Master Electrician in Michigan: All You Need to Know

Master Electrician in Michigan

What does is it take to become a master electrician in Michigan? Is there a minimum work experience that one should have before they become a master electrician? These are some of the questions that newbie electricians ask immediately when they enrol in an electrical trade school. 

A majority of aspiring electricians understand the process, but there are some who don’t have an idea of where to start. This is the reason why we have decided to write this article; to help aspiring electricians to graduate into master electricians. 

If you are yet to enrol in an electrician trade school in Michigan, fill out the form below and we will get in touch. The quick menu below has been prepared to make it easy for you to go through this master electrician guide. 

Graduating Into a Journeyman Electrician

Before you become a master electrician in Michigan you have to become a journeyman. Rome was never built in a day so patience, hard work, and determination is the key. Though Michigan county has the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, it is important to note that states such as Grand Rapids and Detroit have their own licensing boards. 

Graduating Into a Journeyman Electrician From Detroit 

To become a journeyman, you must be enrolled in an electrical apprenticeship in Michigan. According to the state of Detroit, there are several prerequisites that must be met before you become a journeyman. You are required to have work experience of at least 4 years. You are also required to prove this by providing a notarized document when sitting for your exam. 

It is also a requirement that you enrol in an apprenticeship program under the supervision of either a registered master electrician or journeyman. On top of this, it is mandatory for you to enrol in an accredited electrician trade school in Michigan so you can gain the required classroom training of 576 hours. If you meet this requirement, you can apply for a journeyman exam. 

Master Electrician in Michigan

If you are yet to find an accredited trade school near you, fill out your details below and we will help you get a school near you. To apply for a Journeyman exam, fill and submit this application form to the state of Detroit. Other documents include a notarized statement from your employer and 2 passport photos. Remember to include a front and back copy of your driver’s license.

If your application is approved, you can start to prepare for your Michigan journeyman electrician test prep. The test is an open test meaning the facilitator will allow you to use the following sources: 

  • State Electrical Code 
  • Public Act 217 
  • 2011 National Electrical Code 

The exam will last for 2 hours and thirty minutes. It will have 80 questions with 60% of those questions being sourced from the National Electric Code. This will be followed by Fundamentals and Practical Electricity and then Part 8 Rules which will only occupy 13% of the questions to be asked.

To get a journeyman license, you are required to have a pass mark of 75%. 

Graduating Into a Journeyman Electrician From Grand Rapids

If you are from the state of Grand Rapids, the path of becoming a master electrician in Michigan will differ from that of a Detroit electrician. If you have a BS in Electrical Engineering, the state can reduce the required work experience of 8,000 hours to 6,000 hours. If you have studied electrical engineering, then your work experience can also be reduced to 7,000 hours instead of 8,000 hours.  

Once you have finished your classroom education, you will be required to join an apprenticeship program. This can either be through the Michigan Educators Apprenticeship and Training Associating {MEATA} or the Michigan Apprenticeship Steering Committee. 

If you qualify to sit for a Journeyman exam, you will be allowed to use the National Electric Code for reference. If you pass the exam, you graduate into a journeyman. 

Graduating Into a Journeyman Electrician in the Larger Michigan State  

To qualify for a journeyman exam in the county of Michigan,  you must have both work and classroom experience. You are required to have classroom training of at least 450 hours and 8,000 hours of work experience. Keep in mind that you are required to work under the supervision of a registered electrical contractor. 

To qualify for an apprenticeship program, you must meet the following conditions: 

  • Be 18 years or older 
  • Have no criminal background 
  • Pass a drug test 
  • Have a GED/high school diploma 

Once you have finished your apprenticeship program, you should fill and submit a journeyman application form to the Electrical Division in Lansing. If accepted, your exams will be facilitated by PSI after paying an examination fee of $100. The exam will have 80 questions that should be answered in 2 hours and 30 minutes. Expect to be tested in the following areas:

  • Feeders 
  • Special Occupancies 
  • Electrical Theory 
  • Lighting 
  • General Electrical Trade Knowledge 
  • Motor Controls 
  • Load Calculations 
  • Wiring Methods and Installation 
  • Boxes and Cabinets 
Master Electrician in Michigan

Becoming a Master Electrician in Michigan 

After you have graduated into a journeyman, you now begin the next phase of your electrician training in Michigan. This is the phase in which you gain the required work experience to be allowed to sit for a master electrician exam Michigan. As it is with a journeyman electrical license in Michigan, the state of Detroit and Grand Rapids all have their own licensing requirements.

