Journeyman electrician under IBEW Local 1701 in Owensboro, KY earn $32.37/hr in base wages, or $49.98/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Oct 2022. This sheet is more than 2 years old, so confirm the current rate with the hall before quoting it.
IBEW Local 1701 runs its own dispatch and out-of-work list. Gulfstream is a private recruiter and does not control hall referral.
The Local 1701 pay scale is $32.37 per hour for journeymen in Owensboro, KY, or about $64,740 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $49.98 per hour. That is the last wage sheet we can source for this local — confirm the current rate with the hall.
| Local 1701 journeyman hourly wage | $32.37 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $49.98 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $64,740 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $14.57–$16.19 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 10/21/22 |
| Classification | Journeyman Inside Wireman |
A Local 1701 apprentice in Owensboro, KY starts at roughly $14.57 an hour — about 45% of the $32.37 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $24.28 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 1701 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $14.57 / hour | $29,133 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $17.80 / hour | $35,607 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $21.04 / hour | $42,081 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $24.28 / hour | $48,555 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $27.51 / hour | $55,029 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $32.37 / hour | $64,740 |
IBEW Local 1701 represents skilled electrical workers across the Owensboro, Kentucky region and surrounding counties. This local is a cornerstone of the Western Kentucky labor market, providing a steady supply of qualified inside wiremen for commercial, industrial, and residential projects. As part of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the local ensures that members are trained to the highest safety standards, maintaining a rigorous apprenticeship program that feeds into the region’s growing infrastructure needs. The market is defined by a mix of heavy industrial facilities, healthcare expansions, and municipal developments that require sophisticated electrical systems and reliable long-term maintenance.
The strength of Local 1701 lies in its ability to provide signatory contractors with a highly mobile and adaptable workforce. For the tradesperson, this means access to stable employment under a collective bargaining agreement that guarantees fair compensation and comprehensive benefits. The Owensboro market serves as a hub for the Green River region, and the local's presence ensures that large-scale energy and manufacturing projects remain staffed by local talent rather than out-of-state non-union labor. Since 2014, Gulfstream Strategic Placements has tracked the movement of skilled labor in this territory, recognizing Local 1701 as a vital component of the state's mechanical and electrical contracting landscape.
Based on the figures effective October 2022, the Journeyman Inside Wireman rate for IBEW Local 1701 is established at $32.37 per hour. When factoring in the comprehensive benefits package, the total compensation reaches $49.98 per hour. Apprentices in this jurisdiction typically follow a five-year progression, starting at a percentage of the journeyman rate—often beginning around 40-50% and increasing annually as they complete required classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones. By the final year of the apprenticeship, workers generally earn roughly 80-85% of the full scale. These incremental raises are contingent upon successful performance reviews and the mastery of complex electrical theory and practical application, ensuring that by the time a member reaches journeyman status, they have earned their full $49.98 package through demonstrated skill.
The jurisdiction of IBEW Local 1701 is centered in Owensboro and extends through the Green River area of Western Kentucky. The chartered territory covers several key counties, including Daviess, Hancock, and Henderson, where members are dispatched to various job sites ranging from industrial riverfront facilities to commercial retail developments. The local manages a referral system that prioritizes members based on their classification and seniority on the out-of-work list. Jurisdiction covers all electrical work including power distribution, lighting, telecommunications, and control systems within the designated geographic boundaries. Members must be prepared to travel throughout these counties to meet the manpower demands of signatory contractors, particularly for large-scale industrial shutdowns or new institutional builds.
The contractor landscape for Local 1701 consists of a diverse group of signatory employers ranging from small specialty shops to large-scale industrial electrical firms. These contractors operate primarily in the commercial and industrial sectors, servicing the region's manufacturing plants, hospitals, and educational institutions. Many of these firms are members of the a mechanical contractor Association (NECA), working in tandem with the local to maintain labor stability. The hiring environment is typically project-driven, with significant manpower spikes during major industrial outages or municipal infrastructure projects. Skilled wiremen in this market often find long-term stability by moving between prime contractors that handle the region’s ongoing maintenance and new construction cycles.
As of the October 2022 update, the total package for a Journeyman Electrician is $49.98. This includes the $32.37 hourly check wage plus $17.61 in fringe benefits such as health insurance, pension contributions, and training funds. This package ensures members have both immediate income and long-term financial security.
Yes, Kentucky requires electrical licensure. Journeymen working within Local 1701's jurisdiction must hold a valid Kentucky Electrician License issued by the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction. The local's JATC often provides the necessary coursework and hours verification required to sit for the state exam.
Wage rates and fringe benefits are determined through collective bargaining between IBEW Local 1701 and the regional NECA chapter. These agreements usually span three years, with scheduled incremental increases. The current cited rate became effective in late 2022, and subsequent adjustments should be verified through the local's business manager.
Travelers and those seeking to relocate must follow the IBEW Constitution's procedures for transferring membership. This typically involves signing the Book 2 out-of-work list for work in Owensboro. Permanent transfers (changing your 'home' local) require approval from the Local 1701 executive board and are generally based on local manpower needs.
IBEW Local 1701 is seated in Owensboro, Kentucky (KY). We hold published wage sheets for 6 locals across Kentucky — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Owensboro and the rest of Kentucky, including contractors signatory to IBEW Local 1701. 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 1701 pay scale is $32.37 per hour for journeymen in Owensboro, KY, or about $64,740 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $49.98 per hour. That is the last wage sheet we can source for this local — confirm the current rate with the hall.
Journeyman electrician under the IBEW Local 1701 agreement make $32.37 an hour in base wages, or $49.98 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 10/21/22. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$32.37 per hour base wage and $49.98 per hour total package for a journeyman in Owensboro, KY, effective 10/21/22. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $64,740 before overtime.
A Local 1701 apprentice in Owensboro, KY starts at roughly $14.57 an hour — about 45% of the $32.37 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $24.28 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 1701 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $14.57 an hour, or roughly $29,133 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $32.37 journeyman rate effective 10/21/22. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $21.04 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $24.28 an hour in the fourth period and $32.37 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 1701 training center.
The current IBEW Local 1701 journeyman rate is $32.37/hour, with a total package of $49.98/hour including fringe benefits, effective 10/21/22. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $64,740 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 1701 business office before relying on the figure.
The $32.37/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $49.98/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 1701 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 $32.37/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $14.57–$16.19/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
IBEW Local 1701 is headquartered in Owensboro, KY 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 1701 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 1701 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 1701 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 1701 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 10/21/22 schedule; check with the Local 1701 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 1701 against neighboring jurisdictions and other electricians markets.