The job
The home
Where and when
More costs and pricingDiscount, contingency, sales tax, permits, tool rental, disposal, overhead
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Electricians charge $40 to $120 an hour, so most small and medium jobs, like an outlet, a switch or a fan swap, land between $150 and $600. Add a service call fee of $100 to $200 on top. Bigger work sits in another bracket: a 100 to 200 amp panel upgrade runs $1,500 to $4,500, a Level 2 EV charger $1,000 to $2,500, and a rewire $6 to $10 per square foot. Nights, weekends and holidays add $100 to $200, or 1.5 to 2 times the rate.
How to calculate an electrical estimate
This is how this electrical cost calculator works: an electrical estimate is labor hours times a rate, plus materials, plus the fees for showing up. Homeowners get the typical numbers filled in, and the electrician estimate calculator on the quote tab lets a contractor stack overhead, margin and a discount on top.
| Estimate a job homeowners | Build a quote electricians | |
|---|---|---|
| Labor | Typical hours for the job × the going electrician rate in your state, with an extra hour for wiring in a pre 1970 home | Electricians × hours each × your hourly rate × timing |
| Materials | Typical price of the device, fan, charger or panel the job uses | Material cost + sales tax, then your material markup |
| Fees | Service call, plus wall access and after hours charges when they apply | Travel or service fee, permits, tool rental, disposal |
| Final price | Labor + Materials + Fees | (Labor + Materials + Fees + Contingency + Overhead) ÷ (1 minus profit margin), less any discount |
Worked example: swapping one ceiling fan, US average rate, regular hours
When to use this electrical cost calculator
Run it whenever an electrical price needs a sanity check, whether that is one dead outlet or a whole house of new wire.
- Comparing contractor quotes: two electricians quote the same rewire or wiring job and the numbers are thousands apart. Put the job through the electrician estimate calculator for your state first, then ask each contractor to explain the hours and materials behind their figure.
- New installations: an added outlet, a dedicated circuit for a freezer or a charger for a new EV.
- Home renovations and remodels: kitchens and basements pile up electrical line items fast. Recessed lights, extra circuits, GFCI protection near water and possibly a bigger panel all land on the same bill, so price them before the remodel budget is locked.
- Planning upgrades: lighting swaps, smart switches or a 200 amp panel.
- Repair costs for electrical faults: a breaker that keeps tripping or an outlet that went dead usually starts as a troubleshooting visit. Pick that job to see what the diagnosis alone tends to cost.
- After hours calls: see what a night or weekend visit adds before you agree to it.
- Rental units: landlords can budget device swaps and inspections across several units at once.
- Pricing a job: electricians switch to the quote tab, enter crew size, rate, markup, margin and discount, and the finished quote prints on one page or goes out as a shareable link.
What do common electrical jobs cost?
Most electrical service calls fall into a dozen or so repeat jobs. These are the usual 2026 price ranges and how long an electrician tends to spend on each one. Adjust any of them for your state and timing in the calculator above.
| Job | Typical total cost | Typical labor |
|---|---|---|
| Install or replace an outlet | $120 to $200 | Under an hour |
| GFCI outlet | $120 to $200 | About 1 hour |
| Light switch | $100 to $200 | About 45 minutes |
| Light fixture | $150 to $900 | About 2 hours |
| Ceiling fan replacement | $75 to $400 | 0.5 to 1 hour |
| Circuit breaker replacement | $200 to $250 | Varies |
| New dedicated circuit | $250 to $900 | 2 to 4 hours |
| Panel upgrade, 100 to 200 amp | $1,500 to $4,500 | 4 to 8 hours, two electricians |
| Level 2 EV charger | $1,000 to $2,500 | 2 to 4 hours |
| Whole house rewire | $6 to $10 per sq ft | About a week, up to three |
| Inspection or diagnosis | $125 to $250 | 15 minutes to an hour |
A 2,000 sq ft home costs about $12,000 to $20,000 to rewire. Expect the high end when the electrician has to fish wire through finished walls.
How much does an electrician charge per hour?
Electricians charge $40 to $120 an hour. Apprentices sit at the bottom of that range and master electricians at the top, and your state shifts the whole band up or down. Look yours up below.
