Journeyman pipefitters under UA Local 230 in San Diego, CA earn $53.78/hr in base wages, or $79.89/hr as a total package with fringe benefits, effective Oct 2023. This sheet is more than 2 years old, so confirm the current rate with the hall before quoting it.
UA Local 230 runs its own dispatch and out-of-work list — call the hall to confirm hours, books and what to bring. Gulfstream is a private recruiter and does not control hall referral.
The Local 230 pay scale is $53.78 per hour for journeymen in San Diego, CA, or about $107,560 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $79.89 per hour. That is the last wage sheet we can source for this local — confirm the current rate with the hall.
| Local 230 journeyman hourly wage | $53.78 / hour |
|---|---|
| Total package (wage + fringe benefits) | $79.89 / hour |
| Annualized at 2,080 hours (base wage) | $107,560 / year |
| First-period apprentice (≈45–50% of scale) | $24.20–$26.89 / hour |
| Wage sheet effective | 10/6/23 |
| Classification | Combo |
A Local 230 apprentice in San Diego, CA starts at roughly $24.20 an hour — about 45% of the $53.78 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $40.34 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 230 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
| 1st period (year 1) | 45% of scale | $24.20 / hour | $48,402 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd period (year 2) | 55% of scale | $29.58 / hour | $59,158 |
| 3rd period (year 3) | 65% of scale | $34.96 / hour | $69,914 |
| 4th period (year 4) | 75% of scale | $40.34 / hour | $80,670 |
| 5th period (year 5) | 85% of scale | $45.71 / hour | $91,426 |
| Journeyman (turned out) | 100% of scale | $53.78 / hour | $107,560 |
UA Local 230 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall — call 858-554-0586 to confirm dispatch hours, required documents (union card, certifications, ID) and current list standing 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.
United Association Local 230 represents the highly skilled plumbers, steamfitters, and HVACR technicians across the greater San Diego region. Established as a cornerstone of the Southern California building trades, this local provides the specialized labor required for complex infrastructure, defense projects, and commercial high-rise developments. The San Diego market is unique due to its heavy concentration of biotechnology laboratories, naval facilities, and maritime industrial shipyards, all of which demand precision piping systems. Members of Local 230 undergo rigorous certification processes to meet the stringent safety and quality standards mandated by federal and state regulations within this jurisdiction.
The institutional and commercial landscape in San Diego relies on Local 230 for both new construction and long-term maintenance of essential mechanical systems. From the cooling towers of large data centers to the medical gas lines in healthcare facilities, the local's jurisdiction covers the entire San Diego County area. Because this market is a hub for innovation and specialized manufacturing, the union maintains a modern Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC) facility to ensure the workforce stays current with evolving technologies like building automation and sustainable water reclamation systems. This commitment to training makes Local 230 a vital partner for signatory mechanical contractors operating in the region.
As of October 2023, the Journeyman hourly rate for UA Local 230 is set at $53.78, contributing to a comprehensive total package of $79.89 when including fringe benefits. This package reflects the high cost of living in San Diego and the specialized nature of the trade. Apprentices enter the program at a percentage of the Journeyman rate, typically starting around 40% to 45% and receiving incremental raises every six to twelve months based on successful completion of classroom hours and on-the-job training milestones. By the fifth year, senior apprentices earn near-journeyman wages. These figures represent the standard building trades agreement, though specialized rates may apply for residential or light commercial work. Contractors and members should verify the latest specific allocations with the Local 230 business office to ensure compliance with current CBA terms.
UA Local 230 holds a territorial charter that encompasses the entirety of San Diego County, stretching from the Mexican border north to the Orange and Riverside County lines, and east to the Imperial County border. The work governed by this jurisdiction includes the installation, maintenance, and repair of all piping systems, including hydronic heating and cooling, high-pressure steam, industrial process piping, and commercial plumbing. Members are dispatched through the San Diego hiring hall to various job sites ranging from the downtown core to the outlying military installations and research parks. Travel and subsistence pay may be applicable depending on the distance from the jurisdictional baseline, as defined in the master labor agreement.
The contractor landscape for UA Local 230 is characterized by a mix of large-scale mechanical primes and specialized service providers. Signatory contractors in this market often focus on high-stakes sectors like life sciences, where cleanroom piping and validated systems are required. There is also a significant presence of contractors dedicated to federal and military projects, reflecting San Diego's status as a major naval hub. Hiring trends typically fluctuate based on large-scale public works and private biotech expansions. For professionals since 2014, Gulfstream Strategic Placements has monitored this market as one where highly technical certifications, such as orbital welding or medical gas piping, significantly enhance a worker's employability and career longevity.
