Colorado Electrical Market Pulse, Q2 2026
Wages, permits, licensing changes, and actionable financial tips for Colorado electricians this quarter.
Published May 2026 | Data as of April 2026
17,010 electricians employed in Colorado. SB25-165 just expanded the training window from 4 to 8 years. Fewer new journeymen entering the market means your license is worth more today than it was last year.
Market Snapshot Colorado, April 2026
Electrician Wage
$31.88/hr
Up 4.8%
Permits
3,467/mo
Up 8.2%
CO Construction
186,400
Up 1.4%
Electricity
16.74c/kWh
Up 11.3%
The top 25% of Colorado electricians earn $40+/hr. The state average is $31.88. Where do you fall?
📌 What this means: Demand (permits) is seasonal but trending up. Wages jumped 5.4% this year. More work + higher wages = you have pricing power. If you haven't raised rates in 2026, the market is telling you it's time.
Seasonal Outlook
Construction season is ramping up. Electrical rough-in work follows permits, which peak May through October. Residential service calls are steady year-round (panels, outlets, EV chargers). Your slowest months are December through February when new construction pauses.
💡 ACTION ITEMS
Lock in your summer sub contracts with GCs now. Permits are up 8% and every new build needs electrical. The GCs placing permits today need you committed 60-90 days out.
EV charger installs are a growing revenue stream. Denver now requires EV-ready spaces in new multifamily. Get on the approved installer lists for the Charge Ahead Colorado program (applications open May 11).
Schedule your 24 hours of CE before the rush. Three-year cycle deadline sneaks up. Don't let it lapse mid-summer when you're busiest.
Regulatory Update
SB25-165: Training Window Expanded from 4 to 8 Years (Effective Aug 12, 2026)
The training requirement for journeyman and residential wireman licenses now allows 288 hours of safety/NEC training to be completed over 8 years instead of 4. This makes it easier for apprentices to qualify, but also means the pipeline of new journeymen will be slower. For existing licensed electricians, this tightens the labor market in your favor. Your license is worth more.
PV Work Restricted to Licensed Electricians or Registered Installers
SB25-165 also clarifies that photovoltaic electrical work (under 300kW) can only be performed by electrical contractors or registered PV installers, supervised by a NABCEP-certified practitioner or licensed electrician. If you're doing solar work without proper credentials, you're now explicitly in violation. If you ARE properly licensed, this eliminates unlicensed competition.
Quick Moves
1
Electricity prices are up 11.3% for homeowners. Every customer you talk to is feeling it on their bill. Pitch 100A-to-200A panel upgrades as a $3,000-5,000 investment that enables heat pumps, EV chargers, and lower rates on time-of-use plans. Give them the payback math.
2
EV charger installs: Denver requires EV-ready spaces in new multifamily. The Charge Ahead Colorado program opens May 11 for new applications. Get registered. Each Level 2 install is $1,500-3,000 in revenue for 2-3 hours of work.
3
The PV installer restriction just eliminated your unlicensed competition on solar jobs. If you have your journeyman license, you can now command premium rates on solar electrical work. Market yourself to solar installers who need a licensed electrician on-site.
Risk Watch
Copper wire prices up 12-18% year over year (PPI data). If you're quoting residential rewires with 30-day validity, you're eating the increase on delayed starts. Shorten to 14 days or add a material clause.
The 8-year training window means apprentices stay apprentices longer. Good for you (less competition), but bad if you're trying to hire. Your apprentice might leave for a shop that pays more during their longer training period. Invest in retention.
EV charger demand is growing but the Charge Ahead program has application windows (not rolling). Miss the May 11 - June 12 window and you wait until the next cycle. Mark your calendar.
This is what we see across the Colorado electrical market.
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