Electrician rates in every state
| State | Usual hourly rate | Versus the US rate |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $35 to $105 | 12% lower |
| Alaska | $55 to $170 | 42% higher |
| Arizona | $40 to $115 | 3% lower |
| Arkansas | $30 to $95 | 22% lower |
| California | $50 to $145 | 21% higher |
| Colorado | $40 to $120 | 2% lower |
| Connecticut | $50 to $145 | 23% higher |
| Delaware | $40 to $120 | About the US rate |
| District of Columbia | $50 to $150 | 25% higher |
| Florida | $35 to $110 | 9% lower |
| Georgia | $35 to $110 | 8% lower |
| Hawaii | $60 to $185 | 53% higher |
| Idaho | $40 to $120 | About the US rate |
| Illinois | $65 to $190 | 58% higher |
| Indiana | $45 to $130 | 8% higher |
| Iowa | $40 to $115 | 4% lower |
| Kansas | $40 to $125 | 4% higher |
| Kentucky | $40 to $115 | 5% lower |
| Louisiana | $40 to $115 | 3% lower |
| Maine | $50 to $145 | 19% higher |
| Maryland | $45 to $140 | 16% higher |
| Massachusetts | $50 to $150 | 26% higher |
| Michigan | $50 to $145 | 21% higher |
| Minnesota | $50 to $150 | 24% higher |
| Mississippi | $40 to $115 | 4% lower |
| Missouri | $40 to $125 | 4% higher |
| Montana | $50 to $145 | 21% higher |
| Nebraska | $40 to $115 | 4% lower |
| Nevada | $45 to $140 | 16% higher |
| New Hampshire | $40 to $120 | About the US rate |
| New Jersey | $50 to $145 | 22% higher |
| New Mexico | $35 to $110 | 8% lower |
| New York | $50 to $150 | 25% higher |
| North Carolina | $35 to $110 | 10% lower |
| North Dakota | $40 to $125 | 4% higher |
| Ohio | $40 to $125 | 2% higher |
| Oklahoma | $40 to $115 | 3% lower |
| Oregon | $65 to $190 | 60% higher |
| Pennsylvania | $45 to $130 | 7% higher |
| Rhode Island | $45 to $140 | 17% higher |
| South Carolina | $35 to $110 | 7% lower |
| South Dakota | $40 to $115 | 3% lower |
| Tennessee | $40 to $115 | 3% lower |
| Texas | $35 to $110 | 7% lower |
| Utah | $40 to $120 | 2% lower |
| Vermont | $40 to $120 | About the US rate |
| Virginia | $40 to $120 | About the US rate |
| Washington | $60 to $180 | 51% higher |
| West Virginia | $40 to $125 | 3% higher |
| Wisconsin | $50 to $145 | 21% higher |
| Wyoming | $50 to $145 | 20% higher |
Each state's range follows what electricians are actually paid there. Choose your state in the calculator and the estimate uses it.
What changes the price of electrical work?
The same job can come back at very different prices. Here is what moves an electrical estimate, and by roughly how much.
| Factor | What changes the price | Typical effect |
|---|---|---|
| Type of job | The single biggest driver. Swapping a switch and replacing a panel are different worlds of time, parts and permits. | About $80 for simple jobs, $10,000+ for a rewire |
| License level | Apprentices take small tasks under supervision. Journeymen handle most home work, and masters design systems and run complex jobs. | $40 to $60 apprentice, $60 to $90 journeyman, $90 to $120 master |
| Access | Wiring behind finished drywall, in an attic or in a crawlspace takes longer to reach. | $100 to $450 more to reach wiring behind walls |
| Urgency | Nights, weekends and holidays. | +$100 to $200, or 1.5× evenings and 2× holidays |
| Location | Electrician pay differs a lot by state, and the billed rate follows it. | $23.59 an hour median pay in Arkansas, $48.71 in Oregon |
| Age of the home | Knob and tube or aluminum wiring, common before 1970, slows down diagnosis before the repair can even be scoped. | An hour or more of extra diagnostic time |
| Device type | Basic devices are cheap. Smart and protected ones are not. | Standard outlet $1 to $5, smart outlet $20 to $80, smart switch $25 to $45 |
| Panel capacity | A full or undersized panel can turn an EV charger or new circuit into a panel job as well. | Up to $4,500 for a two car charger with a panel upgrade |
| Permits | New wiring and fixtures need a permit in most places, and big rewires cost the most to permit. | $75 for simple work to $900 for a major rewire |
| Minimum charge | Short jobs still get billed a minimum so the trip is worth it. | Usually one to four hours of labor |
| Pricing model | Flat rates suit repeat jobs like outlets, fans and breakers, while troubleshooting and older homes are usually billed by the hour. | Flat rates of $150 to $600 on routine jobs |
How do electricians estimate a job?
Electrical contractors who win work and still make money build every estimate the same way, from the device count up:
- Do a takeoffCount every device, fixture and circuit on the plans or during the walkthrough. Note the panel size, spare breaker spaces and where each run has to go.
