IBEW Apprenticeship Program
What Will You Earn as an Apprentice Electrician?
See your wages grow every 6 months — compare your IBEW apprentice pay and benefits to non-union helper wages, period by period, and over the full 5-year program.
Apprenticeship period — click any to explore
IBEW Apprentice Period 1
Year 1 • 40% of JW wage
JW base wage (reference)
$38.50/hr
Apprentice base wage
$15.40/hr
Health & welfare
$9.85/hr
Pension / annuity
$6.50/hr
Vacation & holiday
$2.50/hr
Free training & schooling
Included
Annual base pay (2,080 hrs)
$32,032
Total annual compensation
$71,240
Non-Union Helper / Laborer
Same career year — flat wage, few benefits
Base hourly wage
$18.00/hr
Health insurance
Not included
Retirement / 401(k)
Rarely offered
Vacation
Typically unpaid
Paid training / schooling
Not provided
Licensing / credential cost
Out of pocket
Annual base pay (2,080 hrs)
$37,440
Total annual compensation (est.)
$37,440
Non-union helper wage stays flat unless you negotiate individually. No automatic raises, no defined benefits, no pathway to Journeyman card without paying for your own schooling. Est. includes no benefits by default.
Wage progression — all 10 periods
Period 1 (40%)
Period 5 (65%)
Period 10 (85%)
→ JW Card (100%)
Annual total compensation — all 5 years
IBEW apprentice — total compensation
IBEW apprentice — base wages only
Non-union helper — total compensation
5-year program totals
IBEW 5-yr total
$0
wages + full benefits
Non-union 5-yr total
$0
wages only (no benefits)
You earn more with IBEW
$0
over the 5-year program
IBEW starting wage
$0/hr
Period 1 base pay
JW wage at completion
$0/hr
Full JW card earned
JW annual package
$0
total after graduation