How much do hazardous materials removal workers make in New Jersey in 2026?

Hazardous materials removal workers in New Jersey earn a median of $55,900 per year, which works out to roughly $26.88 per hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. That figure sits in the middle of the range — half the workers in this trade earn more, half earn less. If you're just starting out or working a lower-cost region of the state, expect pay closer to the 25th percentile of $46,790 annually, or about $22.50 per hour. Workers with more experience, specialized certifications, or jobs on larger commercial and industrial projects tend to land in the upper tier, with the 75th percentile reaching $76,020 per year — roughly $36.55 per hour. That's a spread of nearly $30,000 between the bottom quarter and the top quarter of earners, which tells you this isn't a flat-wage trade. Where you work, what materials you handle, and what certifications you carry make a real difference.

New Jersey is one of the busier states for hazardous materials work. The state has a dense concentration of older industrial facilities, petroleum infrastructure along the Hudson and Delaware corridors, aging school and commercial buildings with asbestos and lead paint, and a significant volume of Superfund and brownfield remediation projects. That steady pipeline of work helps keep wages above the national median for this occupation and supports consistent demand for qualified workers throughout the year.

The type of hazard you're certified to remove shapes your earning power directly. Asbestos abatement is the most common entry point into the trade, but workers who add lead abatement, mold remediation, or full hazmat response certifications can command higher pay and access a wider pool of jobs. Confined space entry certification, respirator fit testing, and OSHA 40-hour HAZWOPER training are additional credentials that employers in New Jersey frequently require on industrial and government contract work — and those requirements often come with pay bumps attached.

Employer type matters too. Government contractors and large environmental remediation firms tend to pay at or above the median and often offer steadier year-round hours compared to smaller specialty subcontractors. Public projects — school abatements, municipal building demolitions, transit authority work — frequently carry prevailing wage requirements in New Jersey, which can push effective hourly rates higher than the BLS figures suggest for workers who land those contracts.

Hours can vary. Emergency response and remediation work after industrial incidents or natural disasters can bring overtime, which pushes annual earnings well above base rates. Conversely, smaller abatement firms may have seasonal or project-driven lulls. Workers who position themselves for both scheduled project work and emergency callouts tend to see the most consistent income over the course of a year.

The data here comes from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. No union scale data was available for this trade and state at the time of publication. Union membership through relevant building trades locals can affect wages, benefits, and pension contributions beyond what the base hourly rate shows — worth researching if you're deciding between union and non-union shops in New Jersey.