Apprenticeships pay you while you learn, but how much? Here are real numbers for the area, and how apprentice pay usually grows.
The floor: minimum wage
New York’s minimum wage on Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk) is $17.00 an hour as of January 1, 2026. That applies to apprentices and helpers too.
What helpers and trades earn
These are hourly wages from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for May 2025, for the New York metro area, which includes Nassau and Suffolk. “Median” means half earned more and half earned less. Newer workers are usually toward the low end.
| Job | Low end (bottom 10%) | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Electrician’s helper | $16.96 | $22.98 |
| Plumber’s helper | $17.88 | $25.00 |
| Carpenter’s helper | $15.49 | $23.49 |
| Electrician | $22.20 | $37.99 |
| Plumber, pipefitter, steamfitter | $23.02 | $37.79 |
| HVAC mechanic | $24.37 | $37.50 |
| Carpenter | $22.53 | $35.72 |
| Welder | $21.58 | $29.66 |
Some low-end figures are below today’s $17 minimum because they’re from 2025 and cover the whole metro area. On Long Island, $17 is the legal minimum in 2026.
How apprentice pay grows
In a New York State registered apprenticeship, pay follows a schedule. The Department of Labor says starting wages are usually about 40% of the skilled worker rate, with raises as you complete hours and classes. Union programs set their steps by contract.
At non-union shops, raises are up to the shop. Ask before you start: what’s the starting rate, and what do I need to do to get the next raise?
Make your hours count
Raises and, later, a license both depend on hours you can prove. Keep a record of every day you work, approved by your shop. That’s what FirstHand’s logbook does, and it stays yours when you change shops.