Journeyman electrician under IBEW Local 16 in Evansville, IN earn $49.11/hr in base wages, or $80.43/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective May 2026.
IBEW Local 16 runs its own dispatch and out-of-work list. Gulfstream is a private recruiter and does not control hall referral.
The Local 16 pay scale for 2026 is $49.11 per hour for journeymen in Evansville, IN, or about $98,220 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $80.43 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 5/31/26.
| Local 16 journeyman hourly wage | $49.11 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $80.43 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $98,220 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $22.10–$24.56 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 5/31/26 |
| Classification | Journeyman Inside Wireman |
A Local 16 apprentice in Evansville, IN starts at roughly $22.10 an hour — about 45% of the $49.11 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $36.83 an hour by the fourth year and full scale on turning out. These are the standard percentage steps of scale, not a wage sheet Local 16 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $22.10 / hour | $44,199 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $27.01 / hour | $54,021 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $31.92 / hour | $63,843 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $36.83 / hour | $73,665 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $41.74 / hour | $83,487 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $49.11 / hour | $98,220 |
IBEW Local 16 represents professional inside wiremen and electrical workers across Evansville and the surrounding Southern Indiana region. As a cornerstone of the tri-state area's construction industry, this local provides the skilled labor force required for complex industrial facilities, commercial developments, and public infrastructure. Since 2014, Gulfstream Strategic Placements has monitored the labor landscape in this territory, where the union maintains a rigorous standard for technical proficiency and safety. The local is central to the Evansville market, ensuring that large-scale projects have access to a reliable pipeline of journey-level electricians who have completed standardized Department of Labor-certified training programs.
The Evansville market is characterized by a heavy industrial presence, including power generation, automotive manufacturing, and chemical processing facilities that demand high-voltage expertise. Local 16 serves as the primary labor partner for signatory contractors operating within these high-stakes environments. Beyond industrial applications, the local's jurisdiction includes significant healthcare construction and educational campus expansions. By maintaining a collective bargaining agreement that balances competitive wages with comprehensive benefits, Local 16 ensures a stable economic environment for both the individual tradespeople and the signatory mechanical and electrical firms that drive the region's vertical and horizontal construction pipelines.
Under the current collective bargaining agreement, IBEW Local 16 Journeyman Inside Wiremen earn a taxable hourly rate of $49.11. When accounting for the full fringe benefit load, the total compensation package reaches $80.43 per hour, effective May 31, 2026. This comprehensive package includes employer contributions to health insurance, retirement funds, and specialized training. Apprentices within the Local 16 JATC program follow a structured wage progression typically starting at 40% to 50% of the journeyman rate. As they complete required classroom hours and reach on-the-job milestones—usually spanning five years—their percentage increases annually. This tiered system ensures that labor costs remain scalable for contractors while providing a clear, performance-based career path for the apprentice as they master the electrical trade.
The jurisdiction of IBEW Local 16 covers a significant portion of Southwest Indiana, centered in Evansville. The territory extends throughout several counties, ensuring that signatory contractors have a wide reach for residential, commercial, and industrial electrical work. The local manages a dispatch system that prioritizes members based on their specific classifications and experience levels. Work performed under this agreement includes the installation, maintenance, and repair of all electrical systems, ranging from low-voltage data and fire alarm systems to heavy industrial motor controls and power distribution. Members must adhere to the residency and travel rules established by the local's bylaws when working on projects across the various counties within this chartered Indiana territory.
The signatory contractor landscape for IBEW Local 16 is comprised of a diverse mix of regional electrical primes and specialized industrial subcontractors. These firms range from large-scale mechanical contractors who integrate electrical services into major builds to smaller shops focused on commercial service and maintenance. Hiring activity is generally driven by industrial shutdowns, new healthcare facility construction, and municipal infrastructure upgrades. Because these contractors are signatory to the Local 16 agreement, they benefit from a pre-screened, drug-tested, and highly trained workforce, which reduces their internal recruitment overhead. This relationship allows contractors to scale their manpower up or down rapidly based on project demands in the Evansville metro area.
The Journeyman hourly rate of $49.11 is the taxable amount paid directly in the worker's paycheck. The Total Package of $80.43 includes that wage plus an additional $31.32 per hour in employer-paid benefits like health insurance and pension. This total represents the true hourly cost of labor for a signatory contractor.
Yes, Local 16 provides ongoing training and certification programs for its members, including EVITP for electric vehicle infrastructure, instrumentation, and OSHA safety standards. These certifications are often required by the large industrial and power generation clients within the Evansville jurisdiction to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations.
