- What This Salary Guide Covers (and What It Doesn't)
- How the Journeyman License Connects to Your Paycheck
- What Moves Vermont Journeyman Pay
- Who Hires Licensed Journeymen in Vermont
- The Cost Side of the Equation
- Why Exam-Domain Mastery Shows Up in Your Earnings
- A Domain-Based Study Sequence
- Keeping the License Active Protects Your Income
- Frequently Asked Questions
- The VT-JE exam is an $80, 90-question, four-hour open-book test administered by Prov, Inc. for Vermont Division of Fire Safety.
- The journeyman license fee is $115 for initial issue and renewal, valid three years under Title 26 provisions.
- Wiring & Protection carries 30 of 90 questions, the heaviest weight among the nine subject areas.
- Renewal requires 15 hours of Board-approved code-update education every 36 months, so budget for it.
What This Salary Guide Covers (and What It Doesn't)
Most salary articles throw out a single dollar figure and move on. This guide takes a more honest approach. The Vermont Journeyman Electrician License Exam (VT-JE) is administered under the Vermont Division of Fire Safety, and the official materials that define the exam, its fee, and the licensing rules do not publish wage data. Rather than inventing numbers, this article explains the mechanics that determine what a licensed Vermont journeyman earns: how the license unlocks work, which employers hire for it, what the credential costs, and how to turn exam knowledge into higher-value work.
If you want hard wage benchmarks, pull current Vermont postings for journeyman electricians, ask prospective employers for their pay scales, and check Vermont Department of Labor wage resources. Any figure you find should be dated and sourced. What you will not find here is a fabricated "average salary" presented as fact.
How the Journeyman License Connects to Your Paycheck
In Vermont, working as a journeyman is a licensed role. Under the Title 26 provisions covering journeyman licensing (sections 903, 905 and 908), eligibility runs through completing an apprenticeship or a Board-accepted equivalent. Passing the exam is the gate between apprentice-level work and independent journeyman responsibility. That gate matters for pay because it changes what an employer can legally assign you and how much supervision your work requires.
Apprentices work under supervision. Journeymen can carry more of the job on their own, which is why employers generally treat the license as a step up in value. The exact raise depends on the employer, the shop's structure, and any collective agreements, so confirm specifics directly rather than assuming a standard jump.
The eligibility path in plain terms
- Complete the qualifying experience: an apprenticeship or Board-accepted equivalent.
- Get state eligibility approval: approval comes before you can schedule, and you receive a candidate ID.
- Schedule with Prov, Inc.: choose a test center or Examroom remote proctoring.
- Pass with at least 70%: on the 90-question exam.
- Pay the $115 license fee: issued for three years.
For a deeper walkthrough of qualifying, see our guide to VT-JE requirements, eligibility and prerequisites.
What Moves Vermont Journeyman Pay
Because the sources behind this guide do not publish wages, the most useful thing we can do is lay out the factors that employers and job postings typically use to separate one journeyman offer from another. Treat these as negotiation levers, not guarantees.
| Pay Factor | Why It Matters in Vermont |
|---|---|
| Licensed status | The journeyman license allows independent work and is the baseline requirement for many postings. |
| Work type | Residential service, new construction, commercial, and industrial controls work are priced differently by employers. |
| Employer type | Small contractors, larger electrical firms, and facilities departments structure pay and benefits differently. |
| Specialized skills | Motor controls, special equipment, and special occupancies knowledge can set you apart on complex jobs. |
| Code fluency | Fast, accurate use of the 2023 NEC and Vermont's electrical rules reduces rework and inspection friction. |
| Overtime and on-call | Service and emergency work can change total take-home beyond base hourly rate. |
| Benefits package | Health coverage, retirement contributions, and vehicle or tool allowances affect total compensation. |
Who Hires Licensed Journeymen in Vermont
A Vermont journeyman license opens several employment lanes. The mix of employers varies by region, and Vermont's economy leans toward small and mid-sized businesses, so expect many opportunities with local contractors rather than only large national firms.
- Electrical contractors: residential, commercial, and mixed-practice shops that need licensed hands to run jobs.
- Construction and renovation firms: general contractors that employ or subcontract electrical crews.
- Facilities and maintenance departments: schools, hospitals, ski areas, municipal buildings, and property managers that keep their own electricians.
- Industrial and manufacturing sites: plants where motors, controls, and special equipment dominate daily work.
- Utilities-adjacent and solar installers: companies doing service connections, renewables, and storage installations.
Browse more on this topic in our overview of VT-JE jobs, and see how credential investment pays back in Is the VT-JE certification worth it? A complete ROI analysis.
The Cost Side of the Equation
Earnings analysis is incomplete without the price of getting licensed. The official figures are modest relative to a working electrician's income, which is part of why the credential tends to pay for itself in access to work rather than through any single raise.
| Item | Official Figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Exam fee (Prov, Inc.) | $80 | Paid when scheduling the computer-based exam. |
| Initial journeyman license fee | $115 | Per Title 26 licensing provisions. |
| Renewal fee | $115 | License is valid for three years. |
| Continuing education | 15 hours per 36 months | Board-approved code-update education; provider costs vary. |
| Reference materials | Varies | 2023 NEC, 2025 Vermont Electrical Safety Rules, Ugly's Electrical References 2020, Vermont Statutes Title 26 Chapter 15. |
One important caution: this exam is built on the 2023 NEC. Do not buy a newer 2026 NEC bundle expecting it to match the test, and do not rely on older outlines from other testing programs. Your references should match the bulletin. For the full money picture, see VT-JE certification cost: a complete pricing breakdown.
