Journeyman electrician under IBEW Local 602 in Amarillo, TX earn $29.41/hr in base wages, or $40.89/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 602 runs its own dispatch and out-of-work list. Gulfstream is a private recruiter and does not control hall referral.
The Local 602 pay scale is $29.41 per hour for journeymen in Amarillo, TX, or about $58,820 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $40.89 per hour. That is the last wage sheet we can source for this local — confirm the current rate with the hall.
| Local 602 journeyman hourly wage | $29.41 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $40.89 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $58,820 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $13.23–$14.71 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 10/21/22 |
| Classification | Journeyman Inside Wireman |
A Local 602 apprentice in Amarillo, TX starts at roughly $13.23 an hour — about 45% of the $29.41 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $22.06 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 602 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $13.23 / hour | $26,469 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $16.18 / hour | $32,351 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $19.12 / hour | $38,233 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $22.06 / hour | $44,115 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $25.00 / hour | $49,997 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $29.41 / hour | $58,820 |
IBEW Local 602 serves as the primary labor organization for electrical workers across the Texas Panhandle and parts of New Mexico and Oklahoma. Based in Amarillo, this local represents inside wiremen, outside linemen, and telecommunications technicians who drive the region's energy and industrial infrastructure. The Amarillo market is a critical hub for the electrical trade due to its density of agricultural processing facilities, wind energy developments, and municipal growth. Local 602 ensures that signatory contractors have access to a pool of highly trained labor while maintaining rigorous safety standards for high-voltage and commercial installations. Since 2014, Gulfstream Strategic Placements has monitored this region's labor trends to help professionals navigate the local union landscape.
The market covered by Local 602 is unique for its geographic breadth and its reliance on diverse energy sectors. Electrical contractors in this jurisdiction manage everything from large-scale wind farm connectivity to sophisticated industrial automation in the region's manufacturing plants. By operating under a collective bargaining agreement, members and signatory partners establish a baseline for quality and reliability that is essential for the heavy industrial and commercial projects characteristic of the High Plains. This stability allows for long-term planning regarding labor costs and career progression, making it a pivotal organization for the electrical trade in West Texas and the surrounding multi-state area.
The wage structure for IBEW Local 602 is defined by clear increments that reward skill acquisition and classroom hours. As of the October 2022 update, the Journeyman Wireman hourly rate is set at $29.41, contributing to a total compensation package of $40.89 when including all fringe benefits. Apprentices typically begin at a percentage of the journeyman rate, often starting around 40-50% and increasing annually or bi-annually as they complete their JATC modules and on-the-job training hours. These scheduled raises are guaranteed by the CBA, providing a predictable path toward the full scale. The difference between the $29.41 take-home pay and the $40.89 total package represents the employer-funded benefits, which include health coverage and retirement contributions that do not deduct from the base hourly wage.
The jurisdiction of IBEW Local 602 is expansive, covering dozens of counties across the Texas Panhandle, the South Plains, and extending into eastern New Mexico and the Oklahoma Panhandle. Work dispatched through the Amarillo hall includes commercial build-outs, industrial maintenance, and renewable energy infrastructure. Members may be required to travel significant distances within the jurisdiction to reach project sites, though the CBA typically addresses travel pay or subsistence for remote assignments. The jurisdiction encompasses diverse work environments ranging from urban Amarillo and Lubbock commercial centers to rural wind turbine sites and oil field electrical installations, requiring a versatile workforce capable of handling various National Electrical Code applications.
The signatory contractor landscape in the Amarillo and Lubbock regions is comprised of several distinct tiers. Large-scale industrial electrical firms dominate the landscape, focusing on food processing plants and energy generation facilities. There is also a robust group of commercial electrical primes that handle municipal projects, healthcare facilities, and educational institutions. Additionally, smaller specialized shops operate under the agreement to provide high-voltage service, data cabling, and residential electrical systems. Hiring typically fluctuates based on major capital projects in the energy sector, but the continuous need for industrial maintenance provides a steady baseline of man-hours for the local membership and their signatory partners.
The hourly wage of $29.41 is the gross amount appearing on the worker's paycheck before taxes. The total package of $40.89 includes an additional $11.48 per hour in employer-paid benefits like health insurance and pension funds. These benefits are paid by the signatory contractor on top of the hourly wage, rather than being deducted from the worker's take-home pay.
Yes, Local 602 has a significant presence in Lubbock and maintains jurisdiction over much of the South Plains. While the main headquarters is in Amarillo, the local frequently dispatches members to projects in Lubbock, including university expansions, healthcare facilities, and industrial sites. Members living in Lubbock can often find work within a reasonable commuting distance through the local's referral system.
Working on wind turbines often requires specialized safety certifications and climbing qualifications in addition to standard electrical licensing. The Local 602 JATC and signatory contractors often provide or facilitate the necessary tower climbing and rescue training. Because of the Panhandle's high wind energy output, these industrial skills are highly valued and frequently utilized by the local's workforce.
IBEW Local 602 follows the standard industry practice of signing out-of-work books. Local members sign Book 1, while qualified travelers from other IBEW locals sign Book 2. When signatory contractors need additional manpower, the hall calls individuals in the order they signed. During periods of high demand, such as large industrial shutdowns or new plant construction, travelers are often utilized to fill the labor gap.
IBEW Local 602 is seated in Amarillo, 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 Amarillo and the rest of Texas, including contractors signatory to IBEW Local 602. 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 602 pay scale is $29.41 per hour for journeymen in Amarillo, TX, or about $58,820 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $40.89 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 602 agreement make $29.41 an hour in base wages, or $40.89 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.
$29.41 per hour base wage and $40.89 per hour total package for a journeyman in Amarillo, TX, effective 10/21/22. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $58,820 before overtime.
A Local 602 apprentice in Amarillo, TX starts at roughly $13.23 an hour — about 45% of the $29.41 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $22.06 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 602 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $13.23 an hour, or roughly $26,469 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $29.41 journeyman rate effective 10/21/22. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $19.12 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $22.06 an hour in the fourth period and $29.41 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 602 training center.
The current IBEW Local 602 journeyman rate is $29.41/hour, with a total package of $40.89/hour including fringe benefits, effective 10/21/22. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $58,820 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 602 business office before relying on the figure.
The $29.41/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $40.89/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 602 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 $29.41/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $13.23–$14.71/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
IBEW Local 602 is headquartered in Amarillo, 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 602 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 602 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 602 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 602 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 602 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 602 against neighboring jurisdictions and other electricians markets.