depends on the work (No state license for in-house maintenance (1305.003(a)(8)); electrical work beyond that needs a TDLR license).
Move 2, to Electrical Apprentice: Electrical Apprentice (TDLR) license.
Move 3, to Residential Wireman: Residential Wireman (TDLR) license.

Move 1 Transfer move to the side
Construction Laborer to Facilities Technician
- Skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.78 (one of the 3 most similar occupations, r >= 0.6).
- Gates: license depends on the work (No state license for in-house maintenance (1305.003(a)(8)); electrical work beyond that needs a TDLR license).
Move 2 Transfer move to the side
Facilities Technician to Electrical Apprentice
- O*NET lists Helpers--Electricians as a related occupation (Supplemental); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.67 (O*NET related occupation beyond the 6 drawn laterals).
- Gates: Electrical Apprentice (TDLR) license.
Move 3 B3 step up on Residential wiring (Texas)
Electrical Apprentice to Residential Wireman
- Next rung on 'Residential wiring (Texas)' (Start to Skilled). O*NET lists Electricians as a related occupation (Primary-Short).
- Gates: Residential Wireman (TDLR) license.

Side by side

All Electricians: Texas median $58,570, $17,950 more a year than all Construction Laborers ($40,620), every experience level.

Residential Wireman: 35% work more than 40 hours a week, about 2 times the share for Construction Laborer (18%).

Occupation-wide pay all experience levels, not this level's pay; Texas median, base pay, $0 to $300k

$40,620+$17,950$58,570

Gates on the route: Facilities Technician: license depends on the work (No state license for in-house maintenance (1305.003(a)(8)); electrical work beyond that needs a TDLR license); Electrical Apprentice: Electrical Apprentice (TDLR) license; Residential Wireman: Residential Wireman (TDLR) license.

Outlook 2024 to 2034 whole occupation

A +12.2% Texas, 15,270 openings a year

B +14.4% Texas, 8,100 openings a year

Over 40 h a week

18%+18 pts35%

Physical load our index from O*NET, 1 to 5; A B; largest differences first

3.0 / 5+1.14.1 / 5

Climbing ladders+2.44Climbing ladders: A 1.76, B 4.2
Keeping balance+2.26Keeping balance: A 1.59, B 3.85
Bending or twisting+2.06Bending or twisting: A 2.62, B 4.68
Hazardous conditions+1.99Hazardous conditions: A 2.6, B 4.59
Kneeling or crawling+1.53Kneeling or crawling: A 2.22, B 3.75

Degree

A Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 0% do).

B Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 1% do).

License

A No license for this job title at the 8 Texas and federal licensing agencies read on 2026-10-03 (TDLR, TSBPE, TCEQ, TCFP, TEA, TBPELS, NRC and EPA).

B Texas: Residential Wireman license (TDLR): 4,000 hours or an approved CTE program, plus an exam. Homes and apartments up to four stories only.

Experience

A Most common related work experience: none (O*NET: 43%).

B Most common related work experience: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year (O*NET: 28%).

Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5

You likely have: 4

Speaking
Coordination
Operations Monitoring
Operation and Control

To build: 6

Troubleshooting +1.75
Installation +1.37
Repairing +1.25
Active Learning +1.13
Quality Control Analysis +1.13
Systems Analysis +1.12

Make this your goal

Save Construction Laborer to Residential Wireman as your goal. Each step then shows the hours you have logged toward it, your exam practice and your license, with the one thing to do next and the 6 skills to build as a checklist. Free with an account.