Outside lineman pay
California lineman pay scale
Checked against official pages October 24, 2026. Non-official sources are labeled.
IBEW Local 1245
- Base / hr
- $70.16
- Fringe / hr
- $24.71
- Total
- $94.87
- Rate filed
- Jan 2025
- Source
- CA20260018, CA20260004, CA20260007
| IBEW local | Base / hr | Fringe / hr | Total package | Rate filed | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local 1245 | $70.16 | $24.71 | $94.87 | Jan 2025 | CA20260018, CA20260004, CA20260007 |
What these numbers are, and aren’t
They’re the union journeyman lineman rates in federal Davis-Bacon prevailing-wage determinations, which adopt the local’s negotiated rate for the area. “Fringe” is what the employer pays into benefits (pension, health, training) per hour on top of base. They don’t include per diem, overtime, storm-work premiums or foreman pay, and a new contract can raise the scale before the determination catches up. “Rate filed” is the date printed next to the rate in the determination.
Apprentice pay in California
California is covered by Cal-Nev. Its apprentices are paid 60 / 65 / 70 / 75 / 80 / 85 / 90% of the journeyman rate across 7 steps. On a $70.16 base, step one is about $42.10 an hour. The California outside-line agreement Cal-Nev posts lists $74.43 an hour for a journeyman lineman from June 1, 2026, newer and higher than the federal determination. Nevada has a separate agreement.
California is covered by NW Line (northern California only). Its apprentices are paid 60 / 63 / 67 / 72 / 78 / 86 / 90% of the journeyman rate across 7 steps. On a $70.16 base, step one is about $42.10 an hour. NW Line’s own site lists the journeyman wage as $64.17 an hour (as of Feb. 2024).
Getting in
The rate is the easy part to look up. The hard parts are the CDL, catching the application window, the aptitude test and the interview. How each program works · the aptitude test.