Average Salary in New Jersey
What workers in New Jersey earn: mean and median wages, monthly and hourly pay, the full wage distribution, household income and cost-of-living context. Wage data: BLS OEWS May 2025.
- Mean annual wage$78,040Rank #6 of 51 · US $69,770
- Median annual wage$58,570Rank #9 of 51 · US $50,980
- Mean hourly wage$37.52Median $28.16/hour
- Median monthly pay$4,881Mean $6,503/month
- Median household income$104,294ACS 2024 · rank #3
- Price level (RPP)108.8US = 100 · BEA 2024
What is the average salary in New Jersey?
The average (mean) annual wage across all occupations in New Jersey is $78,040, and the median annual wage is $58,570, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2025 OEWS estimates. The mean is 11.9% above the national mean of $69,770; the median is 14.9% above the national median of $50,980. New Jersey ranks #6 of the 50 states and DC for mean wage and #9 for median wage.
The mean is $19,470 (33%) higher than the median. That gap is normal: a minority of very high earners pulls the average up, so the median is the better guide to what a typical worker in New Jersey earns. Why mean and median differ →
The estimates cover 4,285,720 wage and salary jobs in New Jersey (self-employed workers are not included).
Monthly, weekly and hourly pay in New Jersey
Gross pay before taxes. Monthly = annual ÷ 12, bi-weekly = annual ÷ 26, weekly = annual ÷ 52. Hourly figures are published by BLS.
| Pay period | Mean (average) | Median (typical) |
|---|---|---|
| Annual | $78,040 | $58,570 |
| Monthly | $6,503 | $4,881 |
| Bi-weekly paycheck | $3,002 | $2,253 |
| Weekly | $1,501 | $1,126 |
| Hourly | $37.52 | $28.16 |
Estimate take-home pay on the New Jersey median wage (2026 tax year) →
What is a good salary in New Jersey?
“Good” depends on your household and where in the state you live, but the wage distribution shows where a salary stands relative to other workers in New Jersey:
| Percentile | Annual | Monthly | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $34,450 | $2,871 | 90% of workers earn more |
| 25th | $39,400 | $3,283 | 75% earn more |
| 50th (median) | $58,570 | $4,881 | half earn more, half less |
| 75th | $96,720 | $8,060 | top 25% earn more than this |
| 90th | $142,750 | $11,896 | top 10% earn more than this |
In practice, a salary above $58,570 beats more than half of New Jersey workers, about $96,720 puts you in the top quarter, and $142,750 or more puts you in the top 10%. These are individual wages, not household income. Compare percentiles across states →
Household income and earnings in New Jersey
| Measure (ACS 2024) | New Jersey | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $104,294 | $81,604 |
| Median family income | $127,593 | $101,265 |
| Per-capita income | $53,818 | $45,256 |
| Median earnings, all workers with earnings | $55,531 | $46,949 |
| Median earnings, men working full-time year-round | $80,925 | $66,965 |
| Median earnings, women working full-time year-round | $66,551 | $55,678 |
Household income adds up the income of everyone in a household — often two earners, plus Social Security, investment and self-employment income — so it is higher than any per-worker wage figure. Women working full-time year-round in New Jersey have median earnings equal to 82% of men’s. Household income in every state →
Salary vs. cost of living in New Jersey
Prices in New Jersey are about 8.8% above the national average (BEA regional price parity 108.8; housing 134.3). Adjusted for that, the median wage of $58,570 is worth $53,833 at national-average prices (rank #18), and the mean wage is worth $71,728 (rank #13). Cost-of-living adjusted ranking →
New Jersey taxes wage income, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures above by federal tax, FICA and state income tax.
New Jersey vs. neighboring states
| State | Mean wage | Median wage | RPP | Adjusted median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $78,040 | $58,570 | 108.8 | $53,833 |
| Delaware | $69,880 | $52,190 | 99.8 | $52,295 |
| New York | $82,460 | $59,670 | 107.9 | $55,301 |
| Pennsylvania | $65,730 | $49,690 | 97.6 | $50,912 |
Highest-paying occupations in New Jersey
Detailed occupations with at least 300 jobs in the state, ranked by mean annual wage. “$239,200+” means BLS reports only that the wage is at or above that level.
| Occupation | Mean wage | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surgeons, All Other | $503,070 | $437,890 | 680 |
| Chief Executives | $372,910 | $310,440 | 2,430 |
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | $347,890 | $341,430 | 420 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | $291,470 | $292,170 | 3,050 |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | $262,080 | $315,340 | 500 |
| Physicians, All Other | $260,100 | $285,010 | 9,730 |
| Psychiatrists | $244,560 | $194,070 | 1,290 |
| Athletes and Sports Competitors | $241,760 | $253,870 | 390 |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | $222,080 | $228,870 | 740 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $217,190 | $207,030 | 10,040 |
Most common jobs in New Jersey and what they pay
| Occupation | Employment | Median wage | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 117,080 | $37,090 | $17.83 |
| Cashiers | 107,680 | $34,590 | $16.63 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 97,230 | $39,540 | $19.01 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 93,730 | $34,150 | $16.42 |
| Registered Nurses | 92,680 | $106,500 | $51.20 |
| Retail Salespersons | 72,530 | $36,520 | $17.56 |
| Packers and Packagers, Hand | 71,260 | $43,840 | $21.08 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 67,660 | $37,630 | $18.09 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 65,960 | $50,260 | $24.16 |
| Office Clerks, General | 65,130 | $48,570 | $23.35 |
The largest occupation in New Jersey is home health and personal care aides, with 117,080 jobs and a median wage of $37,090. Many of the most common jobs pay well below the state median, which is one reason the overall median sits far below the mean.