Graduating Into a Master Electrician in Grand Rapids 

To apply for a state of Michigan master electrician exam in Grand Rapids, the following conditions must be met:

  • The applicant must have a valid journeyman's license
  • You must have been a journeyman for  at least 2 years 
  • Have work experience of six years 
  • Must provide notarized statements from your previous employer to prove you have the required work experience 
  • Must be a legal resident of Grand Rapids 

If you meet these qualifications, fill and submit your application to the City of Grand Rapids. If your application is accepted, you will be invited to sit for a Michigan master electrician exam. If you pass the exam, you officially become a licensed master electrician in Michigan. As a master electrician, you will be able to supervise journeymen and your opinion will be respected.  

Graduating Into a Master Electrician in Detroit 

In Detroit, applications for a master electrician license can either be done online or by visiting the state office. The following qualifications must be met to become a master electrician: 

  • Be 22 years or older 
  • Be a licensed journeyman for at least 24 months 
  • Must be a legal Detroit resident 
  • Must have a work experience of 12,000 hours 

If you meet these qualifications, you can fill and submit this application form to the Bureau of Construction Codes. Other documents to submit include a copy of your Michigan Driver’s license and a notarized document from your employer. 

Note: For your application to be accepted, ensure the notarized documents clearly indicate the start and end of your employment. The documents should also indicate the number of hours you have worked as a journeyman electrician and the number of your supervising master electrician in Michigan hours.

If your application has been approved the board will notify you of the time and date to sit for a master electrician Michigan exam. At the same time, you will be required to pay a fee of $63. 

Michigan Master Electrician Exam Prep

It is important to prepare for your master electrician in Michigan exam because you will have to re-pay the exam fees if you fail. You will have only two chances and if you fail after the second attempt, you will have to wait for 12 months to be allowed to sit for the exam again. If you pass the exam, you will pay $55. 

Master Electrician in Michigan

A master electrician exam should be completed in 3 hours and will have 75 questions. Expect to be evaluated in the following areas:

  • General Knowledge including terminologies used 
  • Knowledge on ratings, branch circuit loads and design of circuits 
  • Knowledge of choosing proper grounding conductors, how to design a ground conductor and how to use it 
  • Knowledge of control circuits and motor installation 
  • Knowledge on ampacity, installation methods, termination, support and protection 
  • Knowledge on circuit breakers, fuses and protective devices for electrical equipment and conductors 
  • Knowledge of usage equipment, power circuits, and electric lights 
  • Knowledge on installation methods of raceways, determining the proper size to use and conductor fills 
  • Knowledge on Michigan state laws such as the Electric Administrative Board Rules, the Electric Administrative Act, 1956 PA and the state construction Code Act, 1972 
  • Knowledge of electrical power limitations and how well you can differentiate circuits and equipment 

Master Electrician Salaries 

According to the department of Technology and Management, master electrician demand is projected to grow by 14% until the year 2024. One of the main factors contributing to the demand of electricians is a construction boom currently being experienced especially in the hospitality industry. 

Master Electrician in Michigan

Average Master Electrician Salary in Michigan 

The average electrician salary is $70,500 which 6% above the national average. Based on location: 

  • Ann Arbor: $70,000 
  • Lansing-East Lansing: $75,000 
  • Kalamazoo-Portage: $73,550 
  • Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills: $79,880

If you pass this exam, you will be a certified master electrician in Michigan. If you continue with your electrician training in Michigan, you will end up becoming an independent contractor with the ability to hire and supervise master electricians. If you are yet to enroll in an accredited trade school near you, fill the form below and we will get in touch.