Compare A Boilermaker ↔ B Electrical Foreman

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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 Electrical Apprentice: Electrical Apprentice (TDLR) license.
Move 2, to Journeyman Electrician: Journeyman Electrician (TDLR) license, 8,000 h on the job (7,000 h to sit the exam).
Move 3, to Electrical Foreman: experience: over 10 years (O*NET, most common).

Move 1 Transfer move to the side
Boilermaker to Electrical Apprentice
- O*NET lists Helpers--Electricians as a related occupation (Supplemental); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.63 (O*NET related occupation beyond the 6 drawn laterals).
- Gates: Electrical Apprentice (TDLR) license.
Move 2 B1 step up on Construction electrical
Electrical Apprentice to Journeyman Electrician
- Next rung on 'Construction electrical' (Start to Skilled). Texas: 8,000 hours to the license.
- Gates: Journeyman Electrician (TDLR) license, 8,000 h on the job (7,000 h to sit the exam).
- TDLR Journeyman application (by mail, non-refundable) $30 · PSI exam, both parts $78
  TDLR, PSI
  - TDLR: Apply for a New Journeyman Electrician License, read 2026-10-01
  - PSI candidate information bulletin for TDLR electricians (updated September 15, 2026), read 2026-10-01
Move 3 B1 step up on Construction electrical
Journeyman Electrician to Electrical Foreman
- Next rung on 'Construction electrical' (Skilled to Lead).
- Gates: experience: over 10 years (O*NET, most common).
- Skills to build: Coordination, Negotiation, Management of Personnel Resources

Side by side

All First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers: Texas median $74,520, $1,230 less a year than all Boilermakers ($75,750), every experience level.

More than 40 hours a week: Electrical Foreman 63%, Boilermaker 80%.

This level's pay

A No headline record for this level

B $42.79/h Houston union minimum (IBEW 716), 2026

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

$75,750-$1,230$74,520

Gates on the route: Electrical Apprentice: Electrical Apprentice (TDLR) license; Journeyman Electrician: Journeyman Electrician (TDLR) license, 8,000 h on the job (7,000 h to sit the exam); Electrical Foreman: experience: over 10 years (O*NET, most common).

Outlook 2024 to 2034 whole occupation

A +4.0% Texas, 220 openings a year

B +10.0% Texas, 8,780 openings a year

Over 40 h a week

80%-17 pts63%

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

3.3 / 5-0.33.0 / 5

Outdoors, all weather+1.16Outdoors, all weather: A 3.27, B 4.43
Cramped space-0.96Cramped space: A 3.37, B 2.41
Hazardous equipment+0.91Hazardous equipment: A 3.27, B 4.18
Keeping balance-0.82Keeping balance: A 2.63, B 1.81
Climbing ladders-0.81Climbing ladders: A 2.83, B 2.02

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: 10% do).

License

A No license for this job found at TDLR electricians, A/C or TSBPE; TDLR's Boiler Safety program was not checked in this round.

B Usually holds the TDLR Journeyman Electrician license from the previous rung; TDLR has no separate foreman license (license list checked).

Experience

A Most common related work experience: over 4 years, up to and including 6 years (O*NET: 40%).

B Most common related work experience: over 10 years (O*NET: 30%).

Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5

You likely have: 5

Critical Thinking
Judgment and Decision Making
Complex Problem Solving
Active Learning
Quality Control Analysis

To build: 6

Management of Personnel Resources +1.62
Coordination +1.00
Negotiation +1.00
Persuasion +1.00
Active Listening +0.75
Speaking +0.75

Make this your goal

Save Boilermaker to Electrical Foreman 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.