IBEW Pay Scales 2026 — Union Electrician Wages by Local & Classification
Union electrician wages aren't a mystery or a negotiation — they're printed in a contract. Every IBEW local publishes a wage scale, and everyone working under it knows exactly what the job pays. Here's how the scales work, what each classification earns, and what the numbers look like across the country.
How IBEW Pay Scales Work
Every IBEW local negotiates a collective bargaining agreement with its signatory contractors, and that agreement publishes a wage scale for every classification on the job. There’s no individual negotiation, no asking for a raise, no wondering whether the guy next to you makes more for the same work. If you’re a journeyman inside wireman in that local, you earn journeyman scale — same as every other journeyman on the books. Your pay changes when your classification changes or when the contract’s scheduled raises kick in, not when you sweet-talk a manager.
That transparency is one of the biggest practical differences between union and non-union work. The scale is public, predictable, and enforced.
Wage Scale by Classification
Here’s the typical ladder inside an IBEW inside-construction local, using a $45/hour journeyman scale as the example:
| Classification | Typical Rate | Example @ $45/hr Journeyman |
|---|---|---|
| Apprentice | 40-100% of journeyman by year | $18-45/hr |
| CE/CW (Construction Electrician/Wireman) | Below journeyman, tiered | $25-38/hr |
| Inside Wireman Journeyman | 100% (the base scale) | $45/hr |
| Foreman | Journeyman +10-15% | $50-52/hr |
| General Foreman | Journeyman +15-25% | $52-56/hr |
Apprentices earn a percentage of journeyman rate that steps up every year — roughly 40-50% in year 1 and 100% by year 5. We break down the full year-by-year progression, with dollar examples and benefits, on the IBEW apprenticeship pay scale page. The CE/CW classification exists in some locals as an alternative track below journeyman scale — not every local uses it, so check your local’s agreement.
Union Electrician Wages by Region
The classification structure is similar everywhere, but the journeyman rate it’s built on varies dramatically by local. IBEW journeyman scale runs roughly $30-$60+/hour nationwide:
| Region / Example Locals | Journeyman Scale | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago 134, NYC 3, LA 11 | $50-60+/hr | Highest scales, highest cost of living |
| Atlanta 613, Phoenix 640, Seattle 46 | $35-45/hr | Strong mid-market rates |
| Smaller Southern / rural locals | $28-35/hr | Lower scale, often lower cost of living |
For context, the U.S. median electrician salary is roughly $61,000/year per BLS data — union and non-union combined. A journeyman in a top IBEW local working steady hours clears well into six figures before overtime.
Check Rate vs. Total Package
The hourly number on the wage sheet is only part of the story. Signatory contractors also pay into your benefits for every hour you work — and that’s where IBEW compensation pulls away from most non-union shops:
- Pension — local defined-benefit and/or defined-contribution plans
- Health & welfare — medical coverage, often full family, with no premium out of your check
- Annuity — an additional retirement account funded per hour worked
- NEBF — the National Electrical Benefit Fund, a second pension on top of the local one
The total package commonly runs $20-30/hour above the check rate. A $45/hour journeyman scale is realistically a $65-75/hour total compensation package.
Inside vs. Outside (Lineman) Scale
Everything above describes inside wireman scale — commercial and industrial construction. Outside construction (linemen building and maintaining utility transmission and distribution) runs on separate agreements, and outside/line work typically pays above inside wireman scale in the same region. The trade-off is the work itself: storm calls, travel, and weather exposure come with the higher rate.
How Scales Change Over Time
IBEW wage scales aren’t frozen. Most agreements are multi-year contracts with negotiated raises scheduled for each year of the deal — the local votes on how each increase is allocated between the check and the benefits funds. Some agreements include COLA-style increases tied to economic conditions. When a contract expires, the local and the NECA chapter negotiate the next one, and the new scale takes effect for everyone at once.
How to Get on the Scale
There’s one front door to journeyman scale: the IBEW apprenticeship. You earn a percentage of scale from day one, with raises built in every year, and top out at full journeyman rate. And the gate to the apprenticeship is the aptitude test — score well and you interview; score poorly and you wait to retest. If the wage tables above are where you want to be, that test is the first dollar-producing move you can make.
Want on an IBEW pay scale?
The aptitude test is the gate. Free practice test in NJATC format — instant results.
Take the Free Practice TestFrequently Asked Questions
What are IBEW union wages?
IBEW union wages are set by each local’s collective bargaining agreement. Inside wireman journeyman scale runs roughly $30-$60+/hour depending on the local — major urban locals like Chicago 134 or NYC 3 sit at $50-60+/hour, while smaller Southern and rural locals run $28-35/hour. Benefits (pension, health, annuity) add $20-30/hour on top of the check rate.
Which IBEW local pays the most?
The highest journeyman scales are in major urban locals — Chicago Local 134, NYC Local 3, and LA Local 11 all run $50-60+/hour on the check, with total packages well over $80/hour. Remember to weigh cost of living: a mid-scale local in a cheap market can leave more in your pocket.
Do all electricians in an IBEW local earn the same?
Everyone in the same classification earns the same scale — every journeyman inside wireman in a local makes the identical base rate. Pay differences come from classification (apprentice, CE/CW, journeyman, foreman, general foreman) and overtime, not individual negotiation.
How often do IBEW wage rates increase?
Most IBEW agreements are multi-year contracts with scheduled raises built in — typically an annual increase each year of the agreement, allocated between the check and the benefits package. When the contract expires, the local and NECA chapter negotiate the next one.
How much more do IBEW foremen make?
Foremen typically earn journeyman scale plus 10-15%, and general foremen earn journeyman plus 15-25%, per the local agreement. On a $45/hour journeyman scale, that’s roughly $50-52/hour for a foreman and $52-56/hour for a general foreman.
Related Resources
Michael B.
IBEW Local 134 Journeyman · Licensed Contractor · IL Educator
Michael started in the IBEW at 18 and made foreman as a 3rd-year apprentice. Thirteen years in, he’s a Local 134 journeyman, a licensed electrical contractor, a licensed Illinois teacher, and OSHA 30 and EPA 608 certified. He teaches a federally recognized pre-apprenticeship on the south side of Chicago — where he’s helped 100+ students get into the IBEW. He built Sparky AI around exactly what the NJATC exam tests and what trips people up. Prep with this and you walk in ready.