Journeyman electrician under IBEW Local 90 in New Haven, CT earn $46.40/hr in base wages, or $83.59/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Apr 2025.
IBEW Local 90 runs its own dispatch and out-of-work list. Gulfstream is a private recruiter and does not control hall referral.
The Local 90 pay scale for 2026 is $46.40 per hour for journeymen in New Haven, CT, or about $92,800 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $83.59 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 4/11/25.
| Local 90 journeyman hourly wage | $46.40 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $83.59 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $92,800 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $20.88–$23.20 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 4/11/25 |
| Classification | Journeyman Inside Wireman |
A Local 90 apprentice in New Haven, CT starts at roughly $20.88 an hour — about 45% of the $46.40 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $34.80 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 90 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $20.88 / hour | $41,760 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $25.52 / hour | $51,040 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $30.16 / hour | $60,320 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $34.80 / hour | $69,600 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $39.44 / hour | $78,880 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $46.40 / hour | $92,800 |
IBEW Local 90 represents skilled inside wiremen and electrical professionals across a significant portion of Connecticut, centered around the New Haven market. Since 2014, our firm has observed the critical role this local plays in powering the state's commercial, industrial, and institutional infrastructure. The membership is responsible for installing and maintaining complex electrical systems that drive the regional economy, ranging from advanced healthcare facilities to large-scale residential developments and academic institutions. The local ensures that projects meet rigorous safety standards while providing a reliable pipeline of qualified labor to signatory contractors across their chartered territory.
The New Haven market is a high-demand environment for electrical trades due to the density of research hubs, manufacturing facilities, and coastal infrastructure projects. Local 90 maintains a strong presence in the construction landscape, participating in both major capital improvements and specialized service work. Because the Connecticut labor market requires high levels of technical proficiency for modern building automation and energy management systems, the local invests heavily in training. This commitment ensures that signatory contractors can execute complex scopes of work on schedule, while members receive a total compensation package that reflects the high cost of living and the specialized nature of the electrical trade.
The wage structure for IBEW Local 90 is defined by a significant total package that reaches $83.59 as of April 11, 2025. The journeyman wireman receives an hourly base rate of $46.40, with the remainder of the package allocated to comprehensive fringe benefits. Apprentices entering the program start at a percentage of the journeyman rate—typically beginning around 40-45%—and receive scheduled increases as they complete required work hours and classroom modules. These step increases occur annually or semi-annually, rewarding the accumulation of field experience and technical knowledge. By the final year of the apprenticeship, workers typically earn 80% or more of the full rate, transitioning to the $46.40 journeyman scale upon successful completion of the five-year program and state licensing requirements.
The jurisdiction of IBEW Local 90 covers a primary territory within the state of Connecticut, specifically focusing on New Haven County and portions of surrounding areas like Middlesex and Wallingford. The local’s charter includes all inside electrical work, encompassing the installation of power distribution, lighting, security systems, and telecommunications cabling. Members are dispatched from the New Haven headquarters to job sites throughout the central and southern corridors of the state. This geographic reach allows the local to service a diverse array of projects, from the dense urban core of New Haven to the industrial zones and commercial hubs that populate the shoreline and the I-91 corridor.
The signatory contractor landscape for Local 90 consists of a mix of large-scale mechanical-electrical primes and specialized local shops. These firms range from regional giants capable of handling multi-million dollar institutional projects to smaller service-oriented contractors focusing on commercial maintenance and renovations. The hiring environment is driven largely by the capital expenditure of the region’s major universities and healthcare systems. Signatory contractors benefit from a centralized dispatch system that provides manpower scaled to the project size, ensuring that even the most technical electrical specifications are met by licensed professionals who have undergone rigorous standardized training.
To work as a journeyman wireman in Connecticut, you must hold an E-2 Unlimited Journeyperson license issued by the state. This requires the completion of 8,000 hours of on-the-job training and passing the state board examination. Local 90’s apprenticeship is designed to meet and exceed these state requirements, providing the necessary documentation for licensure.
Wage increases are determined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiated between the union and the a mechanical contractor Association (NECA). These adjustments typically occur annually. The upcoming April 2025 rate reflects these negotiated steps, ensuring wages keep pace with inflation and the specialized skill requirements of the New Haven electrical market.
Travelers and transferees are managed through the IBEW's standard reciprocity rules. A member must typically be in good standing with their home local and report to the Local 90 business manager. Permanent transfers, or 'vesting' into the local, usually require a period of working in the jurisdiction and a vote by the membership, depending on local bylaws.
While the jurisdiction is diverse, there is a heavy concentration of institutional work involving hospitals and higher education campuses. Industrial work related to the region's manufacturing base and large-scale commercial developments along the I-95 and I-91 corridors also represent a significant portion of the man-hours for Local 90 members.
IBEW Local 90 is seated in New Haven, Connecticut (CT). We hold published wage sheets for 4 locals across Connecticut — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving New Haven and the rest of Connecticut, including contractors signatory to IBEW Local 90. 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 90 pay scale for 2026 is $46.40 per hour for journeymen in New Haven, CT, or about $92,800 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $83.59 per hour. That is the rate in force for 2026, effective 4/11/25.
Journeyman electrician under the IBEW Local 90 agreement make $46.40 an hour in base wages, or $83.59 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 4/11/25. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$46.40 per hour base wage and $83.59 per hour total package for a journeyman in New Haven, CT, effective 4/11/25. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $92,800 before overtime.
A Local 90 apprentice in New Haven, CT starts at roughly $20.88 an hour — about 45% of the $46.40 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $34.80 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 90 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $20.88 an hour, or roughly $41,760 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $46.40 journeyman rate effective 4/11/25. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $30.16 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $34.80 an hour in the fourth period and $46.40 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 90 training center.
The current IBEW Local 90 journeyman rate is $46.40/hour, with a total package of $83.59/hour including fringe benefits, effective 4/11/25. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $92,800 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 90 business office before relying on the figure.
The $46.40/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $83.59/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 90 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 $46.40/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $20.88–$23.20/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
IBEW Local 90 is headquartered in New Haven, CT 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 90 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 90 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 90 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 90 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 4/11/25 schedule; check with the Local 90 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 90 against neighboring jurisdictions and other electricians markets.