Side-by-side license comparison
| Metric | Electrician (Journeyman) | General Contractor |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Trades | Trades |
| Median Salary | $65,280 | $101,480 |
| Avg Initial Fee | $180 | $359 |
| Difficulty | Medium-High | Medium-High |
| Education | 4-5 year apprenticeship (8000 hours) | Experience-based (2-5 years) |
| Exam | Journeyman Exam | State Contractor Exam |
| Time to License | 4-5 years | 3-6 years |
| Renewal Period | Every 3 yr | Every 2 yr |
| CE Hours / Cycle | 24 hrs | 14 hrs |
| States Requiring | 40 of 53 | 41 of 53 |
General Contractor earns $36,200 more per year on average. Over a 10-year career span, that adds up to approximately $362,000 in additional earnings.
The LicenseWize editorial team aggregates and verifies licenses data from Bureau of Labor Statistics & State Licensing Boards. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.