Wage increases are determined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiated between the union and NECA. These typically occur on an annual basis, often in late May. The current schedule reflects a set increase effective May 31, 2026, though specific allocations between wages and fringes are decided by the membership.
Transferring, or 'moving your card,' is governed by the IBEW Constitution and Local 16's specific bylaws. Generally, a member must be in good standing with their home local and may work in Local 16's jurisdiction as a traveler initially. Permanent transfers usually require a period of local employment and approval by the executive board.
IBEW Local 16 is seated in Evansville, Indiana (IN). We hold published wage sheets for 16 locals across Indiana — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Evansville and the rest of Indiana, including contractors signatory to IBEW Local 16. Our office is in South Corona, California and we place union-scale tradespeople and field leadership nationwide.
Gulfstream Strategic Placements, 4160 Temescal Canyon Road, Suite 401, Corona, CA 92883. Phone (951) 208-7780. Email hello@gulfstreamsp.com. Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM–5:00 PM Pacific.View our verified Google Business Profile
Journeyman scales as last published by each local. Rates change every contract cycle — confirm with the hall.
The Local 16 pay scale for 2026 is $49.11 per hour for journeymen in Evansville, IN, or about $98,220 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $80.43 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 5/31/26.
Journeyman electrician under the IBEW Local 16 agreement make $49.11 an hour in base wages, or $80.43 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 5/31/26. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$49.11 per hour base wage and $80.43 per hour total package for a journeyman in Evansville, IN, effective 5/31/26. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $98,220 before overtime.
A Local 16 apprentice in Evansville, IN starts at roughly $22.10 an hour — about 45% of the $49.11 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $36.83 an hour by the fourth year and full scale on turning out. These are the standard percentage steps of scale, not a wage sheet Local 16 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $22.10 an hour, or roughly $44,199 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $49.11 journeyman rate effective 5/31/26. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $31.92 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $36.83 an hour in the fourth period and $49.11 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 16 training center.
The current IBEW Local 16 journeyman rate is $49.11/hour, with a total package of $80.43/hour including fringe benefits, effective 5/31/26. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $98,220 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 16 business office before relying on the figure.
The $49.11/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $80.43/hour total package adds employer-paid fringes — health and welfare, pension, annuity, apprenticeship training, and industry funds. Contractors bid work off the total package, so that is the number that matters when comparing electricians labor costs across locals.
Apprentices under the IBEW Local 16 agreement are paid a graduated percentage of the journeyman rate, typically starting near 40–50% in the first period and stepping up each six-month or annual period until reaching 100% at turnout. Against the current $49.11/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $22.10–$24.56/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
IBEW Local 16 is headquartered in Evansville, IN and dispatches electricians manpower throughout its chartered jurisdiction. Work performed inside that territory falls under the local's collective bargaining agreement and wage schedule, even when the contractor is based elsewhere and travels in.
Most locals require applicants to be at least 18, legally able to work in the U.S., hold a high school diploma or GED, pass a basic math/aptitude assessment and a drug screen, and be physically able to perform electricians work. Some Local 16 programs give preference to applicants inside the jurisdiction or to veterans. Eligibility rules are set by the local's Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC), so confirm the current criteria with the hall before applying.
Apprenticeship applications go through the IBEW Local 16 JATC, not through a contractor or a recruiter. Applications typically open in defined intake windows each year: you submit the application with proof of age, education, and residency, sit for an aptitude test, and then interview. Ranked applicants are placed on an eligibility list and indentured as signatory contractors call for apprentices. Gulfstream Strategic Placements does not process apprenticeship applications — contact the Local 16 training center directly.
Electricians apprenticeships generally run four to five years — roughly 8,000–10,000 hours of on-the-job training plus several hundred classroom hours per year. Apprentices earn a paycheck the entire time, stepping up through the wage periods until they turn out as journeymen at 100% of scale.
Signatory contractors hire through the local's hiring hall, so working under the IBEW Local 16 agreement generally means being a member or being organized in through the local's process. Journeymen from other locals can travel in by signing the out-of-work book, subject to the local's referral rules and manpower needs. Non-union electricians professionals are usually placed with open-shop contractors instead — we recruit for both.
Rates move with the collective bargaining agreement, typically on a fixed anniversary date each year of a three- to five-year contract, with negotiated increases split between the base wage and the fringe package. The figures on this page reflect the 5/31/26 schedule; check with the Local 16 business office for any increase that has taken effect since.
Wage rates vary widely by local and market. Use the Union Pay Scale Explorer to sort every UA and SMART local by hourly wage, total package, and annualized pay so you can benchmark Local 16 against neighboring jurisdictions and other electricians markets.