Want to Make Excellent Pay?

Wages for apprentices in state-approved apprenticeship programs start at 40% of the prevailing wage in the local area–about $14-18 per hour, plus benefits. The rate increases every six months until training is completed.  After serving a 3-5 year apprenticeship (depending on craft), union journeymen will make an average wage of $32 per hour plus health and pension benefits. Many union trades pay in excess of $75 per hour when you work overtime.

One of the many benefits of joining a union is that wages are higher than for non-union employees. You can compare for yourself by clicking these links to sample wage estimates.

For nationwide estimates that average together both union and non-union wages, visit the U.S. Department of Labor website and scroll down the list to the “Construction and extraction occupations”.