Should I join a union or non-union apprenticeship in Colorado?

BLS doesn't track apprentice pay on its own, but electricians' helpers in Colorado, the closest entry-level group, earned a median of $27.12 an hour in May 2025, according to BLS wage data. Starting pay varies by program. IEC Rocky Mountain says entry wages typically start at the local minimum wage, and the Denver JATC lists a union scale starting rate of $22.70 an hour with raises as you progress.

No. Colorado apprenticeship programs are built for beginners, and IEC Rocky Mountain says no experience is required. Union JATC programs ask for a diploma or GED, a high school algebra credit and a passing aptitude test, and non-union programs usually need a member contractor to hire you.

Most Colorado electrician apprenticeships take about 4 years, with 8,000 hours of paid on-the-job training and 576 to 720 hours of classes. That lines up with the State Electrical Board's journeyman requirement of 8,000 hours earned in no less than four years, plus 288 classroom hours.

Union JATC programs use an aptitude test, interview and ranking list, then place you with a contractor at a set share of the union journeyman scale with benefits. Non-union IEC and ABC programs start with a job at a member contractor, and classes usually meet one night a week. Both lead to the same Colorado journeyman exam, so pick the one with the next open window and contractors near you.

Yes. Colorado law requires every electrical apprentice to be registered with the State Electrical Board, and your employer must add you to its registration within 30 days of hiring you. You have to work under the direct supervision of a licensed electrician, who can supervise no more than 3 apprentices on a job site.