Commercial electrical hiring in Modesto.
Sutter Health broke ground on a $380M, 165,000 sq ft cancer center on the Memorial Medical Center campus. Healthcare-construction electricians now run about 8% above national — the clear premium in this metro.
A $380M cancer center, plus new roads and homes.
Electrical hiring in Modesto is shaped by a genuinely large healthcare project alongside significant infrastructure growth.
Sutter Health broke ground in January 2026 on a $380M Advanced Cancer Center and Care Complex — a four-story, 165,000 sq ft facility on the Memorial Medical Center campus with cancer treatment on the first two floors, a 4-OR ambulatory surgery center on the third, and 50+ outpatient exam rooms on the fourth, completing by 2029. Emergency-power and surgical-suite life-safety electrical systems across this multi-floor buildout are exactly why healthcare-construction electricians carry the clear premium in this metro.
Separately, North County Corridor Phase 1 is building a new four-lane, access-controlled expressway with a Roselle Avenue interchange, adding sustained lighting and signal electrical demand.
Capital projects driving Modesto electrical demand
- Sutter Health Advanced Cancer Center and Care Complex$380M
A four-story, 165,000 sq ft facility on the Memorial Medical Center campus — cancer treatment on floors 1-2, a 4-OR ambulatory surgery center on floor 3, and 50+ outpatient exam rooms on floor 4. Emergency-power and surgical-suite life-safety electrical systems across four floors are why healthcare-construction electricians carry the clear premium in this metro, with completion targeted by 2029.
- North County Corridor Phase 1Undisclosed
A new four-lane, access-controlled expressway with a new interchange at Roselle Avenue and grade-separated structures over the BNSF rail line — sustained lighting and signal electrical demand across the buildout.
What you'll actually pay — by role.
Standard commercial electrical work runs about 5-7% above BLS national averages. Healthcare-construction electricians carry the clear premium at about 8% above national, tied to Sutter Health's cancer center.
| Role | Modesto wage range | National average | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial electrician (journeyman) | $29 – $38/hr | $27 – $34/hr | +7% |
| Commercial electrician (apprentice, 3rd-4th year) | $21 – $26/hr | $19 – $24/hr | +7% |
| Healthcare-construction electrician | $32 – $42/hr | $29 – $38/hr | +8% |
| Low-voltage / controls electrician | $28 – $36/hr | $26 – $33/hr | +7% |
| Building automation systems (BAS) technician | $31 – $39/hr | $29 – $37/hr | +5% |
| Electrical foreman | $35 – $44/hr | $33 – $42/hr | +5% |
| Electrical project manager | $42 – $55/hr | $40 – $52/hr | +5% |
| Electrical superintendent | $48 – $61/hr | $46 – $58/hr | +5% |
| Electrical estimator (5+ yrs) | $44 – $57/hr | $42 – $54/hr | +5% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Modesto MSA. Ranges reflect 25th-75th percentile, projected to 2026. Actual offer rates depend on certifications, healthcare experience, and years of experience.
What it takes to win the hire in Modesto.
Notes from our own placements in this market — not a ranking of specific competitor contractors.
Where the talent actually comes from
Modesto's own commercial electrical labor pool covers standard journeyman demand well, carrying a solid regional premium. Healthcare-construction electricians are sourced more selectively, often from candidates with prior hospital-facility electrical experience ahead of Sutter Health's 2029 completion target.
Credentials to filter for
California licenses electrical contractors statewide through the CSLB's C-10 specialty classification; any project valued at $1,000 or more requires a licensed contractor as of AB 2622 (January 2025). For Sutter Health work specifically, prior experience with surgical-suite emergency power and occupied-space, infection-control-compliant work matters as much as the license itself.
What candidates actually expect
Healthcare-construction electricians know Sutter Health's cancer center is a multi-year project running through 2029 — expect them to weigh that timeline against the stability of a defined, long-running healthcare construction pipeline.