Why Exam-Domain Mastery Shows Up in Your Earnings
The nine subject areas on the exam are not just test categories; they map to the work that separates a confident journeyman from one who needs constant oversight. The published question allocation, in order, is 7, 30, 20, 3, 15, 4, 3, 3 and 5 questions across the nine areas. Percentages are not inferred here; only the official counts are used.
Domain 2: Wiring & Protection (30 questions)
The largest slice of the exam and the heart of daily journeyman work. Expect questions on conductor sizing, overcurrent protection, grounding and bonding, and the code rules that keep installations safe.
- Overcurrent device selection and conductor protection
- Grounding, bonding, and fault-current pathways
- Applying NEC tables quickly in an open-book setting
Domain 3: Wiring Methods & Materials (20 questions)
Raceways, cables, boxes, and fittings. Mastery here translates directly into faster, cleaner installs and fewer inspection failures.
- Selecting appropriate wiring methods by environment
- Box fill, support, and securing requirements
- Material limitations and permitted uses
Domain 5: Equipment for General Use (15 questions)
Everyday equipment such as lighting, appliances, and general-use gear. High frequency on real job sites makes this valuable beyond the exam.
Domain 1: General Electrical Theory & Principles (7 questions)
Foundational theory including Ohm's law, power, and circuit behavior. A modest question count, but it supports fluency across every other domain.
Domains 4, 6, 7, 8 and 9
Motors & Controls, Special Occupancies, Special Equipment, Special Conditions, and Local Amendments carry smaller question counts individually, but they are where specialized, higher-complexity work lives. Candidates who understand motor controls, hazardous or special locations, and Vermont-specific amendments are better positioned for industrial and specialty roles.
For a full explanation of each area, read VT-JE exam domains: a complete guide to all 9 content areas.
Open-book does not mean easy
The exam is open book with approved references and a simple four-function calculator. Permanent tabs, highlighting, and black or blue-ink handwritten notes are allowed; movable tabs, photocopies, and exam-preparation guides are not. With 90 questions in four hours, you have roughly two and a half minutes per question on average, but the real constraint is how quickly you can locate the right article in the 2023 NEC. Candidates who tab and annotate their references in advance move faster and make fewer lookup errors. To gauge the challenge, see how hard the VT-JE exam is and the VT-JE passing score explained.
A Domain-Based Study Sequence
Rather than a generic schedule, sequence your preparation around where the points are. Wiring & Protection and Wiring Methods & Materials together account for 50 of the 90 questions, so they deserve the earliest and longest attention.
Reference setup and theory
- Tab and annotate the 2023 NEC using only permitted permanent tabs and ink notes
- Review General Electrical Theory & Principles for calculation fluency
Wiring & Protection, then Wiring Methods & Materials
- Drill overcurrent, grounding, and bonding problems against the code book
- Practice selecting wiring methods and applying box fill and support rules
Equipment for General Use and Motors & Controls
- Work through general-use equipment questions
- Review motor circuit protection and control basics
Special areas and Local Amendments
- Cover Special Occupancies, Special Equipment, and Special Conditions
- Study the 2025 State of Vermont Electrical Safety Rules for Local Amendments
Timed full-length practice
- Simulate 90 questions in four hours with only permitted materials
- Revisit the weakest domains
For a fuller plan, read the VT-JE study guide for passing on your first attempt, and try timed questions on our VT-JE practice test site to find weak spots before test day.
Keeping the License Active Protects Your Income
A lapsed license can interrupt your ability to work as a journeyman, which is the fastest way to lose earning power. The license is valid for three years, and renewal carries a $115 fee plus 15 hours of Board-approved code-update education within each 36-month window. Treat renewal as a recurring calendar item, not an afterthought.
Key Takeaway
Put your renewal date and a continuing-education deadline on your calendar the day you pass. Spreading the 15 code-update hours across the three years is easier than cramming them near expiration, and it keeps you current on code changes that affect your work.
Note that the licensing statute details referenced in this guide were read through Cornell LII's reproduction of the Vermont Electrical Safety Rules, Appendix I, rather than a freshly retrieved legislature page. Always confirm current fees and requirements directly with the Vermont Division of Fire Safety before you apply or renew.
Frequently Asked Questions
This guide does not cite a specific wage because the official exam and licensing sources do not publish one. Wages vary by employer, work type, and experience. Check current Vermont job postings and ask employers for their pay scales to get accurate, up-to-date numbers.
The exam fee is $80, paid through Prov, Inc., and the journeyman license fee is $115 for initial issue and for renewal. The license is valid for three years. Reference materials and any continuing-education courses are additional costs.
Yes, with limits. You may use approved references and a simple four-function calculator. Permanent tabs, highlighting, and black or blue-ink handwritten notes are allowed, while movable tabs, photocopies, and exam-preparation guides are not.
The passing score is 70% on the 90-question, four-hour computer-based exam. You can test at a test center or through Examroom remote proctoring, and English and Spanish versions are listed. See our VT-JE pass rate discussion for context on outcomes.
Wiring & Protection has the most questions at 30 of 90, followed by Wiring Methods & Materials at 20 and Equipment for General Use at 15. Prioritize those, then cover the smaller domains so no area becomes a weakness. The VT-JE cheat sheet offers a quick one-page review.
Your earning power as a Vermont journeyman is built on the license, the code fluency behind it, and the range of work you are qualified to take on. Passing the exam is the entry point; staying current and building specialized skills is what grows your income over time. When you are ready to test your knowledge, start with the VT-JE practice questions.