Compare A Master Electrician ↔ B Plumber Helper

Compare with

Your route

2 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 Electrical Apprentice: Electrical Apprentice (TDLR) license.
Move 2, to Plumber Helper: Plumber's Apprentice registration (TSBPE) license, experience: over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (O*NET, most common).

Move 1 Transfer move to the side
Master Electrician to Electrical Apprentice
- O*NET lists Helpers--Electricians as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.65 (same lateral rule, started from this rung; target is the related occupation's role nearest this rung's level band).
- Gates: Electrical Apprentice (TDLR) license.
Move 2 Transfer move to the side
Electrical Apprentice to Plumber Helper
- O*NET lists Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.86.
- Gates: Plumber's Apprentice registration (TSBPE) license, experience: over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (O*NET, most common).

Side by side

All Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters: Texas median $41,950, $16,620 less a year than all Electricians ($58,570), every experience level.

More than 40 hours a week: Plumber Helper 27%, Master Electrician 35%.

This level's pay

A $32.23 to $40.29/h City of Austin (incl. Austin Energy) pay range, 2025

B No headline record for this level

No published schedule lists both jobs, so no level-specific difference is shown.

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

$58,570-$16,620$41,950

Gates on the route: Electrical Apprentice: Electrical Apprentice (TDLR) license; Plumber Helper: Plumber's Apprentice registration (TSBPE) license, experience: over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (O*NET, most common).

Outlook 2024 to 2034 whole occupation

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

B +8.7% Texas, 800 openings a year

Over 40 h a week

35%-9 pts27%

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

4.1 / 5-0.63.6 / 5

Hazardous conditions-1.64Hazardous conditions: A 4.59, B 2.95
Keeping balance-1.21Keeping balance: A 3.85, B 2.64
Bending or twisting-0.96Bending or twisting: A 4.68, B 3.72
Climbing ladders-0.89Climbing ladders: A 4.2, B 3.31
Walking or running-0.86Walking or running: A 4.23, B 3.37

Degree

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

B Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 10% do).

License

A Texas: Master Electrician license (TDLR): 2 years as a licensed Journeyman, 12,000 hours under a Texas Master Electrician, and a TDLR exam.

B Texas: register as a Plumber's Apprentice with TSBPE ($15, age 16+) to assist with plumbing under a licensed plumber; hours count only after registering.

Experience

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

B Most common related work experience: over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (O*NET: 38%).

Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5

You likely have: 0

To build: 0

Make this your goal

Save Master Electrician to Plumber Helper 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. Free with an account.