Last updated May 20, 2026. Wage anchors use BLS OEWS May 2025 national data; occupation matching is interpreted for factory automation roles with help from O*NET occupation definitions.
Panel builder salary data is easy to underread because many public wage categories group skilled control-panel work together with broader electrical and electromechanical assembly. A factory automation panel builder may be reading schematics, laying out backpanels, wiring PLCs and drives, building to UL 508A or CSA expectations, and troubleshooting before the panel ever reaches a machine.
The Official Data Problem
The closest BLS occupation for many panel-building jobs is electrical, electronic, and electromechanical assemblers. In May 2025 OEWS data, that group had a national median of $45,850, with the 75th percentile at $51,670 and the 90th percentile at $62,950.
That number can be useful as a floor, but it may understate skilled automation panel work. A panel builder who can interpret electrical prints, wire PLC I/O, terminate drives, label accurately, test circuits, and catch drawing errors is doing more than repetitive assembly.
What Moves Panel Builder Pay Up
Pay rises with blueprint reading, layout skill, neat wiring, troubleshooting ability, panel testing, field feedback, UL 508A familiarity, and experience with real controls hardware. A person who can build cleanly and identify a bad design before shipment saves rework, travel, and customer downtime.
Some shops separate panel builders from electrical technicians. Others expect panel builders to move into machine wiring, debug, or installation. The wider the scope, the more the pay should be compared against electrical technician or industrial electrician markets, not only assembler data.
Candidate Advice
A strong panel builder resume should mention schematic reading, wire numbering, DIN rail layout, PLC and drive wiring, cable management, testing, torque practices, enclosure work, and any UL 508A or CSA panel exposure.
Photos of clean work can help if you are allowed to share them without exposing employer or customer information. Panel work is visual, and neatness is a real signal.
Employer Advice
Do not write a panel-builder posting like a generic assembler ad if you need someone who can read controls drawings and build independently. Name the panel standards, tools, hardware, and quality expectations.
If the job has a path into field wiring, controls technician work, or debug, say so. Good panel builders often want to know whether the role can grow beyond the shop floor.
BLS Wage Anchors To Compare
Data note: The BLS assembler category is broad, so this guide treats it as a baseline and compares it with adjacent electrical technician/electrician markets when the panel-building scope is more technical.
| BLS occupation | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 51-2028 – Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers | $38,380 | $45,850 | $51,670 | $62,950 |
| 17-3023 – Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $61,610 | $78,190 | $97,650 | $115,700 |
| 47-2111 – Electricians | $49,430 | $63,190 | $83,940 | $108,510 |
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How To Use This Guide
For candidates, compare the job description against the responsibility level in this guide. A title alone is not enough. Look for the platforms, equipment, travel, shift, startup pressure, and troubleshooting authority.
For employers, use the guide to decide whether the posting is priced like the work you actually need. Better detail usually means fewer weak applications and more serious candidates from the PLC, controls, robotics, and industrial electrical market.
Use this guide
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