Outside lineman pay
Massachusetts lineman pay scale
Checked against official pages October 24, 2026. Non-official sources are labeled.
IBEW Local 42
- Base / hr
- $46.96
- Fringe / hr
- $25.05
- Total
- $72.01
- Rate filed
- Sep 2017filed more than two years ago; the current scale may be higher
- Source
- MA20260003
| IBEW local | Base / hr | Fringe / hr | Total package | Rate filed | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local 42 | $46.96 | $25.05 | $72.01 | Sep 2017filed more than two years ago; the current scale may be higher | MA20260003 |
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 Massachusetts
Massachusetts is covered by NEAT (NEAT doesn’t publish its state list; this is from a secondary source). Its apprentices are paid 60 / 65 / 70 / 75 / 80 / 85 / 90% of the journeyman rate across 7 steps. On a $46.96 base, step one is about $28.18 an hour. NEAT’s pay page lists journeyman rates by local (for example Local 1319 $60.72, Local 126 $56.26). Its table is undated and differs from the federal rates, so confirm with the local.
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.