Journeyman electrician under IBEW Local 498 in Traverse City, MI earn $38.82/hr in base wages, or $61.78/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Jul 2025.
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IBEW Local 498 runs its own dispatch and out-of-work list. Gulfstream is a private recruiter and does not control hall referral.
The Local 498 pay scale for 2026 is $38.82 per hour for journeymen in Traverse City, MI, or about $77,640 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $61.78 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 7/6/25.
| Local 498 journeyman hourly wage | $38.82 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $61.78 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $77,640 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $17.47–$19.41 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 7/6/25 |
| Classification | Journeyman Inside Wireman |
A Local 498 apprentice in Traverse City, MI starts at roughly $17.47 an hour — about 45% of the $38.82 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $29.12 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 498 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $17.47 / hour | $34,938 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $21.35 / hour | $42,702 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $25.23 / hour | $50,466 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $29.12 / hour | $58,230 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $33.00 / hour | $65,994 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $38.82 / hour | $77,640 |
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Local 498 wages: $38.82 an hour on the journeyman scale, $61.78 an hour with fringe benefits added, effective 7/6/25. That is the most recent Traverse City, MI sheet we can source; rates move with each contract cycle, so confirm with the hall before quoting.
Roughly 37% of the IBEW Local 498 package is employer-paid benefits and fringes rather than wages, which is why the package figure and a take-home hourly rate are not the same number.
Unverified: crowd-sourced figure (unionpayscales.com), not confirmed against the local's own wage sheet
Download the IBEW Local 498 pay scale (PDF) — one-page printable rate sheet, effective July 6, 2025.
| Benefit & fringe contributions | $22.96/hr | Derived: total package minus base wage. This is the employer's combined hourly contribution to the funds, not take-home pay. |
|---|---|---|
| What the contributions fund | Health & welfare, pension, annuity, training and industry funds | Standard fund categories in mechanical and electrical agreements. The exact split between funds is set in the local's agreement — the hall or fund office publishes the schedule. |
| Paid on | Every hour worked | Fringe contributions are made per hour worked, so they scale with dispatched hours and are paid to the funds rather than to the member. |
The rates above are the IBEW Local 498 scale used across the Traverse City, MI area. Members dispatched out of this hall work commercial and industrial electrical, building automation and controls wiring, data and low-voltage systems and service and retrofit work for signatory contractors throughout the Traverse City metro, so a electrician wage quoted locally is normally this scale plus the fringe package shown in the table.
Gulfstream recruits electrician talent for commercial mechanical, plumbing, piping, sheet metal and building automation contractors in and around Traverse City. We are a private recruiting firm — we do not dispatch, set, or negotiate Local 498 rates. For current Traverse City scale, dispatch standing, or apprenticeship intake, contact the hall directly.
IBEW Local 498 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — contact the hall to confirm dispatch procedure and what to bring before traveling in. Contact details are imported from the UA, SMART and IBEW public directories. Gulfstream is a private recruiting firm, is not affiliated with the local, and does not control hall dispatch.
IBEW Local 498 represents inside wiremen and electrical professionals across the northern reaches of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. Headquartered in Traverse City, this local is the primary labor source for commercial, industrial, and residential electrical infrastructure in a region defined by high-end hospitality, healthcare expansions, and municipal utility upgrades. Since 2014, Gulfstream Strategic Placements has tracked the movement of skilled labor in this market, noting that Local 498 provides the specialized workforce necessary for complex systems integration that open-shop labor often lacks the scale to manage. The local ensures that signatory contractors have access to a pool of electricians trained in the latest National Electrical Code standards and safety protocols.
The market demand for Local 498 members is driven by the unique geographic and seasonal requirements of Northern Michigan. While many associate the area with tourism, the year-round industrial base—including food processing, light manufacturing, and institutional maintenance—requires a consistent presence of qualified wiremen. Signatory contractors in this jurisdiction handle everything from sophisticated lighting controls in luxury resorts to heavy motor controls in water treatment facilities. Because the territory covers a vast geographic area with varying population densities, the local serves as a central hub for dispatching manpower, ensuring that large-scale projects in remote counties receive the same level of technical expertise as those located in the heart of Traverse City.
Under the current collective bargaining agreement effective July 6, 2025, the Journeyman Wireman hourly rate for IBEW Local 498 is set at $38.82. When including the fringe benefit package, the total compensation reaches $61.78 per hour. Apprentices follow a strictly defined wage progression based on a percentage of the journeyman rate, typically starting around 40% to 50% for first-year students and increasing annually as they complete required classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones. These scheduled increases provide a transparent career path for those entering the trade through the JATC program. Experienced electricians looking to organize in or transfer should contact the business manager to determine their placement within the scale based on verified hours and current classification levels.
The chartered jurisdiction of IBEW Local 498 covers a significant portion of Northwest Michigan, centered around the Grand Traverse Bay region. The territory extends to include several surrounding counties where members are dispatched to various job sites. Work performed under this agreement encompasses all inside electrical wiring, including power distribution, lighting, fire alarm systems, and telecommunications infrastructure. Because the jurisdiction includes both high-density urban centers and rural areas, travel requirements are a standard component of the dispatch process. Members must be prepared to work across the entire chartered territory, adhering to the specific zone and travel stipulations outlined in the Local 498 Inside Wireman Agreement to ensure consistent labor coverage for signatory partners.
