Journeyman electrician under IBEW Local 72 in Waco, TX earn $35/hr in base wages, or $44.50/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Feb 2025.
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IBEW Local 72 runs its own dispatch and out-of-work list. Gulfstream is a private recruiter and does not control hall referral.
The Local 72 pay scale for 2026 is $35.00 per hour for journeymen in Waco, TX, or about $70,000 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $44.50 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 2/28/25.
| Local 72 journeyman hourly wage | $35.00 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $44.50 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $70,000 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $15.75–$17.50 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 2/28/25 |
| Classification | Journeyman Inside Wireman |
A Local 72 apprentice in Waco, TX starts at roughly $15.75 an hour — about 45% of the $35.00 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $26.25 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 72 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $15.75 / hour | $31,500 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $19.25 / hour | $38,500 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $22.75 / hour | $45,500 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $26.25 / hour | $52,500 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $29.75 / hour | $59,500 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $35.00 / hour | $70,000 |
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Local 72 wages: $35.00 an hour on the journeyman scale, $44.50 an hour with fringe benefits added, effective 2/28/25. That is the most recent Waco, TX sheet we can source; rates move with each contract cycle, so confirm with the hall before quoting.
Roughly 21% of the IBEW Local 72 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 72 pay scale (PDF) — one-page printable rate sheet, effective February 28, 2025.
| Benefit & fringe contributions | $9.50/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 72 scale used across the Waco, TX 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 Waco 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 Waco. We are a private recruiting firm — we do not dispatch, set, or negotiate Local 72 rates. For current Waco scale, dispatch standing, or apprenticeship intake, contact the hall directly.
IBEW Local 72 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 72 serves the central Texas region, providing a skilled electrical workforce for industrial, commercial, and residential projects throughout the Waco metropolitan area and surrounding counties. Since 2014, Gulfstream Strategic Placements has monitored this market as it transitions from its historical agricultural roots into a hub for advanced manufacturing and aerospace logistics. The local represents wiremen who maintain critical electrical infrastructure, ensuring that large-scale development meets the National Electrical Code requirements. This jurisdiction is vital because it connects the major economic engines of Dallas and Austin, making Local 72 a strategic partner for contractors managing logistics facilities and institutional expansions in the heart of Texas.
The local maintains a strong emphasis on training through the Waco Electricians JATC, producing journey-level workers capable of handling complex motor controls, instrumentation, and medium-voltage distribution. As central Texas experiences sustained growth in data centers and industrial processing plants, the demand for signatory labor remains consistent. Local 72 provides a structured labor supply for signatory contractors, allowing for scalable workforces on major commercial builds while maintaining safety standards that non-union competitors often struggle to match. For the tradesperson, this local offers a path to stable earnings and comprehensive benefits in a region with a relatively low cost of living compared to larger Texas metros.
Effective February 28, 2025, the Journeyman Wireman hourly rate for IBEW Local 72 is established at $35.00, contributing to a total package of $44.50 when including fringe benefits. This $9.50 difference covers essential employer-paid contributions to health and retirement funds. Apprentices within the Local 72 program earn a graduated percentage of this journeyman scale, typically starting around 40-50% for first-year students and increasing annually as they complete required classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones. By the fifth year, apprentices generally reach 80-85% of the full rate. These periodic raises are contingent upon successful progression through the JATC curriculum and are strictly enforced by the collective bargaining agreement to ensure pay equity across the Waco electrical trade.
The jurisdiction for IBEW Local 72 is centered in Waco and extends across several key central Texas counties, covering an area where industrial development is rapidly increasing. The chartered territory includes a mix of urban commercial centers and rural industrial sites, requiring members to be mobile for various job site dispatches. Work covered under this agreement includes all inside wiring, electrical maintenance, and the installation of power systems within the specified boundaries. Contractors operating in this region rely on the local's referral system to man projects that range from municipal infrastructure and school renovations to large-scale private manufacturing facilities. Travel and subsistence pay may apply depending on the specific distance from the Waco dispatch point as outlined in the current contract.
The signatory contractor landscape in the Waco area is composed of diverse entities, ranging from national electrical primes to specialized regional shops. Many of these firms focus on the institutional sector, handling large-scale projects for universities and healthcare systems that require a high volume of certified manpower. There is also a significant presence of contractors specializing in industrial automation and food processing plant maintenance, which are staples of the local economy. Hiring typically fluctuates based on major project starts; however, the ongoing modernization of the central Texas power grid and the influx of manufacturing continue to create a steady demand for signatory labor across the jurisdiction.