Salaries for 54 common occupations in New Jersey
| Occupation | Mean wage | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family Medicine Physician | $291,470 | $292,170 | 3,050 |
| Financial Manager | $216,740 | $199,110 | 32,510 |
| Marketing Manager | $198,400 | $180,040 | 13,510 |
| General and Operations Manager | $205,250 | $173,690 | 53,000 |
| Dentist (General) | $198,290 | $171,330 | 2,980 |
| Physician Assistant | $162,100 | $165,690 | 4,790 |
| Lawyer | $184,090 | $161,430 | 23,160 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $155,750 | $159,310 | 9,950 |
| Medical and Health Services Manager | $178,050 | $145,650 | 16,900 |
| Construction Manager | $151,170 | $138,230 | 6,910 |
| Pharmacist | $141,350 | $137,620 | 9,420 |
| Software Developer | $143,800 | $135,940 | 51,570 |
| Data Scientist | $138,590 | $135,280 | 6,430 |
| Information Security Analyst | $140,040 | $134,820 | 4,860 |
| Electrical Engineer | $126,990 | $125,370 | 2,940 |
| Project Management Specialist | $127,900 | $122,980 | 28,300 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | $125,850 | $122,890 | 16,520 |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrator | $119,390 | $116,420 | 9,280 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $116,640 | $112,300 | 4,180 |
| Physical Therapist | $114,550 | $112,140 | 9,750 |
| Financial and Investment Analyst | $123,940 | $108,610 | 10,380 |
| Dental Hygienist | $104,410 | $107,040 | 7,230 |
| Registered Nurse | $110,100 | $106,500 | 92,680 |
| Civil Engineer | $114,750 | $104,660 | 6,900 |
| Occupational Therapist | $110,150 | $103,410 | 6,290 |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | $109,510 | $101,560 | 6,840 |
| Accountant and Auditor | $110,590 | $100,830 | 42,250 |
| Web Developer | $94,990 | $95,180 | 2,250 |
| Correctional Officer | $87,780 | $94,770 | 7,570 |
| Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer | $93,700 | $92,610 | 21,780 |
| Firefighter | $85,810 | $84,130 | 7,500 |
| High School Teacher | $87,100 | $82,200 | 38,140 |
| Human Resources Specialist | $89,170 | $80,690 | 21,690 |
| Middle School Teacher | $81,690 | $78,770 | 23,650 |
| Plumber, Pipefitter and Steamfitter | $92,590 | $78,240 | 8,750 |
| Elementary School Teacher | $82,120 | $78,200 | 40,300 |
| Electrician | $86,700 | $77,250 | 13,520 |
| Child, Family and School Social Worker | $78,560 | $76,280 | 7,360 |
| Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN/LVN) | $74,600 | $75,160 | 17,410 |
| HVAC Technician | $77,580 | $74,450 | 10,330 |
| Diesel Mechanic | $70,860 | $72,340 | 8,160 |
| Paralegal and Legal Assistant | $72,550 | $71,500 | 12,010 |
| Construction Laborer | $70,400 | $64,060 | 23,590 |
| Carpenter | $71,990 | $64,010 | 14,230 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver | $66,770 | $63,570 | 47,980 |
| Welder | $62,500 | $59,440 | 3,730 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting and Auditing Clerk | $59,120 | $58,300 | 37,550 |
| Automotive Service Technician | $58,830 | $56,610 | 17,640 |
| Secretary and Administrative Assistant | $52,910 | $50,260 | 65,960 |
| Customer Service Representative | $51,030 | $47,740 | 59,690 |
| Medical Assistant | $47,400 | $47,210 | 20,330 |
| Nursing Assistant (CNA) | $46,810 | $46,830 | 32,400 |
| Retail Salesperson | $41,870 | $36,520 | 72,530 |
| Cashier | $36,370 | $34,590 | 107,680 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the average salary in New Jersey?
The average (mean) annual wage in New Jersey is $78,040, or $37.52 per hour, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates. The median wage — what a typical worker earns — is $58,570 a year ($28.16 per hour).
What is the average monthly salary in New Jersey?
Dividing the annual figures by 12, the mean wage in New Jersey works out to about $6,503 per month and the median wage to about $4,881 per month, before taxes.
What is considered a good salary in New Jersey?
Earning more than the median of $58,570 puts you above half of all workers in New Jersey. A salary of $96,720 or more is in the top 25%, and $142,750 or more is in the top 10% of wage earners in the state.
What is the median household income in New Jersey?
Median household income in New Jersey was $104,294 in the Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey, compared with $81,604 nationally. Household income combines all earners and income sources in a home.
Does New Jersey have a state income tax on wages?
Yes. New Jersey taxes wage income, so state income tax is deducted from paychecks in addition to federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare.