Compare A Maintenance Electrician ↔ B Maintenance Helper

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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 Maintenance Helper: license depends on the work (No Texas license for in-house maintenance: electrician (1305.003(a)(8)) and plumbing (1301.053(a)(1)) laws exempt maintenance staff who do not work for the public. Refrigerant work needs EPA 608), experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (O*NET, most common).

Move 1 Transfer move to the side
Maintenance 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 Maintenance Helper
- O*NET lists Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.89.
- Gates: license depends on the work (No Texas license for in-house maintenance: electrician (1305.003(a)(8)) and plumbing (1301.053(a)(1)) laws exempt maintenance staff who do not work for the public. Refrigerant work needs EPA 608), experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (O*NET, most common).

Side by side

All Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers: Texas median $37,000, $21,570 less a year than all Electricians ($58,570), every experience level.

More than 40 hours a week: Maintenance Helper 29%, Maintenance Electrician 35%.

This level's pay

A $26.61 to $31.87/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-$21,570$37,000

Gates on the route: Electrical Apprentice: Electrical Apprentice (TDLR) license; Maintenance Helper: license depends on the work (No Texas license for in-house maintenance: electrician (1305.003(a)(8)) and plumbing (1301.053(a)(1)) laws exempt maintenance staff who do not work for the public. Refrigerant work needs EPA 608), experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (O*NET, most common).

Outlook 2024 to 2034 whole occupation

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

B +9.3% Texas, 1,810 openings a year

Over 40 h a week

35%-6 pts29%

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

4.1 / 5-0.93.2 / 5

Climbing ladders-1.82Climbing ladders: A 4.2, B 2.38
Keeping balance-1.58Keeping balance: A 3.85, B 2.27
Bending or twisting-1.55Bending or twisting: A 4.68, B 3.13
Hazardous conditions-1.29Hazardous conditions: A 4.59, B 3.3
Cramped space-1.24Cramped space: A 4.4, B 3.16

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: 0% do).

License

A TDLR Maintenance Electrician license, unless the work is in-house maintenance for one employer with no new construction (1305.003(a)(8)).

B No Texas license for in-house maintenance: electrician (1305.003(a)(8)) and plumbing (1301.053(a)(1)) laws exempt maintenance staff who do not work for the public. Refrigerant work needs EPA 608.

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 2 years, up to and including 4 years (O*NET: 34%).

Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5

You likely have: 6

Active Listening
Critical Thinking
Equipment Maintenance
Monitoring
Operation and Control
Operations Monitoring

To build: 0

Make this your goal

Save Maintenance Electrician to Maintenance 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.