The $35.00 hourly rate is the gross taxable pay reflected on a member's paycheck. The $44.50 total package includes an additional $9.50 per hour in employer-paid benefits, such as health insurance and pension contributions. These fringes are paid on top of the wage and are not deducted from the journeyman's hourly earnings, representing a significant total compensation value.
Yes, through the Waco Electricians JATC, journeymen can access continuing education and specialized certifications. This includes OSHA safety training, EVITP (Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program) certification, and instrumentation classes. These programs ensure that Local 72 members remain competitive as the central Texas market adopts new technologies like renewable energy and advanced industrial automation.
Travelers seeking work in Local 72's jurisdiction must provide a current dues receipt and a travel letter from their home local. They are typically placed on 'Book 2' for dispatch. When local demand exceeds the available 'Book 1' (local members) supply, travelers are referred to signatory contractors based on their position in the queue and specific skill sets required for the project.
Yes, all individuals performing electrical work in the state of Texas must hold a valid license issued by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). IBEW Local 72 requires members to maintain their state licenses in good standing. The apprenticeship program is designed to provide the classroom hours and supervised work experience necessary to sit for the state journeyman exam.
IBEW Local 72 is seated in Waco, Texas (TX). We hold published wage sheets for 22 locals across Texas — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
Gulfstream Strategic Placements recruits mechanical construction and service staff for contractors across Texas, including shops signatory to IBEW Local 72. Pick the market closest to your work: Dallas–Fort Worth mechanical recruiter · Houston mechanical recruiter.
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Journeyman scales as last published by each local. Rates change every contract cycle — confirm with the hall.
The Local 72 pay scale for 2026 is $35.00 per hour for journeymen in Waco, TX, or about $70,000 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $44.50 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 2/28/25.
Journeyman electrician under the IBEW Local 72 agreement make $35.00 an hour in base wages, or $44.50 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 2/28/25. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$35.00 per hour base wage and $44.50 per hour total package for a journeyman in Waco, TX, effective 2/28/25. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $70,000 before overtime.
A Local 72 apprentice in Waco, TX starts at roughly $15.75 an hour — about 45% of the $35.00 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $26.25 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 72 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $15.75 an hour, or roughly $31,500 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $35.00 journeyman rate effective 2/28/25. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $22.75 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $26.25 an hour in the fourth period and $35.00 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 72 training center.
Local 72 wages: $35.00 an hour on the journeyman scale, $44.50 an hour with fringe benefits added, effective 2/28/25. That is the most recent Waco, TX sheet we can source; rates move with each contract cycle, so confirm with the hall before quoting.
The current published IBEW Local 72 journeyman rate is $35.00 an hour ($44.50 total package), effective 2/28/25 — roughly $70,000 a year at 2,080 hours before overtime. Confirm the effective agreement with the local.
Yes — a one-page printable IBEW Local 72 rate sheet is available at /rate-sheets/ibew-local-72-pay-scale.pdf, showing the $35.00 hourly scale, the $44.50 total package and the 2/28/25 effective date, with the source it was read from. It is a free download — no sign-up needed.
The current IBEW Local 72 journeyman rate is $35.00/hour, with a total package of $44.50/hour including fringe benefits, effective 2/28/25. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $70,000 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 72 business office before relying on the figure.
The $35.00/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $44.50/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 72 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 $35.00/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $15.75–$17.50/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
IBEW Local 72 is headquartered in Waco, 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 72 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 72 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 72 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 72 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 2/28/25 schedule; check with the Local 72 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 72 against neighboring jurisdictions and other electricians markets.
The IBEW Local 72 hall is at 1813 Orchard Ln, Waco, TX 76705, serving Waco, TX and the surrounding jurisdiction.
IBEW Local 72 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 72 does not publish a phone number in the directory data we import; check the local's official site for current contact details.
$35.00/hr in base wages for journeyman inside wireman, or $44.50/hr counting employer-paid benefits and fringes, effective February 28, 2025 per the unionpayscales.com wage sheet.
February 28, 2025. The source wage sheet is more than 18 months old, so a mid-term raise may already be in effect. Confirm the current step with the local's business office before extending an offer.
No — the $35.00/hr base is wages only. Employers contribute roughly $9.50/hr more per hour worked to health and welfare, pension, annuity and training funds, which is the difference between the base and the $44.50/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.
Moderate 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.