Journeyman electrician under IBEW Local 3 in New York City, NY earn $62/hr in base wages, or $115.78/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Feb 2025.
IBEW Local 3 runs its own dispatch and out-of-work list. Gulfstream is a private recruiter and does not control hall referral.
The Local 3 pay scale for 2026 is $62.00 per hour for journeymen in New York City, NY, or about $124,000 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $115.78 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 2/21/25.
| Local 3 journeyman hourly wage | $62.00 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $115.78 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $124,000 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $27.90–$31.00 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 2/21/25 |
| Classification | Journeyman Inside Wireman |
A Local 3 apprentice in New York City, NY starts at roughly $27.90 an hour — about 45% of the $62.00 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $46.50 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 3 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $27.90 / hour | $55,800 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $34.10 / hour | $68,200 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $40.30 / hour | $80,600 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $46.50 / hour | $93,000 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $52.70 / hour | $105,400 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $62.00 / hour | $124,000 |
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 3 is one of the most influential labor organizations in North America, representing thousands of skilled electricians across the five boroughs of New York City and beyond. Based in Flushing, Queens, this local manages the electrical infrastructure for the world's most dense urban environment, ranging from high-rise commercial developments to complex public transit systems. The market is defined by high-intensity construction cycles and a strictly regulated safety environment. Since 2014, Gulfstream Strategic Placements has monitored the NYC electrical sector, where Local 3 members set the standard for technical proficiency in power distribution, telecommunications, and sustainable energy installations.
The New York City electrical market is characterized by massive vertical construction and sophisticated infrastructure needs that require a highly disciplined workforce. Local 3 electricians provide the labor for major commercial real estate projects, hospital expansions, and residential towers that define the city's skyline. Because the jurisdiction includes some of the highest-value real estate globally, the demand for signatory contractors remains consistent even during broader economic shifts. The local maintains a robust presence in both the public and private sectors, ensuring that large-scale institutional projects and critical utility upgrades are performed by qualified journeypersons who have completed the Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC) curriculum.
As of February 21, 2025, the Journeyman Wireman hourly rate for Local 3 is $62.00, contributing to a comprehensive total package of $115.78 per hour when including fringe benefits. This package reflects the high cost of living and the premium placed on skilled electrical labor in the New York metropolitan area. Apprentices enter the program at a percentage of the journeyman rate, typically starting around 30% to 35% and increasing annually or upon completion of specific work-hour milestones and classroom modules. These step-ups are contingent on passing rigorous technical evaluations. The gap between the take-home pay and the total package covers significant deferred compensation and health coverage, providing long-term financial stability for members working under the collective bargaining agreement.
IBEW Local 3 holds a broad charter that covers the five boroughs of New York City—Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island—along with parts of Westchester and Fairfield counties for specific divisions. The jurisdiction involves a complex dispatch system tailored to different work classifications including inside wiremen, expedited residential installers, and maintenance technicians. Members are dispatched to job sites ranging from Midtown corporate headquarters to industrial waterfront facilities. The territorial reach ensures that signatory contractors have access to a centralized labor pool capable of mobilizing for emergency repairs or multi-year capital projects anywhere within the city limits and surrounding designated zones.
The signatory contractor landscape for Local 3 is comprised of diverse firms ranging from massive electrical primes that handle billion-dollar skyscrapers to boutique shops specializing in high-end residential or specialized data centers. These contractors work closely with the Joint Industry Board (JIB) to manage labor costs and safety standards. Hiring typically follows the fluctuations of the New York City Department of Buildings permit data, with significant labor demand currently driven by energy efficiency retrofits and large-scale infrastructure renovations. Signatory firms benefit from a streamlined grievance process and a steady supply of apprentices, allowing them to scale their workforce rapidly for high-density projects across the five boroughs.
The hourly rate of $62.00 is the gross taxable income paid directly to the electrician. The total package of $115.78 includes an additional $53.78 per hour in non-taxable benefits such as pension contributions, health insurance premiums, and annuity deposits. This ensures that the member's retirement and healthcare are fully funded by the employer rather than deducted from their take-home pay.
Yes, Local 3 is heavily involved in New York's transition to green energy. Members often work on large-scale solar arrays, electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, and building management systems designed to reduce carbon footprints. The JATC frequently updates its curriculum to include certifications in these emerging technologies, ensuring that signatory contractors remain competitive in the sustainable construction market.
Local 3 utilizes a referral system managed through the Joint Industry Board. When signatory contractors need labor, they request workers from the hall. Journeypersons are typically dispatched based on their position on the available-for-work list, though specific skills or certifications may be required for certain high-tech or industrial job sites. This system ensures fair distribution of work across the membership.
While you do not necessarily need to live in New York City to be a member, the apprenticeship program often gives preference to residents of the five boroughs. Furthermore, the commute and cost of living in the tri-state area are significant factors for members. Traveling journeymen from other IBEW locals must check in with the Local 3 business office to determine if work is available for travelers.
IBEW Local 3 is seated in New York City, New York (NY). We hold published wage sheets for 27 locals across New York — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving New York City and the rest of New York, including contractors signatory to IBEW Local 3. 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 3 pay scale for 2026 is $62.00 per hour for journeymen in New York City, NY, or about $124,000 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $115.78 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 2/21/25.
Journeyman electrician under the IBEW Local 3 agreement make $62.00 an hour in base wages, or $115.78 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 2/21/25. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$62.00 per hour base wage and $115.78 per hour total package for a journeyman in New York City, NY, effective 2/21/25. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $124,000 before overtime.
A Local 3 apprentice in New York City, NY starts at roughly $27.90 an hour — about 45% of the $62.00 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $46.50 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 3 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $27.90 an hour, or roughly $55,800 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $62.00 journeyman rate effective 2/21/25. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $40.30 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $46.50 an hour in the fourth period and $62.00 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 3 training center.
The current IBEW Local 3 journeyman rate is $62.00/hour, with a total package of $115.78/hour including fringe benefits, effective 2/21/25. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $124,000 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 3 business office before relying on the figure.
The $62.00/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $115.78/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 3 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 $62.00/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $27.90–$31.00/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
IBEW Local 3 is headquartered in New York City, NY 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 3 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 3 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 3 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 3 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 2/21/25 schedule; check with the Local 3 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 3 against neighboring jurisdictions and other electricians markets.