Journeyman electrician under IBEW Local 873 in Kokomo, IN earn $44.20/hr in base wages, or $67.38/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Mar 2026.
IBEW Local 873 runs its own dispatch and out-of-work list. Gulfstream is a private recruiter and does not control hall referral.
The Local 873 pay scale for 2026 is $44.20 per hour for journeymen in Kokomo, IN, or about $88,400 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $67.38 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 3/3/26.
| Local 873 journeyman hourly wage | $44.20 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $67.38 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $88,400 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $19.89–$22.10 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 3/3/26 |
| Classification | Journeyman Inside Wireman |
A Local 873 apprentice in Kokomo, IN starts at roughly $19.89 an hour — about 45% of the $44.20 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $33.15 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 873 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $19.89 / hour | $39,780 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $24.31 / hour | $48,620 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $28.73 / hour | $57,460 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $33.15 / hour | $66,300 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $37.57 / hour | $75,140 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $44.20 / hour | $88,400 |
IBEW Local 873 serves as the primary labor organization for Inside Wiremen and electrical workers across North Central Indiana, headquartered in Kokomo. Since 2014, Gulfstream Strategic Placements has monitored this market as a critical hub for industrial manufacturing and automotive production. The local provides a highly skilled workforce for complex electrical installations, ensuring that projects meet rigorous safety and efficiency standards. Its presence is vital to the regional economy, bridging the gap between large-scale industrial requirements and the specialized technical expertise needed to maintain infrastructure in one of Indiana's most productive manufacturing corridors.
The market surrounding Kokomo and the neighboring counties is characterized by a high density of industrial facilities that require constant electrical maintenance, upgrades, and new construction. Local 873 members are trained to handle everything from commercial building systems to heavy industrial motor controls and automation. For contractors and tradespeople, this jurisdiction offers a stable landscape governed by a collective bargaining agreement that standardizes labor costs and safety protocols. As the region continues to attract investment in advanced manufacturing, the role of Local 873 in providing a consistent pipeline of certified journeymen remains a cornerstone of the regional construction industry.
["Under the current agreement effective March 3, 2026, the Journeyman Wireman hourly rate is set at $44.20, with a comprehensive total package reaching $67.38 per hour. This package includes high-tier fringe benefits such as health insurance and retirement contributions that are paid by the signatory contractor above the hourly wage. Apprentice progression follows a structured percentage-based scale, typically starting around 40% to 50% of the journeyman rate and increasing annually as the worker completes required classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones. These scheduled increases provide a clear financial path for those entering the trade, ensuring that compensation remains competitive with the technical skills acquired during the five-year apprenticeship program."]
["The jurisdiction of IBEW Local 873 spans several key counties in North Central Indiana, providing electrical coverage for a mix of urban centers and rural industrial sites. Members are dispatched from the Kokomo headquarters to job sites throughout the territory, which includes significant portions of the automotive manufacturing belt. The work governed by this local includes all inside electrical wiring, telecommunications, and industrial automation systems. Because the territory encompasses several distinct municipalities, members must be prepared for regional travel, though the concentration of work often remains near the primary industrial hubs. The local ensures that all signatory work within these borders adheres to the negotiated wage and safety standards."]
["The signatory contractor landscape for Local 873 is dominated by a mix of regional electrical primes and specialized industrial service providers. These firms range from large-scale contractors capable of managing multi-million dollar plant expansions to smaller, localized shops focused on commercial renovations and municipal infrastructure. Hiring through the hall allows these contractors to scale their workforce rapidly in response to large project awards without sacrificing technical quality. The relationship between the local and its signatory partners is centered on the a mechanical contractor Association (NECA) framework, which ensures that labor costs remain predictable for bidding purposes while maintaining high standards for workmanship."]
The hourly wage of $44.20 is the gross amount paid on a member's paycheck before taxes. The total package of $67.38 includes that wage plus an additional $23.18 per hour in employer-paid benefits. These benefits cover health insurance, pension, and training costs, meaning the contractor pays these amounts directly into funds on the member's behalf rather than deducting them from the base wage.
While Indiana does not currently have a mandatory statewide license for electricians, many municipalities within Local 873's jurisdiction have specific licensing requirements. Members are expected to maintain the highest levels of certification and adhere to the National Electrical Code (NEC). The local JATC provides the necessary training to ensure all members meet or exceed local standards and can work across different city jurisdictions.
Transfers, often referred to as 'traveling,' are managed via the IBEW's reciprocal agreements. A member in good standing from another local can work in the Kokomo area by signing the Book 2 out-of-work list. Permanent transfers of membership usually require the approval of the Business Manager and are dependent on the current work volume and the local's internal policies regarding travelers.
Due to the heavy presence of automotive manufacturing in Kokomo, members often undergo specialized training in PLC programming, motor controls, and high-voltage systems. Many signatory contractors require specific safety certifications, such as OSHA 10 or 30, and site-specific orientations. The Local 873 JATC offers advanced classes to ensure the workforce is prepared for the technical demands of modern industrial facilities.
IBEW Local 873 is seated in Kokomo, Indiana (IN). We hold published wage sheets for 16 locals across Indiana — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving Kokomo and the rest of Indiana, including contractors signatory to IBEW Local 873. 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 873 pay scale for 2026 is $44.20 per hour for journeymen in Kokomo, IN, or about $88,400 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $67.38 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 3/3/26.
Journeyman electrician under the IBEW Local 873 agreement make $44.20 an hour in base wages, or $67.38 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 3/3/26. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$44.20 per hour base wage and $67.38 per hour total package for a journeyman in Kokomo, IN, effective 3/3/26. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $88,400 before overtime.
A Local 873 apprentice in Kokomo, IN starts at roughly $19.89 an hour — about 45% of the $44.20 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $33.15 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 873 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $19.89 an hour, or roughly $39,780 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $44.20 journeyman rate effective 3/3/26. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $28.73 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $33.15 an hour in the fourth period and $44.20 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 873 training center.
The current IBEW Local 873 journeyman rate is $44.20/hour, with a total package of $67.38/hour including fringe benefits, effective 3/3/26. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $88,400 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 873 business office before relying on the figure.
The $44.20/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $67.38/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 873 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 $44.20/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $19.89–$22.10/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
IBEW Local 873 is headquartered in Kokomo, IN 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 873 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 873 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 873 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 873 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 3/3/26 schedule; check with the Local 873 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 873 against neighboring jurisdictions and other electricians markets.