Google West Memphis
Google's $4 billion data center campus in West Memphis, Arkansas. In October 2026 Entergy filed to build two battery storage systems as part of the expansion. On November 2, 2026, IBEW Local 474's job board listed 52 electrician calls for the Google data center job in West Memphis with ArchKey Sachs Electric and Copeland Electric.
Key facts
- Capacity
- Not available
- Estimated cost
- $4,000,000,000
- Building size
- 900,000 sq ftFirst $1 billion phase (2025)
- Construction start
- Oct 2025
- Expected completion
- Not available
- Last verified
- Not yet re-verified
Companies and roles
- Owner
- Subcontractor
Unions
- IBEW Local 474 · Union labor reported · Electricians
Locals with jurisdiction over this site
Local with jurisdiction over this site (not confirmed on the job)
- Plumbers & pipefitters
- Sheet metal & HVAC
- Boilermakers
- Painters
Prevailing wages (government minimums)
Minimum hourly pay the U.S. Department of Labor sets for federally funded building work in this project's county (Arkansas), by trade. It is a floor, not what this project pays: data center jobs often pay above scale, and non-union survey rates can be many years old.
| Trade | Wage /hr | Overtime 1.5× | Double time 2× | Benefits /hr | Total comp /hr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ElectriciansNon-union survey rate · effective Jan 9, 2017 · old rateELECTRICIANOvertime 1.5× $28.04 · Double time 2× $37.38 · Benefits /hr $4.17 | $18.69 | $28.04 | $37.38 | $4.17 | $22.86 |
| Plumbers & pipefittersUnion rate · Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 155 · effective Aug 1, 2025PIPEFITTEROvertime 1.5× $51.62 · Double time 2× $68.82 · Benefits /hr $15.70 | $34.41 | $51.62 | $68.82 | $15.70 | $50.11 |
| IronworkersNon-union survey rate · effective Jan 9, 2017 · old rateIRONWORKER, STRUCTURALOvertime 1.5× $29.09 · Double time 2× $38.78 · Benefits /hr $0.00 | $19.39 | $29.09 | $38.78 | $0.00 | $19.39 |
| Sheet metal & HVACUnion rate · Sheet Metal Workers Local 36 · effective Jun 1, 2024SHEET METAL WORKER (INCLUDES HVAC DUCT INSTALLATION)Overtime 1.5× $40.49 · Double time 2× $53.98 · Benefits /hr $15.67 | $26.99 | $40.49 | $53.98 | $15.67 | $42.66 |
| LaborersNon-union survey rate · effective Jan 9, 2017 · old rateLABORER: COMMON OR GENERALOvertime 1.5× $16.20 · Double time 2× $21.60 · Benefits /hr $0.00 | $10.80 | $16.20 | $21.60 | $0.00 | $10.80 |
| Operating engineers (heavy equipment)Non-union survey rate · effective Jan 9, 2017 · old rateOPERATOR: BULLDOZEROvertime 1.5× $23.82 · Double time 2× $31.76 · Benefits /hr $0.00 | $15.88 | $23.82 | $31.76 | $0.00 | $15.88 |
| CarpentersNon-union survey rate · effective Jan 9, 2017 · old rateCARPENTEROvertime 1.5× $30.00 · Double time 2× $40.00 · Benefits /hr $4.81 | $20.00 | $30.00 | $40.00 | $4.81 | $24.81 |
| BoilermakersUnion rate · Boilermakers Local 69 · effective Jan 1, 2025BOILERMAKEROvertime 1.5× $51.32 · Double time 2× $68.42 · Benefits /hr $23.92 | $34.21 | $51.32 | $68.42 | $23.92 | $58.13 |
| InsulatorsNon-union survey rate · effective Jan 9, 2017 · old rateINSULATOR - MECHANICAL (DUCT, PIPE & MECHANICAL SYSTEM INSULATION)Overtime 1.5× $25.74 · Double time 2× $34.32 · Benefits /hr $4.76 | $17.16 | $25.74 | $34.32 | $4.76 | $21.92 |
| PaintersUnion rate · Painters Local 424 · effective Jul 1, 2021PAINTER (BRUSH, ROLLER AND SPRAY)Overtime 1.5× $24.38 · Double time 2× $32.50 · Benefits /hr $10.42 | $16.25 | $24.38 | $32.50 | $10.42 | $26.67 |
| BricklayersNon-union survey rate · effective Jan 9, 2017 · old rateBRICKLAYEROvertime 1.5× $29.09 · Double time 2× $38.78 · Benefits /hr $0.00 | $19.39 | $29.09 | $38.78 | $0.00 | $19.39 |
| Plasterers & cement masonsNon-union survey rate · effective Jan 9, 2017 · old rateCEMENT MASON/CONCRETE FINISHEROvertime 1.5× $25.55 · Double time 2× $34.06 · Benefits /hr $0.00 | $17.03 | $25.55 | $34.06 | $0.00 | $17.03 |
| RoofersNon-union survey rate · effective Jan 9, 2017 · old rateROOFEROvertime 1.5× $23.09 · Double time 2× $30.78 · Benefits /hr $0.00 | $15.39 | $23.09 | $30.78 | $0.00 | $15.39 |
| Teamsters (drivers)Non-union survey rate · effective Jan 9, 2017 · old rateTRUCK DRIVER: DUMP TRUCKOvertime 1.5× $20.31 · Double time 2× $27.08 · Benefits /hr $0.23 | $13.54 | $20.31 | $27.08 | $0.23 | $13.77 |
- Wage:
- the hourly pay in the worker's paycheck, before taxes, at straight time.