- Price materials with wasteCurrent supply house prices, plus 5 to 10% for waste.
- Turn the work into hoursUse labor units or your own job history. Half an hour to an hour per receptacle, two to four hours for a new circuit and eight to twelve for a panel swap are common starting points.
- Apply a loaded rateWage plus payroll tax, insurance and benefits.
- Add overhead, fees and marginCover the truck, tools and office, then the permit, the service call and a 5 to 10% contingency on remodel work. Profit goes on last.
- Send a line item quoteMaterials, labor and fees shown separately.
The Build a quote tab above runs this same build, discount included.
What profit margin should an electrical contractor aim for?
Gross margin is what is left after direct labor and materials. Net margin is what survives overhead too. Residential service work carries far higher gross margins than bid work, so check your number against the right row. More detail lives in our electrical contractor profit margin guide.
| Margin | Typical range | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Gross, residential service and repair | 50% to 65% | Smaller tickets priced on value. Below 40% usually points to pricing or estimating problems. |
| Gross, commercial construction | 20% to 35% | Competitive bids and more scope risk |
| Gross, new residential construction | 15% to 25% | Volume work with tight pricing |
| Net, average shop | 3% to 6% | Survival mode |
| Net, healthy shop | 10% to 12% | Stable and able to reinvest |
| Net, best in class | 15% to 20%+ | The market leader in its area |
Electrical contractors: nobody answers the phone with both hands in a live panel.
Your techs are up a ladder or inside a breaker box when the next panel upgrade or EV charger lead calls, and an unanswered lead rarely leaves a voicemail. ServiceAgent picks up every call day or night, answers price questions from your rate card, books the visit and follows up on open estimates.
Book a free demoFrequently asked questions
Short answers on electrician rates, electrical estimates and how this calculator handles them.
Book a free demoHow much does an electrician charge per hour?
Electricians charge $40 to $120 an hour. Apprentices bill $40 to $60, journeymen $60 to $90 and master electricians $90 to $120, and a service call fee of $100 to $200 is usually billed on top.
How do you calculate an electrical estimate?
Count the devices, fixtures and circuits, turn that work into labor hours and multiply by the hourly rate. Then add materials with markup, the service call, permits, overhead and profit. The Build a quote tab in this calculator runs that math for you.
How accurate is this electrician estimate calculator?
It gives a realistic range, not a final bill. It works from the usual labor hours for each job, the going electrician rate in your state, typical material prices and the normal service call fee. The real price can move once the electrician opens things up, especially in an older home, behind finished walls or when a permit is needed.
How much does it cost to wire a 2,000 sq ft house?
New wiring runs $3 to $5 per square foot, so about $6,000 to $10,000 for 2,000 sq ft. Rewiring an existing home costs more because the old wire has to come out first: $6 to $10 per square foot, or about $12,000 to $20,000.
What does an electrician's service call fee cover?
Dispatch, the drive and the first part of the assessment before any repair starts. It usually runs $100 to $200, and some electricians apply it to the final invoice once you approve the work.
How much more does an emergency electrician cost?
Expect $100 to $200 on top of the standard rate for nights, weekends, holidays or urgent same day calls. Some electricians bill 1.5 times their rate in the evening and 2 times on holidays instead.
Does an electrical estimate include permits?
Not always. New wiring and fixture installs usually need a permit, which costs anywhere from $75 for simple work to $900 for a major rewire. Ask whether it is in the price, or add it as its own line in the quote builder.
How much does it cost to upgrade a panel from 100 to 200 amps?
Most panel upgrades cost $1,500 to $4,500, and many homeowners pay around $3,000 to go from 100 to 200 amps without moving the panel. Two electricians usually spend four to eight hours on it.
Can electricians use this for small jobs and large installs?
Yes. Pick a job to prefill the hours and materials, or choose Other job and type your own. Set your crew, rate, markup, margin and discount for anything from one outlet to a full service change, then print the quote or send the link.
Do electricians mark up materials?
Most do. Many electrical contractors put a 20 to 30% markup on materials and labor. Buying your own fixtures avoids the upcharge on those parts, though the electrician still bills the labor.
Leads growth and product marketing for ServiceAgent at SaaS Labs, where he has worked in product marketing since 2020. Writes ServiceAgent's coverage of AI call answering, CRM and home services operations.
IBEW Local 134 Journeyman Electrician with 18 years of residential and commercial experience. Reviews electrical content and panel upgrade pricing for ServiceAgent.
Published by ServiceAgent, the AI front office for home service teams. Estimates only. Real prices depend on your home's wiring, local rates, permits and what the electrician finds once the cover plates come off. Get a written quote before any work starts.