Journeyman electrician under IBEW Local 611 in Albuquerque, NM earn $40.30/hr in base wages, or $53.31/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Jan 2025.
IBEW Local 611 runs its own dispatch and out-of-work list. Gulfstream is a private recruiter and does not control hall referral.
The Local 611 pay scale for 2026 is $40.30 per hour for journeymen in Albuquerque, NM, or about $80,600 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $53.31 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 1/16/25.
| Local 611 journeyman hourly wage | $40.30 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $53.31 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $80,600 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $18.13–$20.15 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 1/16/25 |
| Classification | Journeyman Inside Wireman |
A Local 611 apprentice in Albuquerque, NM starts at roughly $18.13 an hour — about 45% of the $40.30 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $30.22 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 611 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $18.13 / hour | $36,270 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $22.17 / hour | $44,330 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $26.20 / hour | $52,390 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $30.22 / hour | $60,450 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $34.25 / hour | $68,510 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $40.30 / hour | $80,600 |
IBEW Local 611 serves as the primary labor organization for electrical workers across the state of New Mexico, headquartered in Albuquerque. Since 2014, Gulfstream Strategic Placements has monitored this market as a critical hub for industrial power, commercial construction, and specialized technical facilities. The local represents a diverse membership including inside wiremen, technicians, and outside lineworkers who maintain the state's electrical infrastructure. Because New Mexico hosts significant federal research facilities and growing data center corridors, the demand for highly skilled, signatory labor remains a constant requirement for large-scale capital projects throughout the high desert region.
The Albuquerque market is unique due to its concentration of high-tech manufacturing and renewable energy initiatives. Local 611 provides the skilled workforce necessary for these complex installations, ensuring that signatory contractors meet rigorous safety and technical standards. Members benefit from a structured collective bargaining agreement that standardizes labor costs and safety protocols across the jurisdiction. For the tradesperson, this means access to stable employment and comprehensive benefits, while for the contractor, it offers a scalable pool of pre-screened, journeyman-level talent capable of executing everything from commercial tenant improvements to massive industrial power distribution systems.
As of January 16, 2025, the Journeyman Inside Wireman rate for IBEW Local 611 is established at $40.30 per hour. When accounting for the full fringe benefit load, the total package reaches $53.31 per hour. Apprenticeship progression is structured as a percentage of this journeyman scale, 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 clear path to the full rate over a five-year period. It is important to note that these figures represent the base building trades scale; specialized classifications or foremen roles often command premiums above this standard hourly rate.
The chartered jurisdiction of IBEW Local 611 is expansive, covering the majority of New Mexico's northern and central counties, including the major metropolitan hub of Albuquerque and the state capital in Santa Fe. The local manages dispatch for a wide variety of work environments, ranging from high-altitude government research labs to sprawling solar arrays in the rural plains. Members may be required to travel within this broad geographic footprint depending on the location of major industrial or utility projects. The jurisdiction covers all inside electrical wiring, telecommunications, and integrated building systems within the designated New Mexico counties identified in the collective bargaining agreement.
The signatory contractor landscape for Local 611 includes a mix of national electrical primes and established regional shops based in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. These firms specialize in diverse sectors including healthcare facility maintenance, semiconductor fabrication support, and large-scale government infrastructure. Hiring typically fluctuates based on major project cycles, particularly in the industrial and renewable energy sectors. Signatory contractors rely on the hall for manpower to staff up quickly for large-scale outages or new construction starts, ensuring they have access to workers who have completed standardized safety and code-specific training programs.
The hourly wage of $40.30 is the gross amount paid on the member's paycheck. The total package of $53.31 includes an additional $13.01 in employer-paid fringes such as health insurance and retirement contributions. These benefits are paid by the contractor on top of the hourly wage and are not deducted from the employee's $40.30 base rate.
Yes, IBEW Local 611 participates in the ERTS (Electronic Reciprocal Transfer System). This allows traveling wiremen to have their fringe benefits, specifically pension and health and welfare contributions, directed back to their home local's funds. Travelers must sign the appropriate out-of-work books at the Albuquerque hall and provide a current dues receipt from their home local.
Many projects within Local 611's jurisdiction, such as those at Los Alamos or Sandia National Laboratories, require specialized security clearances and rigorous background checks. While the union provides the skilled labor, members may need to meet specific federal criteria to be dispatched to these highly sensitive and secure job sites.
Wage adjustments are typically governed by the multi-year Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiated between IBEW Local 611 and the a mechanical contractor Association (NECA). These increases are usually scheduled annually or bi-annually. The current rate effective January 16, 2025, reflects the most recent scheduled adjustment for the inside wireman classification.
IBEW Local 611 is seated in Albuquerque, New Mexico (NM). We hold published wage sheets for 2 locals across New Mexico — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Albuquerque and the rest of New Mexico, including contractors signatory to IBEW Local 611. 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 611 pay scale for 2026 is $40.30 per hour for journeymen in Albuquerque, NM, or about $80,600 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $53.31 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 1/16/25.
Journeyman electrician under the IBEW Local 611 agreement make $40.30 an hour in base wages, or $53.31 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 1/16/25. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$40.30 per hour base wage and $53.31 per hour total package for a journeyman in Albuquerque, NM, effective 1/16/25. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $80,600 before overtime.
A Local 611 apprentice in Albuquerque, NM starts at roughly $18.13 an hour — about 45% of the $40.30 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $30.22 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 611 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $18.13 an hour, or roughly $36,270 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $40.30 journeyman rate effective 1/16/25. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $26.20 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $30.22 an hour in the fourth period and $40.30 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 611 training center.
The current IBEW Local 611 journeyman rate is $40.30/hour, with a total package of $53.31/hour including fringe benefits, effective 1/16/25. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $80,600 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 611 business office before relying on the figure.
The $40.30/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $53.31/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 611 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 $40.30/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $18.13–$20.15/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
IBEW Local 611 is headquartered in Albuquerque, NM 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 611 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 611 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 611 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 611 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 1/16/25 schedule; check with the Local 611 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 611 against neighboring jurisdictions and other electricians markets.