Journeyman electrician under IBEW Local 278 in Corpus Christi, TX earn $30.80/hr in base wages, or $40.72/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Nov 2024.
IBEW Local 278 runs its own dispatch and out-of-work list. Gulfstream is a private recruiter and does not control hall referral.
The Local 278 pay scale is $30.80 per hour for journeymen in Corpus Christi, TX, or about $61,600 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $40.72 per hour. That is the rate in force, effective 11/1/24.
| Local 278 journeyman hourly wage | $30.80 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $40.72 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $61,600 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $13.86–$15.40 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 11/1/24 |
| Classification | Journeyman Inside Wireman |
A Local 278 apprentice in Corpus Christi, TX starts at roughly $13.86 an hour — about 45% of the $30.80 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $23.10 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 278 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $13.86 / hour | $27,720 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $16.94 / hour | $33,880 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $20.02 / hour | $40,040 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $23.10 / hour | $46,200 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $26.18 / hour | $52,360 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $30.80 / hour | $61,600 |
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 278 represents skilled inside wiremen and electrical professionals across the South Texas Coastal Bend. Based in Corpus Christi, this local is a central hub for providing qualified electrical labor to the region's diverse industrial and commercial sectors. The union maintains rigorous standards for safety and technical proficiency, ensuring that all signatory contractors have access to a workforce capable of handling high-voltage systems and complex control wiring. Because of the heavy industrial presence near the port, the local emphasizes specialized training in hazardous locations and industrial automation, which are critical for the regional energy infrastructure.
The market for Local 278 is driven largely by the massive industrial footprint along the Gulf Coast, including refineries, liquefied natural gas terminals, and manufacturing facilities. Beyond industrial work, the local provides manpower for municipal projects, healthcare facilities, and commercial developments within its chartered territory. For electricians in the Corpus Christi area, membership offers a structured career path with standardized pay scales and comprehensive benefits that are often superior to the regional non-union market. For contractors, the local serves as a reliable labor partner capable of scaling up for large-scale capital projects or maintaining steady-state commercial service contracts throughout the year.
As of November 1, 2024, the Journeyman Inside Wireman rate for IBEW Local 278 is established at $30.80 per hour. When factoring in the fringe benefit package, the total hourly compensation reaches $40.72. This total package includes contributions toward healthcare, retirement funds, and ongoing technical education. Apprentices in the local follow a structured percentage-based wage progression, typically starting at 40% to 50% of the journeyman rate and increasing annually as they complete required classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones. These scheduled increases provide a predictable path toward the full $30.80 rate. While these figures represent the current collective bargaining minimums, members should verify specific shift differentials or foreman premiums with the local's business office to understand the full earning potential on specialized job sites.
The jurisdiction of IBEW Local 278 covers a significant portion of South Texas, centered around the Corpus Christi metropolitan area and extending into the surrounding rural counties. The territory includes major hubs of activity such as the Port of Corpus Christi and the industrial corridors in Aransas Pass and Ingleside. Members dispatched within this region are subject to the work rules and travel provisions outlined in the Inside Wireman agreement. The jurisdiction encompasses all electrical work within the property lines of a project, including power distribution, lighting, and low-voltage systems. Because this area is prone to severe weather, the local also plays a critical role in emergency power restoration and storm response for regional infrastructure.
The contractor landscape for IBEW Local 278 consists of a mix of national industrial electrical contractors and locally owned commercial shops. A large portion of the man-hours are generated through signatory mechanical and electrical primes working within the petrochemical and refining sector. These firms require high-level certifications and strict adherence to safety protocols. Additionally, several signatory contractors focus on medium-sized commercial projects, including retail centers, schools, and government buildings in the Coastal Bend. For a tradesperson, this diversity means opportunities can shift between long-term industrial maintenance and fast-paced commercial new construction, depending on the current regional project backlog and economic conditions.
The hourly wage of $30.80 is the gross amount paid directly on your paycheck before taxes. The total package of $40.72 includes that wage plus an additional $9.92 per hour paid by the employer into your health insurance, pensions, and training funds. These benefits are not deducted from your check but are paid in addition to your hourly rate.
Yes, many signatory contractors working in the Corpus Christi industrial corridor require members to hold a valid Texas Journeyman Electrician License. Additionally, sites like refineries often require specific safety credentials, such as Basic Plus via the Gulf Coast Safety Council and TWIC cards for port access, which the local helps coordinate.
Traveling members from other locals can work in the jurisdiction by signing the 'Book 2' out-of-work list. To permanently transfer your membership, or 'move your ticket,' you must typically work in the jurisdiction for a set period and receive approval from the Local 278 Executive Board according to the IBEW Constitution.
Apprentice wages usually increase after completing specific milestones, which include a set number of work hours (typically 1,000 to 2,000 per period) and the successful completion of each year of related classroom instruction. These raises occur annually or semi-annually until the apprentice reaches 100% of the journeyman scale upon graduation.
IBEW Local 278 is seated in Corpus Christi, Texas (TX). We hold published wage sheets for 20 locals across Texas — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Corpus Christi and the rest of Texas, including contractors signatory to IBEW Local 278. 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 278 pay scale is $30.80 per hour for journeymen in Corpus Christi, TX, or about $61,600 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $40.72 per hour. That is the rate in force, effective 11/1/24.
Journeyman electrician under the IBEW Local 278 agreement make $30.80 an hour in base wages, or $40.72 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 11/1/24. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$30.80 per hour base wage and $40.72 per hour total package for a journeyman in Corpus Christi, TX, effective 11/1/24. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $61,600 before overtime.
A Local 278 apprentice in Corpus Christi, TX starts at roughly $13.86 an hour — about 45% of the $30.80 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $23.10 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 278 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $13.86 an hour, or roughly $27,720 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $30.80 journeyman rate effective 11/1/24. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $20.02 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $23.10 an hour in the fourth period and $30.80 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 278 training center.
The current IBEW Local 278 journeyman rate is $30.80/hour, with a total package of $40.72/hour including fringe benefits, effective 11/1/24. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $61,600 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 278 business office before relying on the figure.
The $30.80/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $40.72/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 278 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 $30.80/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $13.86–$15.40/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
IBEW Local 278 is headquartered in Corpus Christi, TX 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 278 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 278 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 278 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 278 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 11/1/24 schedule; check with the Local 278 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 278 against neighboring jurisdictions and other electricians markets.