Northern Virginia Data Center Expansion Drives Demand for High-Paying Electrician Jobs
The expansion of data centers in Northern Virginia is increasing demand for electricians and other skilled trades workers, with experienced workers saying apprentices can reach six-figure annual earnings without college debt. Union and contractor representatives described growing hiring needs tied to construction, maintenance and infrastructure upgrades across Loudoun County.
The growth of artificial intelligence and data centers in Northern Virginia is creating strong demand for electricians, according to veteran tradesman Andrew Miller. Speaking inside a data center in Ashburn, Miller said the industry cannot train electricians quickly enough and argued that skilled-trades careers can provide young workers with six-figure incomes without the debt associated with a four-year college degree.
Bill McGraw of electrical contractor J.E. Richards said apprentices affiliated with International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 26 can begin at roughly $27 to $28 an hour, while journeyman electricians may earn about $62 an hour. Don Slaiman said Local 26's hiring hall has grown from fewer than 9,000 workers to more than 17,500 as Loudoun County's data center industry has expanded. The article said more than 230 data centers had been built or were under construction in the county as of March 2026, with 116 additional projects in the pipeline.