What kills hires in this market
Treating surgical-suite emergency-power electrical work as interchangeable with standard commercial electrical. The documented +8% premium exists because that scope carries real code and safety stakes that generalist electricians aren't staffed to handle.
Realistic timelines by role
Standard commercial journeyman electricians: 4-6 weeks. Healthcare-construction electricians: 6-8 weeks, because Sutter Health's $380M cancer center is drawing on a specialized labor pool ahead of its 2029 completion.
The positions we fill, most often.
- Healthcare-construction electrician — The hardest hire in the region — emergency-power and surgical-suite life-safety systems for Sutter Health's $380M cancer center.
- Commercial electrician (journeyman) — Core field role across every commercial and institutional project in the metro.
- Electrical foreman — Runs crews on both conventional commercial work and Sutter Health's four-story buildout.
- Electrical superintendent — Oversees multi-crew electrical scope on the largest jobs — healthcare delivery experience is the clear premium hire.
- Electrical project manager — Coordinates scheduling, procurement, and subcontractor management across Sutter Health's cancer center through 2029.
- Building automation systems (BAS) technician — Controls integration for commercial and institutional buildings across the metro.
- Low-voltage / controls electrician — Data, security, and life-safety systems wiring for conventional commercial builds.
- Electrical estimator — Prices bids across a market where hospital scope carries materially different code and unit-cost requirements than conventional commercial work.
- Electrical apprentice (3rd-4th year) — Pipeline talent working toward CSLB C-10 licensure.
For the full commercial electrical role catalog, see the Commercial Electrical industry page.
How My Trade Talent hires electrical talent in Modesto.
We don't run a generic trades desk. We track Modesto's electrical labor market specifically — Sutter Health's 2029 completion timeline and California's CSLB licensing structure. We source healthcare-construction electricians from candidates with prior hospital-facility experience, then screen against the market's actual wage data — not guesswork.
Frequently asked questions.
How much do commercial electricians make in Modesto?
Journeyman commercial electricians in Modesto run $29-$38/hr, about 7% above the national average of $27-$34/hr — in line with California's statewide cost-of-labor premium. Healthcare-construction electricians run higher, $32-$42/hr, about 8% above the comparable national range — the clear premium in this metro, tied to Sutter Health's $380M cancer center.
How long does it take to hire a commercial electrician in Modesto?
Standard commercial journeyman electricians: 4-6 weeks from intake to signed offer. Healthcare-construction electricians run 6-8 weeks, because Sutter Health's $380M cancer center is drawing on a specialized labor pool ahead of its 2029 completion.
Why do healthcare-construction electricians earn more in Modesto?
Sutter Health broke ground in January 2026 on a $380 million, four-story, 165,000 sq ft Advanced Cancer Center and Care Complex on the Memorial Medical Center campus, including a 4-OR ambulatory surgery center. Emergency-power and surgical-suite life-safety electrical work is a scarcer, more specialized skill set than standard commercial electrical, worth about an 8% wage premium.
What licensing does a commercial electrician need in Modesto?
California licenses electrical contractors statewide through the Contractors State License Board (CSLB), using the C-10 specialty classification. Any project valued at $1,000 or more requires a licensed contractor as of Assembly Bill 2622 (January 2025).
Where does My Trade Talent find electrical candidates for Modesto?
Modesto's own commercial electrical labor pool covers standard journeyman demand well. For healthcare-construction electricians, we source more selectively from candidates with prior hospital-facility electrical experience.
Does My Trade Talent have an office in Modesto?
No. We're headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. We serve Modesto clients remotely with same-day intake calls, market-specific candidate sourcing, and on-site visits as needed.
Hiring commercial electricians in Modesto?
Tell us the role. We'll tell you wages, timeline, and where we'd source the candidate — in under 30 minutes.
My Trade Talent is headquartered in St. Louis, MO, serving commercial trades clients across the continental US — including the Modesto CA MSA.