While both trades fall under the Local 230 banner, plumbers primarily focus on potable water, sewage, and drainage systems in commercial and residential settings. Steamfitters, or pipefitters, specialize in high-pressure piping for industrial processes, climate control, and energy production. Apprentices in San Diego often choose a specific track, but both receive foundational training in welding, brazing, and blueprint reading to ensure versatility on site.
Yes, given San Diego's status as a global biotech hub, Local 230 and its JATC provide training for high-purity piping, orbital welding, and cleanroom protocols. These certifications are essential for working on laboratory projects and pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities where system contamination must be avoided at all costs. Having these endorsements often leads to more consistent work opportunities with the region's top-tier signatory mechanical contractors.
Travelers and those seeking a permanent transfer (traveling card) must follow the procedures outlined in the UA Constitution. Generally, you must be a member in good standing with your home local and contact the Local 230 Business Manager to inquire about the current work list. Transfers are typically dependent on the volume of work in the San Diego jurisdiction and the availability of local members for dispatch.
Wage increases are negotiated as part of the Master Labor Agreement between the union and the Mechanical Contractors Association (MCA). These increases are usually scheduled annually or bi-annually. The membership then votes on how to allocate the total increase between the check (hourly wage) and various fringe benefit funds like the pension or health plan, ensuring the package remains competitive with San Diego's cost of living.
UA Local 230 is seated in San Diego, California (CA). We hold published wage sheets for 46 locals across California — compare nearby scales before you take a call.
We are a mechanical, plumbing and electrical construction recruiting firm serving San Diego and the rest of California, including contractors signatory to UA Local 230. Our office is in South Corona, California and we place union-scale tradespeople and field leadership nationwide.
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Journeyman scales as last published by each local. Rates change every contract cycle — confirm with the hall.
The Local 230 pay scale is $53.78 per hour for journeymen in San Diego, CA, or about $107,560 a year at 2,080 hours. The total package, including employer-paid fringe benefits, is $79.89 per hour. That is the last wage sheet we can source for this local — confirm the current rate with the hall.
Journeyman pipefitters under the UA Local 230 agreement make $53.78 an hour in base wages, or $79.89 an hour counting the fringe package, per the wage sheet effective 10/6/23. Overtime, shift premiums, and travel or subsistence pay are added on top under the local's CBA.
$53.78 per hour base wage and $79.89 per hour total package for a journeyman in San Diego, CA, effective 10/6/23. Annualized at 2,080 hours that is roughly $107,560 before overtime.
A Local 230 apprentice in San Diego, CA starts at roughly $24.20 an hour — about 45% of the $53.78 journeyman scale — and steps up each period, reaching around $40.34 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 230 has published; confirm the exact schedule with the JATC.
About $24.20 an hour, or roughly $48,402 a year at 2,080 hours, based on the standard 45% first-period step of the $53.78 journeyman rate effective 10/6/23. Apprentices also earn benefit contributions and paid classroom progression; the JATC sets the exact percentage.
Around $34.96 an hour at the standard 65% third-period step, moving to about $40.34 an hour in the fourth period and $53.78 an hour at full journeyman scale. Confirm the published step schedule with the Local 230 training center.
The current UA Local 230 journeyman rate is $53.78/hour, with a total package of $79.89/hour including fringe benefits, effective 10/6/23. At 2,080 hours that works out to roughly $107,560 per year in base wages before overtime. Rates change with each CBA cycle — confirm with the Local 230 business office before relying on the figure.
The $53.78/hour figure is the base journeyman wage that lands on the paycheck. The $79.89/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 plumbers & pipefitters labor costs across locals.
Apprentices under the UA Local 230 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 $53.78/hour journeyman rate, a first-period apprentice would be in the $24.20–$26.89/hour range. The exact percentage schedule is set by the local's JATC.
UA Local 230 is headquartered in San Diego, CA and dispatches plumbers & pipefitters 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 plumbers & pipefitters work. Some Local 230 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 UA Local 230 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 230 training center directly.
Plumbers & Pipefitters 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 UA Local 230 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 plumbers & pipefitters 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 10/6/23 schedule; check with the Local 230 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 230 against neighboring jurisdictions and other plumbers & pipefitters markets.
The UA Local 230 hall is at 6313 Nancy Ridge Dr San Diego, CA 92121, serving San Diego, CA and the surrounding jurisdiction. Hall phone: 858-554-0586.
UA Local 230 runs its own referral procedure and books are signed at the hall. Call the hall at 858-554-0586 to confirm dispatch hours, required documents (union card, certifications, ID) and current list standing before traveling in — Gulfstream does not control hall dispatch.
UA Local 230 can be reached at 858-554-0586. Contact details are imported from the union's public directory listing — confirm hours with the hall.