Journeyman electrician under IBEW Local 505 in Mobile, AL earn $33.70/hr in base wages, or $43.27/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective May 2026.
IBEW Local 505 runs its own dispatch and out-of-work list. Gulfstream is a private recruiter and does not control hall referral.
The Local 505 pay scale for 2026 is $33.70 per hour for journeymen in Mobile, AL, or about $67,400 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $43.27 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 5/8/26.
| Local 505 journeyman hourly wage | $33.70 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $43.27 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $67,400 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $15.17–$16.85 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 5/8/26 |
| Classification | Journeyman Inside Wireman |
A Local 505 apprentice in Mobile, AL starts at roughly $15.17 an hour — about 45% of the $33.70 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $25.28 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 505 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $15.17 / hour | $30,330 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $18.54 / hour | $37,070 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $21.91 / hour | $43,810 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $25.28 / hour | $50,550 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $28.65 / hour | $57,290 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $33.70 / hour | $67,400 |
IBEW Local 505 represents skilled electrical workers across the Alabama Gulf Coast, maintaining a charter centered in Mobile. Since 2014, Gulfstream Strategic Placements has monitored this region as a critical hub for industrial power and commercial infrastructure. The local provides the labor force for high-voltage installations, complex control systems, and routine facility maintenance. By enforcing rigorous safety and technical standards, the organization ensures that signatory contractors have access to a reliable pipeline of journey-level talent capable of meeting the demands of heavy industrial environments and large-scale commercial developments in South Alabama.
The market for Local 505 is heavily influenced by the Port of Mobile and the surrounding industrial corridors. This jurisdiction is vital for the state's economy, housing significant aerospace manufacturing, shipbuilding, and chemical processing facilities. The union's presence provides a structured framework for labor relations, ensuring that projects remain staffed with certified electricians who have completed standardized training. For the tradesperson, the local offers a clear career path with negotiated benefits, while for the contractor, it offers a scalable workforce solution that mitigates the risks associated with the regional skilled labor shortage.
Based on the figures effective May 2026, the Journeyman Wireman hourly rate is set at $33.70, contributing to a total compensation package of $43.27 per hour. This $9.57 delta covers the various fringe benefits negotiated by the local. Apprentices in the Mobile JATC program earn a graduated percentage of the journeyman rate, typically starting around 40% to 50% and increasing annually as they complete their classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones. These scheduled increases provide a predictable income trajectory for those entering the trade. Members should note that specific classifications, such as Foremen or General Foremen, receive additional premiums above the base journeyman scale, reflecting their increased responsibility for site management and safety oversight.
The jurisdiction of IBEW Local 505 covers the southwestern tip of Alabama, primarily focused on the Mobile metropolitan area and extending into the surrounding rural counties. The charter includes all electrical work within its defined geographic boundaries, ranging from residential service to massive industrial power distribution. Travel within the jurisdiction is common, as members may be dispatched to job sites at the port, inland manufacturing plants, or commercial hubs. The local maintains mutual respect for neighboring IBEW jurisdictions, ensuring that dispatching follows the established rules of the International Office regarding portability and manning requirements for signatory employers operating across county lines.
The signatory landscape for Local 505 is a blend of long-standing regional electrical contractors and large national firms that mobilize for major industrial projects. These employers range from specialized shops focusing on marine electrical systems and shipboard wiring to major commercial contractors handling hospital expansions and municipal infrastructure. Hiring cycles are often driven by large-scale capital investments in the port and industrial sectors. Contractors benefit from the local's referral system, which allows them to scale up for massive projects without the long-term overhead of a permanent workforce, ensuring that labor costs remain tied to active project demands.
While the local covers all aspects of electrical work, the Mobile market is heavily geared toward industrial and marine applications. Members frequently work in shipyards, chemical plants, and the Port of Mobile, alongside traditional commercial construction such as hospitals and schools. This diverse project mix requires members to be proficient in rigid conduit, motor controls, and high-voltage systems.
Yes, through the JATC, members have access to training for EVITP (Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program), instrumentation, and specialized safety certifications like OSHA 30. These certifications are increasingly important as the Mobile region attracts new technology manufacturing and green energy infrastructure projects, allowing signatory contractors to bid on highly technical scopes of work.
Electricians from other IBEW locals looking to work in Mobile must sign the Book 2 out-of-work list at the Local 505 hall. Dispatch follows standard IBEW procedures where Book 1 (local members) is exhausted before Book 2 calls are filled. Travelers must provide their current dues receipt and a travel letter from their home local's business manager.
Signatory contractors gain access to a highly trained labor pool without the burden of individual recruitment and vetting. By utilizing the union's referral system, employers can bid on larger projects with the confidence that they can man the job quickly. Additionally, the standardized wage and fringe package creates a level playing field for competitive bidding across the region.
IBEW Local 505 is seated in Mobile, Alabama (AL). We hold published wage sheets for 5 locals across Alabama — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Mobile and the rest of Alabama, including contractors signatory to IBEW Local 505. 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 505 pay scale for 2026 is $33.70 per hour for journeymen in Mobile, AL, or about $67,400 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $43.27 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 5/8/26.
Journeyman electrician under the IBEW Local 505 agreement make $33.70 an hour in base wages, or $43.27 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 5/8/26. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$33.70 per hour base wage and $43.27 per hour total package for a journeyman in Mobile, AL, effective 5/8/26. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $67,400 before overtime.
A Local 505 apprentice in Mobile, AL starts at roughly $15.17 an hour — about 45% of the $33.70 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $25.28 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 505 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $15.17 an hour, or roughly $30,330 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $33.70 journeyman rate effective 5/8/26. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $21.91 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $25.28 an hour in the fourth period and $33.70 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 505 training center.
The current IBEW Local 505 journeyman rate is $33.70/hour, with a total package of $43.27/hour including fringe benefits, effective 5/8/26. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $67,400 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 505 business office before relying on the figure.
The $33.70/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $43.27/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 505 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 $33.70/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $15.17–$16.85/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
IBEW Local 505 is headquartered in Mobile, AL 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 505 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 505 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 505 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 505 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 5/8/26 schedule; check with the Local 505 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 505 against neighboring jurisdictions and other electricians markets.