IBEW aptitude test · checked November 14, 2026
IBEW aptitude test prep, side by side
Start with your local's applicant packet and the ETA's free sample questions. If you want the most timed practice for your money, iPREP and JobTestPrep have the biggest question banks, and JobTestPrep adds the mechanical questions some locals give. If your algebra is rusty and you'd rather relearn it in short lessons and pay once, that's what ClassMetric is for.
Number series
79, 68, 57, 46, 35, ?
The gaps are all the same: −11, −11, −11, −11. Subtract 11 once more: 35 − 11 = 24.ClassMetric is ours, so weigh what we say with that in mind. Every fact about another product links to the page we read it on, on November 14, 2026, and where a page was unclear we say so. Prices change, so check before you pay.
The test you're preparing for
Most IBEW locals give the aptitude test written for the electrical training ALLIANCE (ETA), the IBEW and NECA's training arm. It is two tests: Algebra and Functions, 33 questions in 46 minutes, and Reading Comprehension, 36 questions in 51 minutes. You can't use a calculator, and the ETA says the whole sitting takes about two and a half hours. It also says you don't need any electrical knowledge and don't need to memorize formulas (ETA, Applying for Apprenticeship). Some locals give a different test, the GAN, with more sections, so ask yours which one you'll sit. Our IBEW apprenticeship guide covers the rest of the process, from the application fee to the interview.
Seven options in one table
| Option | Price | What you get | Free to try |
|---|---|---|---|
| ETA applicant material | Free | The test's format and sample questions in the applicant booklet | All of it |
| iPREP NJATC course | $49.95 once for 30 days; extensions from $9.95 | 1,195 questions, 80 practice tests, 1,212 videos, interview prep | 2 days of full access |
| JobTestPrep IBEW pack | $45 for a week, $55 for a month, $65 for 3 months, paid once | 571 questions in math, mechanical and reading, plus timed simulations | 1 full-length simulation and 10 sample questions |
| Mometrix online course | $39.99 a month | 550+ questions, 7 full-length tests, 150+ videos, 70+ lessons | A free practice test; 7-day money-back |
| PrepTerminal course | $68 for 90 days | 200+ questions, 14 guides, 14 practice sets, timed tests | An algebra quiz and a reading quiz |
| Khan Academy algebra | Free | Video lessons and exercises for the algebra behind the test | All of it |
| ClassMetric Union Aptitude Prep | $39 once | 20 short lessons, 403 practice questions with worked steps | Lesson 1 and a short timed set |
Sources: ETA, iPREP NJATC course, JobTestPrep IBEW pack, Mometrix IBEW course, PrepTerminal course, Khan Academy. All checked November 14, 2026.
The ETA's own material
The ETA's applicant page tells you to "review the sample questions in this booklet," meaning the applicant booklet, and says that if a type of question gives you trouble, you should study similar material. The page itself doesn't hold the questions or link the booklet, so ask your local's training center (JATC) for it when you apply. It's the only practice written by the people who write the test.
Everyone should start here. It shows you the question types, and that tells you whether you need more than a refresher.
iPREP
iPREP's NJATC course is $49.95, paid once, for 30 days of access, and you can extend it for $9.95 a week, $39.90 for 180 days or $59.90 for a year. The page lists 1,195 questions with explanations, 1,212 videos, 80 practice tests and interview board prep, with a 30-day money-back guarantee. One part of the page says 8 full-length simulations and another says three, so ask before you count on either. You get two days of full access free.
iPREP fits you if you want the biggest bank here and plan to study hard for a month. iPREP also publishes its own comparison of IBEW prep courses; it's written by iPREP, as this one is written by us, and its prices for other products aren't dated or sourced.
JobTestPrep
JobTestPrep's IBEW pack is $45 for a week, $55 for a month or $65 for three months, each a one-time payment. It counts 571 practice questions, about 250 math, 160 mechanical and 140 reading, plus a diagnostic and timed simulations that get longer as your test date nears. It advertises a money-back guarantee without stating the terms on that page. The free practice test gives you one full-length simulation and ten sample questions with explanations.
Pick JobTestPrep if your local adds a mechanical section. It's the only option here that drills one.
Mometrix
The Mometrix IBEW course is $39.99 a month. It lists 550+ practice questions with 7 full-length practice tests, 150+ review videos, 70+ study lessons and 220+ flashcards. Billing starts right away, it is "not a free trial," and there's a 7-day money-back guarantee. Mometrix's free IBEW page has three worked questions and a free full-length practice test.
The course fits you if you like a mix of lessons, video and flashcards in one place, and you'll finish within a month or two.
PrepTerminal
PrepTerminal's course is $68 for 90 days of access. It lists 14 instructional guides, 14 practice sets, 200+ practice questions and fully timed practice tests, with a 7-day money-back guarantee whose terms are linked separately. Its free algebra and reading quizzes are a quick way to see where you stand.
It suits you if you want three months to study rather than one, and don't need thousands of questions.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy algebra is free and has nothing to do with the IBEW, but the algebra test covers the same ground: order of operations, equations, inequalities, exponents and functions. It isn't timed like the test and has no number series or reading practice.
It's the best free way to rebuild algebra you haven't touched since school. Pair it with timed practice before test day.
ClassMetric
Our Union Aptitude Prep class is 20 five-minute story lessons in 6 chapters, from how the test is scored and paced through number series, algebra, functions and reading. Then come 403 practice questions: 180 number series, 168 algebra and functions and 55 reading, timed like the two ETA tests, each with worked steps. It's $39 once, with no subscription. Lesson 1 plays free in your browser with no account, and so does a short timed set of questions. Every lesson is written with the source text in front of the AI and checked against it before it ships; our bench shows why.
Our bank is smaller than iPREP's or JobTestPrep's, and it has no mechanical or paper-folding questions, so if your local gives the GAN, we only cover its math and reading. We launched on November 13, 2026, so there are no reviews and no record of applicants' scores to show you. You can use it on the web or in the Android app; the iPhone app isn't in the App Store yet.
We're the right pick if the algebra has gone cold and you want it explained step by step, in short sittings, for one price. If you already know the math and just want the most timed reps, iPREP or JobTestPrep is the better buy.
What we'd do
Ask your local which test it gives and get the ETA booklet. Take a free check, ours or JobTestPrep's or PrepTerminal's, to see where you stand. If the algebra is shaky, relearn it first, with lessons or Khan Academy. Then do timed sets, because the clock is what catches most people: about 84 seconds a question on the algebra test, with no calculator. If you don't qualify, you wait at least 90 days to retake it, and some locals make you wait longer, so treat the first try as the one that counts.