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Amtrak, Union Pacific, BNSF Railway
Home / All Jobs / Trades / Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment
Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment
These technicians diagnose and repair the electrical and electronic systems that keep transportation equipment running, from wiring and relays to lighting, safety controls, and power sources. The work stands out because every fix has to be accurate and safety-critical, and the tradeoff is clear: good pay and hands-on problem solving, but a lot of troubleshooting in cramped, dirty, and time-sensitive environments.
Also known as Electrical Systems TechnicianTransportation Equipment Electrical TechnicianTransportation Electrical TechnicianElectrical Repair TechnicianElectronics Repair Technician
Median Salary
$82,730
Mean $80,980
U.S. Workforce
~7K
0.6K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+6.1%
7K to 7.4K
Entry Education
Postsecondary nondegree award
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment sits in the Trades category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~7K workers, with a median annual pay of $82,730 and roughly 0.6K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 7 K in 2024 to 7.4K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Post-Secondary Certificate, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Electrical Technician Trainee and can progress toward Maintenance Supervisor. High-value skills usually include Critical Thinking, Electrical Troubleshooting & Diagnostic Software, and Wiring Diagrams, Schematics & Service Manuals, paired with soft skills such as Active Listening, Attention to Detail, and Clear Communication.
Core Responsibilities
- Use test equipment and software to find where an electrical system is failing.
- Read wiring diagrams and manufacturer manuals to trace connections and figure out what went wrong.
- Replace blown fuses, damaged cables, and other failed power parts.
- Repair or swap out bad wiring and relays in ignition, lighting, air-conditioning, and safety controls.
Keep exploring: more Trades careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Use test equipment and software to find where an electrical system is failing.
02 Read wiring diagrams and manufacturer manuals to trace connections and figure out what went wrong.
03 Replace blown fuses, damaged cables, and other failed power parts.
04 Repair or swap out bad wiring and relays in ignition, lighting, air-conditioning, and safety controls.
05 Splice, solder, and reconnect wires and components so the equipment works properly again.
06 Put the equipment back together, test it again, and record what was fixed.
Industries That Hire
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Aerospace & Defense
Boeing, Airbus, Lockheed Martin
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Automotive & Truck Manufacturing
Ford, General Motors, PACCAR
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Public Transit Agencies
MTA New York City Transit, SEPTA, LA Metro
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Shipbuilding & Marine Systems
Huntington Ingalls Industries, General Dynamics NASSCO, Bath Iron Works
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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The pay is solid for a non-bachelor's role: the median annual wage is $82,730 and the mean is $80,980.
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You spend the day solving real hardware problems instead of doing repetitive desk work.
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Entry is accessible through a post-secondary certificate, which is the most common path for 47.69% of workers.
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The skills transfer across rail, aviation, bus, and fleet maintenance employers, so you are not locked into one niche.
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There are still about 600 annual openings, so experienced technicians can find steady demand in maintenance-heavy operations.
Challenges
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Growth is only 6.1% from 2024 to 2034, so this is a stable field rather than a fast-expanding one.
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The occupation is small, with only about 7,310 workers, which means fewer openings and more limited geography than larger trades.
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BLS expects long-term on-the-job training, so it takes time before a new hire can work independently on complex systems.
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The work can be physically awkward and tiring, with crawling, lifting, reaching into tight compartments, and handling tools around live electrical parts.
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Hiring can swing with transportation capital budgets and fleet replacement cycles, and routine diagnostics are increasingly handled by built-in software, which can reduce simpler repair work.
Career Progression
Electrical Technician Trainee
0-2 years
$45K-$58K
You shadow experienced techs, learn safety procedures, and handle basic inspections and parts replacement.
Electrical Repair Technician
2-5 years
$59K-$74K
You work more independently, diagnose common faults, and make routine repairs on wiring, relays, and controls.
Electrical and Electronics Installer and Repairer, Transportation Equipment THIS ROLE
5-10 years
$75K-$92K
You handle complex troubleshooting, repair safety-critical systems, and verify that equipment is ready to return to service.
Senior Electrical Systems Technician
10-15 years
$93K-$112K
You take on the hardest diagnostic cases, train newer workers, and help solve recurring failures across a fleet or shop.
Maintenance Supervisor
15+ years
$113K-$132K
You coordinate schedules, review repairs, manage compliance, and keep the shop moving when equipment must return to service quickly.
Education Paths
Post-Secondary Certificate
The most common route, used by 47.69% of workers in this role, usually followed by long-term on-the-job training.
High School Diploma
A significant share of workers start here, representing 28.33% of the occupation, and then build skills through employer training.
Associate's Degree
A smaller path, held by 9.63% of workers, especially for people who want more formal electronics or maintenance training before entering the field.
Long-term On-the-Job Training
BLS says new workers usually need long-term on-the-job training, which fits people who start in a shop or maintenance yard and learn the systems over time.
Key Skills
Technical
Critical Thinking 72%
Electrical Troubleshooting & Diagnostic Software 72%
Wiring Diagrams, Schematics & Service Manuals 71%
Multimeters, Test Lights & Oscilloscopes 70%
Soldering, Crimping & Wire Splicing Tools 69%
Quality Control Analysis 65%
Operations Monitoring 65%
Repairing 62%
Soft Skills
Active ListeningAttention to DetailClear CommunicationProblem SolvingTeamworkSafety Awareness Job Outlook and Trends
+6.1%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
0.6K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 7K to 7.4 K over the next decade, representing 6.1% growth. Around 0.6 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.