What Journeyman-Level Workers Are Actually Earning
A journeyman is a worker who has completed their apprenticeship and holds a full trade license. In most trades, reaching journeyman status takes three to five years. These are the wages journeyman-level workers are currently earning across the country.
| Trade | National Median (Annual) | High-Demand Markets |
|---|---|---|
| Electrician (Commercial) | $82,000 | $95,000 – $115,000 |
| Plumber / Pipefitter | $79,000 | $92,000 – $110,000 |
| HVAC Technician | $74,000 | $88,000 – $105,000 |
| Industrial Welder | $71,000 | $90,000 – $120,000 |
| Elevator Installer / Repairer | $97,000 | $115,000 – $130,000 |
| Boilermaker | $88,000 | $100,000 – $125,000 |
The high-demand market figures reflect wages in cities and states where the labor shortage is most acute — areas like California, Texas, New York, Florida, and the Pacific Northwest. Overtime, which is common in these markets, adds an additional $8,000 to $22,000 annually on top of the base figures above.
To put this in context: the median annual salary for a lawyer in the United States is $135,740 according to BLS data, but that figure includes senior partners at large firms. The median for a first-year associate at a mid-size firm is closer to $72,000 to $85,000 — directly comparable to, and in some cases lower than, what a journeyman electrician or boilermaker earns.