Journeyman electrician under IBEW Local 242 in Duluth, MN earn $43.14/hr in base wages, or $73.33/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 242 runs its own dispatch and out-of-work list. Gulfstream is a private recruiter and does not control hall referral.
The Local 242 pay scale is $43.14 per hour for journeymen in Duluth, MN, or about $86,280 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $73.33 per hour. That is the last wage sheet we can source for this local — confirm the current rate with the hall.
| Local 242 journeyman hourly wage | $43.14 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $73.33 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $86,280 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $19.41–$21.57 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 10/21/22 |
| Classification | Journeyman Inside Wireman |
A Local 242 apprentice in Duluth, MN starts at roughly $19.41 an hour — about 45% of the $43.14 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $32.36 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 242 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $19.41 / hour | $38,826 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $23.73 / hour | $47,454 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $28.04 / hour | $56,082 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $32.36 / hour | $64,710 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $36.67 / hour | $73,338 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $43.14 / hour | $86,280 |
IBEW Local 242 represents skilled inside wiremen, telecommunications workers, and electrical professionals across Northeastern Minnesota and parts of Northwest Wisconsin. Headquartered in Duluth, this local is a critical component of the regional construction economy, providing the specialized labor necessary for the area's diverse industrial, commercial, and residential projects. Members are trained to handle complex electrical systems, ranging from high-voltage industrial applications in the mining and shipping sectors to sophisticated low-voltage data and security networks in modern commercial facilities. The local works in close coordination with the a mechanical contractor Association to maintain rigorous safety and performance standards throughout the Twin Ports and beyond.
The Duluth market presents unique challenges for electrical infrastructure, requiring a workforce that understands local climate demands and the specific needs of the region's heavy industry. Local 242 plays a vital role in supporting the energy transition and modernization of the North Shore's aging infrastructure. Because the jurisdiction includes major shipping hubs and natural resource extraction sites, the electrical work here is often more specialized than in standard metropolitan markets. Signatory contractors rely on the local's Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee to supply a pipeline of journey-level talent capable of maintaining the rigorous uptime requirements of these essential economic drivers, ensuring that projects remain on schedule and within budget.
Based on the schedule effective October 21, 2022, the journeyman inside wireman hourly rate for Local 242 is $43.14. When accounting for the full fringe benefit package, the total compensation reaches $73.33 per hour. Apprentices typically begin their careers at a percentage of the journeyman rate, often starting between 40% and 50% and increasing incrementally as they complete required classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones. These scheduled increases occur at regular intervals—usually every 1,000 to 2,000 work hours—provided the apprentice remains in good standing with the JATC. The $30.19 per hour difference between the check and the total package covers essential benefits including health insurance, retirement contributions, and ongoing training, ensuring long-term financial stability for the worker and their family.
The chartered jurisdiction of IBEW Local 242 covers a vast territory centered in Duluth, Minnesota, and extending across the Arrowhead region and into portions of Douglas County, Wisconsin. This includes the major shipping corridors along Lake Superior and the industrial hubs of the Iron Range. The territory is governed by specific travel and subsistence rules outlined in the Inside Agreement, which dictate how members are dispatched to remote job sites. Work under this agreement encompasses all interior electrical wiring, power distribution, lighting systems, and control wiring for commercial and industrial structures. Members may also be dispatched to support renewable energy projects, such as wind farms and solar arrays, which have become increasingly prevalent in the rural stretches of the jurisdiction.
The signatory contractor landscape in the Duluth region consists of a mix of large-scale national electrical firms and locally owned specialized shops. These contractors frequently collaborate on significant industrial projects at the ports and refineries, as well as institutional builds for healthcare and higher education. Hiring typically follows the referral hall model, where contractors request manpower based on project volume. During peak construction seasons, especially during industrial shutdowns or large-scale commercial developments, the demand for licensed wiremen increases significantly. The local maintains a strong market share in the industrial and heavy commercial sectors, providing a stable environment for contractors to bid on complex, multi-year projects using a highly skilled labor pool.
The apprenticeship program typically spans five years. It requires 8,000 hours of supervised on-the-job training and approximately 900 hours of related classroom instruction. This comprehensive approach ensures that graduates are fully prepared to take the state journeyman exam and handle the complexities of the modern electrical trade.
While the primary focus of the Inside Agreement is on commercial and industrial projects, Local 242 does have signatory contractors that perform residential work. However, residential projects often fall under a separate residential addendum or agreement with different wage scales and classifications than the standard inside wireman commercial rate.
Opportunities for travelers depend entirely on the local 'Book 1' work situation. During large industrial shutdowns or massive infrastructure projects, Local 242 may exhaust its local workforce and open calls to 'Book 2' travelers. Interested members should check the current dispatch report or contact the hall before traveling to the area.
Because the jurisdiction crosses state lines, members are often encouraged to hold licenses in both Minnesota and Wisconsin. The JATC frequently offers code update classes to help members maintain their licenses and stay current with the specific National Electrical Code adoptions and amendments in both states.
IBEW Local 242 is seated in Duluth, Minnesota (MN). We hold published wage sheets for 13 locals across Minnesota — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Duluth and the rest of Minnesota, including contractors signatory to IBEW Local 242. 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 242 pay scale is $43.14 per hour for journeymen in Duluth, MN, or about $86,280 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $73.33 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 242 agreement make $43.14 an hour in base wages, or $73.33 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.
$43.14 per hour base wage and $73.33 per hour total package for a journeyman in Duluth, MN, effective 10/21/22. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $86,280 before overtime.
A Local 242 apprentice in Duluth, MN starts at roughly $19.41 an hour — about 45% of the $43.14 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $32.36 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 242 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $19.41 an hour, or roughly $38,826 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $43.14 journeyman rate effective 10/21/22. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $28.04 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $32.36 an hour in the fourth period and $43.14 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 242 training center.
The current IBEW Local 242 journeyman rate is $43.14/hour, with a total package of $73.33/hour including fringe benefits, effective 10/21/22. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $86,280 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 242 business office before relying on the figure.
The $43.14/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $73.33/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 242 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 $43.14/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $19.41–$21.57/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
IBEW Local 242 is headquartered in Duluth, MN 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 242 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 242 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 242 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 242 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 242 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 242 against neighboring jurisdictions and other electricians markets.