How much do glaziers make in New Jersey in 2026?

The median glazier in New Jersey earns $70,890 a year, which works out to about $34.08 an hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. That's a solid middle-of-the-road figure, but the range on either side of it tells the more important story.

At the 25th percentile, glaziers in New Jersey take home around $57,510 annually — roughly $27.65 an hour. Workers at this level are typically newer to the trade, still building speed and a specialty skillset, or working in lower-margin residential repair and replacement. If you're just starting out or recently completed an apprenticeship, this is the realistic entry zone for your first couple of years.

The 75th percentile sits at $96,430 a year, or about $46.36 an hour. That's nearly $40,000 more annually than the 25th percentile. Glaziers at this level are usually deep into commercial work — curtain walls, storefronts, structural glazing systems, and high-rise projects in dense urban markets. The jump from median to top quartile is steep, which means specialization and experience genuinely pay off in this trade.

New Jersey's glazier market is shaped heavily by its geography. The northeastern corridor — Newark, Jersey City, and the areas that border New York City — pulls the strongest wages. Large-scale commercial developments and institutional construction projects in that zone demand skilled glaziers who can work on complex curtain wall systems, fire-rated glass assemblies, and specialty architectural glass. Those projects tend to pay more and run longer, giving workers consistent hours. Move south toward Atlantic City or into the more suburban central counties, and the work skews toward residential replacement and smaller commercial jobs, where rates tend to be lower and hours less predictable.

Overtime is a real factor in glazier pay and the BLS figures don't capture it. A glazier working 48 to 55 hours a week on a fast-track commercial job — not unusual when a general contractor is pushing toward a certificate of occupancy — can add several hundred dollars to a weekly paycheck without changing their base rate at all. Over a full year, consistent overtime can push a median-wage worker's actual take-home well above the BLS figure.

Specialty certifications move the needle too. Glaziers who are trained and certified in structural silicone glazing, blast-resistant glazing systems, or point-fixed glass installations are handling work that fewer people can do. That scarcity shows up in the rate. Some employers also pay a premium for workers who hold a valid OSHA 30 card or manufacturer-specific installation certifications for high-performance curtain wall systems.

New Jersey does not require a statewide license specifically for glaziers, but working on commercial projects through a licensed contractor is standard, and many employers expect journeyman-level competency regardless of formal state certification requirements. Apprenticeship programs in the state typically run four to five years and combine on-the-job hours with classroom instruction covering glass types, frame systems, blueprint reading, and safety. Completing a formal apprenticeship is one of the clearest paths from the 25th percentile toward the median and above.

Some workers in New Jersey may be covered by a collective bargaining agreement — check with your local for current rates.

The BLS OEWS data used here is based on employer surveys and represents wages from a broad cross-section of the industry. It does not include self-employed glaziers, owner-operators running their own glass businesses, or side-work income. Workers who eventually move into shop ownership or supervisory estimating roles often earn outside this range entirely.

All figures on this page come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release.