Workers’ comp insurance cost for electricians in North Carolina

Q: What does workers' comp cost electrical contractors in North Carolina?

Modeled from the 2024 filed manual rate of $2.71 per $100 of payroll: a <5-employee electrical shop lands around $1.3k–$5.2k per year before experience mods and schedule credits.

Q: What drives the rate up or down?

Three levers: payroll (the exposure base), claims history (the experience modifier), and schedule credits/debits the insurer applies. Electrical wiring work is NCCI class 5190 — it covers electrical wiring within buildings, including installation of fixtures and appliances.

Published 2026-06-05 · Updated 2026-06-11 · by Brokly

Direct answer: North Carolina electrical contractors pay a filed workers’-comp manual rate of $2.71 per $100 of payroll (2024 filed rate) — the 18th-highest of 51 US jurisdictions. Modeled on real payrolls, most <5-employee electrical contractors land around $1.3k–$5.2k/yr, before experience mods and schedule credits.

60% of NC electrical contractors have <5 employees — the chart below prices every size band from its own observed payroll.
North Carolina sits 18th of 51: AL pays more ($2.93), TX less ($2.51).
Workers’ comp is one of several coverages — see everything your electrical shop needs in North Carolina →

What do North Carolina electrical contractors pay for workers’ comp?

Modeled annual premium across the real size distribution of NC electrical contractors

bar height = how many electrical contractors are that size · figures = modeled annual cost

typical · most NC electrical contractors

▼

<5 emp

≈$2.2k/yr

5–9 emp

≈$8.2k/yr

10–19 emp

≈$19k/yr

20–49 emp

≈$51k/yr

50–99 emp

≈$140k/yr

100–249 emp

≈$290k/yr

SMALLER

MID-SIZE

LARGER

A <5-employee NC electrical shop: modeled $1.3k–$5.2k/yr in workers’-comp premium (that band’s own average wage, before experience mods and schedule credits). Bar heights show how many of the 3,089 NC electrical contractors fall in each size band.

Cohort: size distribution of 3,089 NC electrical contractors (Census CBP 2023); premiums modeled from one filed rate ($2.71/$100 payroll, 2024). Bands shown cover 3,085 of 3,089 establishments (99.9%) — 4 establishments in larger, very small-count, or data-suppressed size bands are not shown. 2023 payroll dollars, not inflation-adjusted. Illustrative benchmark — not a quote or coverage recommendation.

Filed manual rate (NC)

$2.71 / $100 payroll

as of 2024

Typical <5-employee electrical shop (60% of NC)

$1.3k–$5.2k / yr modeled

as of 2024 · CBP 2023

Sources: Oregon DCBS workers' compensation premium rate ranking study, June 2025 (calendar-year 2024 rates) (as of calendar year 2024, retrieved 2026-06-04) · US Census County Business Patterns 2023, state file (Electrical contractors (NAICS 238210)) (as of 2023, retrieved 2026-06-05)

How does North Carolina compare to nearby ranks?

Calculated manual rates, $ per $100 payroll, NCCI class 5190 (Electrical Wiring — Within Buildings), 2024. See all 51 jurisdictions →

Rank	State	Rate / $100 payroll
14	Oklahoma	$2.87
15	California	$2.78
16	Louisiana	$2.75
17	Pennsylvania	$2.72
18	North Carolina	$2.71
19	Minnesota	$2.67
20	Maine	$2.63
21	Missouri	$2.56
22	Wisconsin	$2.53

Sources: Oregon DCBS workers' compensation premium rate ranking study, June 2025 (calendar-year 2024 rates) (as of calendar year 2024, retrieved 2026-06-04)

Frequently asked questions

What does workers' comp cost electrical contractors in North Carolina?

Modeled from the 2024 filed manual rate of $2.71 per $100 of payroll: a <5-employee electrical shop lands around $1.3k–$5.2k per year before experience mods and schedule credits.

What drives the rate up or down?

Three levers: payroll (the exposure base), claims history (the experience modifier), and schedule credits/debits the insurer applies. Electrical wiring work is NCCI class 5190 — it covers electrical wiring within buildings, including installation of fixtures and appliances.

Electricians in nearby-ranked states: Minnesota ($2.67) · Pennsylvania ($2.72) · Louisiana ($2.75) · California ($2.78)

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Illustrative benchmark — not a quote or coverage recommendation. Figures are modeled from public filings and Census data for 3,089 North Carolina electrical contractors; your premium depends on your payroll, claims history, and carrier.