The contractor landscape for Local 498 is comprised of a diverse mix of signatory firms ranging from large regional mechanical-electrical primes to specialized local shops. These contractors are frequently engaged in the healthcare sector, servicing regional medical centers, as well as the educational sector for K-12 and collegiate facilities. There is also a significant presence of service-oriented contractors who maintain the electrical infrastructure for the region's food processing and manufacturing plants. Hiring typically fluctuates based on major capital projects and seasonal maintenance shutdowns. For out-of-work members, the referral hall manages the dispatch process based on the current out-of-work list and specialized certifications required by the employer.
The hourly rate of $38.82 is the taxable amount paid directly in the member's paycheck. The total package of $61.78 includes the additional $22.96 per hour in employer-paid benefits such as health insurance, pension contributions, and training funds. These fringes are paid by the signatory contractor and are not deducted from the journeyman's base hourly wage.
Yes, through the JATC, Local 498 provides advanced training in areas such as EVITP (Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program), programmable logic controllers (PLCs), and fire alarm systems. These certifications allow members to qualify for specialized dispatches and help signatory contractors compete for technical projects in the industrial and renewable energy sectors throughout Northern Michigan.
Travel pay or subsistence is governed by the specific language in the Inside Wireman Agreement. Typically, if a project is located beyond a certain radius from the Traverse City city hall or a secondary dispatch point, members may be entitled to additional daily compensation. These details are clarified at the time of dispatch depending on the project's zone.
Experienced electricians may be able to join through a process called organizing. The local will evaluate the individual's documented hours in the trade and may require a craft exam to determine their skill level. Qualified candidates may be placed as Journeyman Wiremen or as 'Construction Wiremen' while they work toward full journeyman status through the local's internal upgrade programs.
IBEW Local 498 is seated in Traverse City, Michigan (MI). We hold published wage sheets for 22 locals across Michigan — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
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Journeyman scales as last published by each local. Rates change every contract cycle — confirm with the hall.
The Local 498 pay scale for 2026 is $38.82 per hour for journeymen in Traverse City, MI, or about $77,640 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $61.78 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 7/6/25.
Journeyman electrician under the IBEW Local 498 agreement make $38.82 an hour in base wages, or $61.78 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 7/6/25. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$38.82 per hour base wage and $61.78 per hour total package for a journeyman in Traverse City, MI, effective 7/6/25. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $77,640 before overtime.
A Local 498 apprentice in Traverse City, MI starts at roughly $17.47 an hour — about 45% of the $38.82 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $29.12 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 498 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $17.47 an hour, or roughly $34,938 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $38.82 journeyman rate effective 7/6/25. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $25.23 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $29.12 an hour in the fourth period and $38.82 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 498 training center.
Local 498 wages: $38.82 an hour on the journeyman scale, $61.78 an hour with fringe benefits added, effective 7/6/25. That is the most recent Traverse City, MI sheet we can source; rates move with each contract cycle, so confirm with the hall before quoting.
The current published IBEW Local 498 journeyman rate is $38.82 an hour ($61.78 total package), effective 7/6/25 — roughly $77,640 a year at 2,080 hours before overtime. Confirm the effective agreement with the local.
Yes — a one-page printable IBEW Local 498 rate sheet is available at /rate-sheets/ibew-local-498-pay-scale.pdf, showing the $38.82 hourly scale, the $61.78 total package and the 7/6/25 effective date, with the source it was read from. It is a free download — no sign-up needed.
The current IBEW Local 498 journeyman rate is $38.82/hour, with a total package of $61.78/hour including fringe benefits, effective 7/6/25. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $77,640 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 498 business office before relying on the figure.
The $38.82/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $61.78/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 498 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 $38.82/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $17.47–$19.41/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
IBEW Local 498 is headquartered in Traverse City, MI 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 498 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 498 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 498 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 498 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 7/6/25 schedule; check with the Local 498 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 498 against neighboring jurisdictions and other electricians markets.
The IBEW Local 498 hall is at 3912 Blair Townhall Rd, Traverse City, MI 49685, serving Traverse City, MI and the surrounding jurisdiction.
IBEW Local 498 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Contact the hall to confirm dispatch hours, required documents (union card, certifications, ID) and current list standing before traveling in — Gulfstream does not control hall dispatch.
IBEW Local 498 does not publish a phone number in the directory data we import; check the local's official site for current contact details.
$38.82/hr in base wages for journeyman inside wireman, or $61.78/hr counting employer-paid benefits and fringes, effective July 6, 2025 per the unionpayscales.com wage sheet.
July 6, 2025. Pulled from the local's current published CBA wage sheet on unionpayscales.com and cross-checked at build time. High confidence for offer benchmarking.
No — the $38.82/hr base is wages only. Employers contribute roughly $22.96/hr more per hour worked to health and welfare, pension, annuity and training funds, which is the difference between the base and the $61.78/hr package.
No. Gulfstream Strategic Placements is a private mechanical construction recruiting firm. We are not affiliated with the local, we do not run dispatch, and we do not set or negotiate union rates. We publish the local's own sourced figures as a reference for members and contractors.
High confidence — last cross-checked against the source on Sep 23, 2026 (7 days ago). Always confirm the current step with the hall before relying on it for an offer.