Journeyman electrician under IBEW Local 86 in Rochester, NY earn $44.30/hr in base wages, or $72.89/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Sep 2025.
IBEW Local 86 runs its own dispatch and out-of-work list. Gulfstream is a private recruiter and does not control hall referral.
The Local 86 pay scale for 2026 is $44.30 per hour for journeymen in Rochester, NY, or about $88,600 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $72.89 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 9/27/25.
| Local 86 journeyman hourly wage | $44.30 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $72.89 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $88,600 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $19.94–$22.15 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 9/27/25 |
| Classification | Journeyman Inside Wireman |
A Local 86 apprentice in Rochester, NY starts at roughly $19.94 an hour — about 45% of the $44.30 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $33.22 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 86 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $19.94 / hour | $39,870 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $24.37 / hour | $48,730 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $28.79 / hour | $57,590 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $33.22 / hour | $66,450 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $37.65 / hour | $75,310 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $44.30 / hour | $88,600 |
IBEW Local 86 represents the skilled electrical workforce across the Rochester, New York metropolitan area and several surrounding counties. As a cornerstone of the regional construction industry since 2014, this local ensures that commercial, industrial, and residential electrical projects meet the highest standards of safety and technical proficiency. The membership consists of inside wiremen who handle complex power distribution, lighting systems, and control wiring, alongside technicians specializing in telecommunications and integrated building systems. By maintaining a robust pipeline of qualified labor, Local 86 supports the expansion of the Finger Lakes region’s manufacturing hubs and institutional infrastructure.
The Rochester market presents a unique landscape for electrical contractors due to the mix of historical industrial facilities undergoing modernization and new high-tech commercial developments. Local 86 members work under a collective bargaining agreement that standardizes labor costs and safety protocols, providing stability for both workers and signatory contractors. This organizational structure is vital for large-scale projects where precision and adherence to the National Electrical Code are non-negotiable. For the tradesperson, the local provides a path to middle-class earnings and comprehensive benefits, while offering contractors access to a pre-screened, highly trained workforce capable of executing sophisticated electrical designs.
The compensation structure for IBEW Local 86 is defined by a clear distinction between the hourly take-home pay and the total employer obligation. As of the September 2025 effective date, the journeyman wireman rate is established at $44.30 per hour. When factoring in the fringe benefit package—which includes health insurance, retirement contributions, and training funds—the total package reaches $72.89 per hour. Apprentices entering the five-year program start at a percentage of the journeyman rate, typically beginning around 40-45% and receiving incremental raises every six to twelve months as they complete required classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones. This progression ensures that as an apprentice's value to the signatory contractor increases, their compensation reflects their growing technical expertise and autonomy on the job site.
The chartered jurisdiction of IBEW Local 86 is centered in Rochester and extends throughout Monroe County and portions of the surrounding Finger Lakes region. The territory encompasses a diverse geographic area where members are dispatched to various job sites ranging from urban commercial high-rises to rural industrial processing plants. Work covered under this jurisdiction includes all inside electrical wiring, motor controls, renewable energy installations like solar arrays, and high-voltage distribution. Members must be prepared to travel within these boundaries, and the local's referral system ensures that labor is distributed efficiently to meet the fluctuating demands of signatory contractors across the entire multi-county service area.
The signatory contractor landscape for Local 86 is comprised of a mix of large-scale mechanical-electrical primes and specialized boutique shops. These firms range from national electrical contractors performing heavy industrial work to local family-owned businesses focusing on commercial interior fit-outs and municipal projects. Hiring typically flows through the union hall's referral list, allowing contractors to scale their manpower up or down based on project needs without the overhead of traditional recruiting. This ecosystem supports steady employment in sectors like healthcare, higher education, and the region's evolving photonics and imaging industries, where technical electrical requirements are particularly stringent.
The hourly wage of $44.30 is the gross amount paid directly to the worker before taxes. The total package of $72.89 includes an additional $28.59 per hour paid by the employer into benefits like health insurance and pensions. This allows members to receive full benefits without these costs being deducted from their take-home pay, representing a significant total compensation value.
While Local 86 focuses heavily on the Inside Wireman classification for commercial and industrial work, the JATC curriculum covers the foundational skills applicable to all electrical environments. Residential work is often handled under specific residential agreements with different scales, though the core apprenticeship provides the comprehensive training needed to work in any sector of the electrical industry.
Wage increases are negotiated as part of the multi-year collective bargaining agreement between the union and the a mechanical contractor Association (NECA). These increases usually occur annually on a set date, such as the September transition noted in current data. Apprentices receive more frequent raises as they advance through their five years of training and meet specific performance hurdles.
Travelers and members from other locals may work in the Rochester jurisdiction by signing the 'Book 2' referral list. Permanent transfers, or 'moving your card,' are subject to the local's current bylaws, the availability of work for local members, and the approval of the business manager. This process ensures that the local labor market remains balanced for the resident membership.
IBEW Local 86 is seated in Rochester, New York (NY). We hold published wage sheets for 27 locals across New York — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Rochester and the rest of New York, including contractors signatory to IBEW Local 86. 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 86 pay scale for 2026 is $44.30 per hour for journeymen in Rochester, NY, or about $88,600 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $72.89 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 9/27/25.
Journeyman electrician under the IBEW Local 86 agreement make $44.30 an hour in base wages, or $72.89 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 9/27/25. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$44.30 per hour base wage and $72.89 per hour total package for a journeyman in Rochester, NY, effective 9/27/25. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $88,600 before overtime.
A Local 86 apprentice in Rochester, NY starts at roughly $19.94 an hour — about 45% of the $44.30 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $33.22 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 86 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $19.94 an hour, or roughly $39,870 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $44.30 journeyman rate effective 9/27/25. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $28.79 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $33.22 an hour in the fourth period and $44.30 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 86 training center.
The current IBEW Local 86 journeyman rate is $44.30/hour, with a total package of $72.89/hour including fringe benefits, effective 9/27/25. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $88,600 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 86 business office before relying on the figure.
The $44.30/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $72.89/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 86 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 $44.30/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $19.94–$22.15/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
IBEW Local 86 is headquartered in Rochester, NY 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 86 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 86 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 86 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 86 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 9/27/25 schedule; check with the Local 86 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 86 against neighboring jurisdictions and other electricians markets.