Journeyman base rates at the 5 union locals based in Boston, MA run $66.17 to $70.80 an hour on the 4 published sheets we hold — roughly $133,060 a year at the midpoint, before the fringe package. HVAC union pay in Boston — the sheet metal and pipefitting locals that cover commercial mechanical work — runs $66.53 to $70.80 an hour on those sheets. Each figure below shows its source and effective date.
| Local | Trade | Hall | Journeyman / hr | Total package | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UA Local 550 rates in Boston | Plumbers & Pipefitters | Boston, MA | $70.80 | $107.45 | 4/19/25 |
| UA Local 12 rates in Boston | Plumbers & Pipefitters | Boston, MA | $69.84 | $106.27 | 3/2/25 |
| UA Local 537 rates in Boston | Plumbers & Pipefitters | Boston, MA | $66.53 | — | 5/10/25 |
| IBEW Local 103 rates in Boston | Electricians | Boston, MA | $66.17 | $101.51 | 3/14/26 |
| SMART Local 139 rates in Boston | Railroad Mechanical Workers | Boston, MA | No sheet published | — | — |
Base rates only; fringes are paid on top. Sheet set last cross-checked 2026-09-23.
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$66.53–$70.80 an hour journeyman base at UA Local 550, UA Local 12, UA Local 537, before fringes.
$66.17 an hour journeyman base at IBEW Local 103, before fringes.
SMART Local 139 — no published wage sheet on file; contact the hall for current scale.
Union wages in Boston sit at a $66.53 an hour median journeyman base across the 4 published sheets we hold for Boston, MA — 48.5% above the $44.79 median across every local sheet on this site, and 21.0% above the $55.00 Massachusetts median. Base rates only — health, pension, annuity and training are paid on top.
Published union pay rates for Boston, MA run $66.17 to $70.80 an hour on journeyman base scale — about $133,060 a year at the midpoint on 2,000 hours. Every rate below is taken from the local's own wage sheet and carries its effective date; confirm the current step with the hall before you rely on it for an offer.
| Market | Median journeyman / hr | Range | Sheets | vs. this city |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brockton, MA union wages | $50.02 | $50.02–$50.02 | 1 | −24.8% |
| Springfield, MA union wages | $49.26 | $49.26–$53.26 | 2 | −26.0% |
| Worcester, MA union wages | $48.16 | $48.16–$55.00 | 2 | −27.6% |
| Market | Median journeyman / hr | Range | Sheets | vs. this city |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA union wages | $83.40 | $62.76–$95.75 | 8 | +25.4% |
| San Jose, CA union wages | $83.40 | $76.86–$95.53 | 6 | +25.4% |
| San Mateo, CA union wages | $79.41 | $79.41–$88.00 | 2 | +19.4% |
| Philadelphia, PA union wages | $70.32 | $66.22–$73.73 | 3 | +5.7% |
| Martinez, CA union wages | $68.26 | $68.26–$68.57 | 2 | +2.6% |
| Seattle, WA union wages | $65.30 | $58.47–$76.95 | 6 | −1.8% |
| Jersey City, NJ union wages | $60.82 | $60.82–$64.96 | 2 | −8.6% |
| Portland, OR union wages | $60.77 | $54.99–$65.50 | 3 | −8.7% |
Medians are taken across the published journeyman base rates for locals based in each market. Cities differ in trade mix and agreement cycle, so compare like trades before drawing a conclusion.
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Not journeyed out yet? See Boston union apprenticeships — the halls running each program, entry requirements and apprentice pay by period.
Across the 4 Boston-area locals with a published wage sheet, journeyman base rates run $66.17 to $70.80 an hour, midpoint near $66.53 — about $133,060 a year at 2,000 hours. Fringes (health, pension, training) are paid on top of that base.
Of the sheets we hold, UA Local 550 (Plumbers & Pipefitters) shows the highest journeyman base rate at $70.80 an hour, effective 4/19/25. Rates reset each agreement cycle, so confirm with the hall before relying on the figure.
Commercial HVAC work in Boston, MA is covered by the sheet metal and pipefitting locals — UA Local 550 at $70.80/hr (effective 4/19/25), UA Local 12 at $69.84/hr (effective 3/2/25), UA Local 537 at $66.53/hr (effective 5/10/25). That puts HVAC union pay in Boston between $66.53 and $70.80 an hour on base scale, before the fringe package.
Only on signatory work. Sheet metal service and pipefitting/refrigeration service agreements are dispatched through the hall at the published scale; merit-shop HVAC service pay in Boston, MA is set per employer and varies with EPA and controls certifications, on-call and overtime. We recruit for both.
No. The journeyman rate is the base hourly wage. Health and welfare, pension, annuity and training contributions are paid on top — that combined figure is the total package, shown where the sheet publishes it.
Apply to the local's apprenticeship or ask about journeyman organizing directly with the hall, and register on the out-of-work list if you already hold the ticket. We also place union-scale and merit-shop tradespeople with Boston contractors — the openings on this page are live.
Each figure is read off that local's published wage sheet, with the source and effective date shown next to it. Our sheet set was last cross-checked 2026-09-23.
Boston's median published journeyman base is $66.53 an hour, 48.5% above the $44.79 median across all local wage sheets we hold. Nearby Massachusetts markets: Brockton, MA $50.02/hr, Springfield, MA $49.26/hr, Worcester, MA $48.16/hr.
Journeyman base rates in Boston, MA run $66.17 to $70.80 an hour on the 4 sheets published by locals based in the market, with the fringe package paid on top of that base. Apprentice rates are a set percentage of scale by period.
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