- Overtime and double time:
- the wage × 1.5 and × 2. Federal contracts require time and a half after 40 hours a week; when double time applies (for example Sundays, holidays or after 10–12 hours) is set by each union contract.
- Benefits:
- paid by the employer on top of the wage into the worker's health insurance, pension and annuity, and apprenticeship training funds (sometimes vacation and holiday pay). Not in the paycheck.
- Total comp:
- wage + benefits for one straight-time hour.
Journeyman rates only; shift premiums and per diem are not included. Source: Davis-Bacon general wage determinations on SAM.gov.
Apprentices: rates above are for journeymen. Apprentices are usually paid a percentage of the journeyman rate, typically starting around 40–60% and rising about 10 percentage points every 6 months to a year until they reach the full rate. Exact steps vary by trade and local.
- U.S. Department of Labor wage determination AR20260026 (SAM.gov) (opens in a new tab)sam.gov · Government filing
Per diem reported
Typical per diem reported · Memphis / Southaven / West Memphis
$160–$175 /day
Range $150–$178 · 8 reports
Per diem is a daily allowance for meals and lodging. It is usually paid only to travelers, often those who live 50+ miles from the job, and it varies by contractor. These are amounts reported in job posts, union job boards and worker posts for this area: they are not guaranteed. "Typical" is the middle half of the reports.
| Job | Per day |
|---|---|
| Inside journeyman wireman (electrician)Union job board · Cache Valley Electric · Nov 3, 2026 · View post (opens in a new tab) | $178 |
| Licensed journeyman electricianJob listing · Superior Skilled Trades · Facebook (recruiter post) · Oct 16, 2026 | $160 |
| Industrial / medium voltage electricianJob listing · Superior Skilled Trades · Facebook (group: Per Diem Jobs by RoadDogJobs) · Sep 24, 2026 | $167posted as $5,000/month |
| Journeyman electricianWorker report · New River Electric · Facebook (influencer page) · Oct 23, 2026 | $175 |
| Structural welderWorker report · Core Group Resources · Facebook (influencer page) · Oct 23, 2026 | $160 |
| PipefitterWorker report · Fusion Mechanical (as named in comment) · Facebook (group: Per Diem Only Fans) · Oct 9, 2026 | $175 |
| PipefitterWorker report · Performance (as named in comment) · Facebook (group: Per Diem Only Fans) · Oct 9, 2026 | $150 |
| Licensed journeyman electricianWorker report · xAI (per recruiter email in post; unverified) · Facebook (personal post) · Sep 2, 2026 | $167posted as $5,000/month |
Weekly amounts are divided by 7 and monthly amounts by 30. Not counted: shift-completion bonuses ("incentives"), per diem built into the hourly wage, jobs with lodging provided, and office or safety roles. Posts on personal social media profiles are counted but not linked.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from these public sources:
- Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (opens in a new tab)arkansasonline.com · News
- IBEW local job board (opens in a new tab)ibewlocal474.com · Other
- IBEW inside jurisdiction map (AR) (opens in a new tab)ibew.org · Other
- U.S. Department of Labor wage determination AR20260026 (SAM.gov) (opens in a new tab)sam.gov · Government filing
- Greater Memphis Chamber (opens in a new tab)wearememphis.com · Press release
- KAIT (opens in a new tab)kait8.com · News
- Action News 5 (opens in a new tab)actionnews5.com · News
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