Independent salary reference. Not affiliated with BLS, IBEW, NECA, or any electrical contractor. All wage figures cite the source; individual earnings vary by employer, certifications, and market.
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IBEW Local 103Greater Boston

IBEW Local 103 Boston Pay Scale 2026

Journeyman base $66.86/hr, total package $112.61/hr

Greater Boston inside wireman, effective March 1, 2026. Source: Boston JATC / Joint Conference Committee Inside Wage Rate Memorandum.

Base Wage66.86USD/hr
Total Package112.61USD/hr

Local 103 pay scale 2026, at a glance

The IBEW Local 103 inside wireman journeyman base wage is $66.86/hr effective March 1, 2026, with a $112.61/hr total package once health, pension, annuity, NEBF, training, and industry funds are added. Apprentices start at 40% of journeyman scale ($26.74/hr base, $49.65/hr package) and climb to 75% in the tenth period ($50.15/hr base, $93.14/hr package). The journeyman base steps up again to $68.78/hr on September 1, 2026 under the 2025-2028 Principal Inside Agreement.

Union Electrician Salary in Boston, Per Year

The Local 103 scale is set hourly, so annual pay depends on hours worked. At full-time 2,080 hours (40 hours a week, 52 weeks) on the current journeyman base wage, a Boston union electrician grosses about $139,069/yr in cash wages before overtime. Counting the full $112.61/hr package, total compensation is worth roughly $234,229/yr. Overtime and travel work push cash earnings higher; gaps between jobs pull them lower.

$139,069

Journeyman base wage, annualized ($66.86/hr x 2,080)

$234,229

Total package value, annualized ($112.61/hr x 2,080)

$55,619–$104,312

Apprentice base wage range, annualized (1st to 10th period)

Annualized at 2,080 hours for comparison with salaried roles. Actual annual earnings depend on hours dispatched, overtime, and time between calls. Base-wage figures are cash before benefits; the total-package figure includes health, pension, annuity, and fund contributions that are not take-home pay.

Journeyman Total Package Breakdown

Effective March 1, 2026 to August 31, 2026.

ComponentAmount
Base wage rate$66.86/hr
Health Benefit Plan (HBP)$13.00/hr
Pension$12.63/hr
Annuity (deferred income)$9.00/hr
Industry fund (EILMCT)$8.00/hr
NEBF (3% of gross)$2.01/hr
Training fund (JATF)$1.00/hr
AMF$0.10/hr
NLMCC$0.01/hr
Total Package$112.61/hr

Apprentice Pay Ladder

Five-year program, ten six-month periods. Base wage and total package effective March 1, 2026. Percentages are of the journeyman base wage rate.

Period% of JWBase wageTotal package
1st Period40%$26.74$49.65
2nd Period40%$26.74$49.65
3rd Period45%$30.09$69.78
4th Period45%$30.09$69.78
5th Period50%$33.43$73.67
6th Period55%$36.77$77.56
7th Period60%$40.12$81.46
8th Period65%$43.46$85.35
9th Period70%$46.80$89.24
10th Period75%$50.15$93.14
Journeyman100%$66.86$112.61

Rate Steps Through 2028

Journeyman base wage and total package by effective date, 2025-2028 Principal Inside Agreement.

EffectiveBase wageTotal package
Sep 1, 2025$66.17$110.86
Mar 1, 2026 (current)$66.86$112.61
Sep 1, 2026$68.78$114.61
Mar 1, 2027$69.97$116.36
Sep 1, 2027$71.88$118.36
Mar 1, 2028$73.08$120.11

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the IBEW Local 103 pay scale in 2026?
The IBEW Local 103 inside wireman journeyman base wage is $66.86/hr effective March 1, 2026 (up from $66.17/hr on September 1, 2025). Adding health, pension, annuity, NEBF, training, and industry-fund contributions, the total package reaches $112.61/hr. These rates come from the Joint Conference Committee (Local 103 IBEW and Boston Chapter NECA) Inside Wage Rate Memorandum and run through the 2025-2028 Principal Inside Agreement.
What is the Local 103 journeyman base hourly wage?
The Local 103 inside wireman journeyman base wage rate is $66.86/hr for the March 1, 2026 to August 31, 2026 period. It steps up to $68.78/hr on September 1, 2026 and continues rising semiannually to $73.08/hr by March 2028 under the current agreement.
What jurisdiction does Local 103 cover?
IBEW Local 103 covers Eastern Massachusetts including Boston, Cambridge, Quincy, Newton, Brookline, Waltham, Revere, Medford, Somerville, and surrounding cities and towns. Worcester (Local 96), Springfield (Local 7), and the Cape and Islands (Local 223) have separate jurisdictions.
How long is the Local 103 apprenticeship and what does it pay?
Local 103 inside wireman apprenticeship is a five-year program through the Greater Boston Electrical Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee, divided into ten six-month wage periods. Apprentices start at 40% of the journeyman base wage ($26.74/hr, $49.65/hr total package) and progress to 75% in the tenth period ($50.15/hr base, $93.14/hr total package), with full benefit contributions from the third period onward.
How does Massachusetts prevailing wage affect electrician pay?
Massachusetts has one of the most robust state prevailing wage laws in the US (MGL Chapter 149, Sections 26-27D). Public construction projects above $10,000 must pay prevailing wages set by the Department of Labor Standards (DLS). For Electrician (BLS 47-2111) in Boston, the published prevailing wage typically aligns closely with the IBEW Local 103 wage and fringe package, effectively making the union scale the floor on state public work.
How much does a union electrician make per year in Boston?
At the IBEW Local 103 journeyman base wage of $66.86/hr, a Boston union electrician working full-time 2,080 hours grosses about $139,069 per year in cash wages before overtime, effective March 1, 2026. Counting the full $112.61/hr package (base wage plus health, pension, annuity, NEBF, training, and industry funds), total annual compensation is worth about $234,229. Actual annual earnings vary with hours worked, overtime, and gaps between jobs. Apprentices earn 40 to 75 percent of journeyman scale, roughly $55,619 to $104,312 in annual base wages.

Related Pages

Source: Joint Conference Committee for the Electrical Construction Industry, Greater Boston (Local Union 103, IBEW and Boston Chapter, NECA), Inside Wage Rate Memorandum effective September 1, 2025 and March 1, 2026 (bostonjatc.com). Massachusetts DLS prevailing wage schedules.

Updated 2026-04-27