What do skilled trades pay in New Jersey in 2026?
Median pay for 29 skilled trades in New Jersey (BLS OEWS May 2025).
In 2026, the highest-paying skilled trades in New Jersey are Elevator Installer (~$137,920) and Power-Line Worker (~$121,580), across 29 trades tracked (BLS OEWS May 2025). Last updated June 2026.
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Which trade is best in New Jersey?
Different trades win on different measures — here's the top on each. Pick the one that matters to you.
Highest median pay
Elevator Installer
$137,920
Most jobs
Construction Laborer
23,590 jobs
Across 29 trades: $55,900–$137,920 (median $77,010).
New Jersey tracks 29 skilled trades on TradesPays, all drawn from BLS OEWS May 2025 statewide median wages. At the top of the range, Elevator Installers pull $137,920 a year; at the bottom, Hazardous Materials Removal Workers come in at $55,900. The midpoint trade earns around $77,010, with most trades falling between $64,060 and $92,840. These are statewide figures — TradesPays does not hold New Jersey metro-level breakdowns or apprentice-versus-journeyman splits beyond union scale data. If you work one of these trades in New Jersey, these numbers are your negotiating floor: what the market is actually paying, nothing inflated.
Trades ranked by pay in New Jersey
| # | Trade | Median |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elevator Installer | $137,920 |
| 2 | Power-Line Worker | $121,580 |
| 3 | Rebar Worker | $116,110 |
| 4 | Ironworker | $113,220 |
| 5 | Insulation Worker | $107,610 |
| 6 | Millwright | $107,540 |
| 7 | Telecom Line Installer | $102,090 |
| 8 | Sheet Metal Worker | $92,840 |
| 9 | Construction Equipment Operator | $89,660 |
| 10 | Boilermaker | $82,410 |
See all 29
| 11 | Solar Installer | $78,950 |
| 12 | Pipelayer | $78,830 |
| 13 | Plumber | $78,240 |
| 14 | Electrician | $77,250 |
| 15 | Brickmason | $77,010 |
| 16 | Roofer | $76,600 |
| 17 | Drywall Installer | $75,080 |
| 18 | Industrial Machinery Mechanic | $74,760 |
| 19 | HVAC Technician | $74,450 |
| 20 | Glazier | $70,890 |
| 21 | Plasterer | $69,990 |
| 22 | Construction Laborer | $64,060 |
| 23 | Carpenter | $64,010 |
| 24 | Tile & Stone Setter | $62,370 |
| 25 | Cement Mason | $61,410 |
| 26 | Floor Layer | $59,840 |
| 27 | Welder | $59,440 |
| 28 | Painter | $59,250 |
| 29 | Hazardous Materials Removal Worker | $55,900 |
Where is the union premium biggest in New Jersey?
Named locals and the premium over the BLS all-worker median.
We don't have union scale data for New Jersey across our trades yet — these trades are predominantly non-union, or we haven't added IBEW/UA data. Submitting your pay helps build complete data for New Jersey.
How New Jersey trade pay is spread
Across the 29 trades tracked in New Jersey, the pay range runs from $55,900 to $137,920 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025, statewide median wages). The 25th-to-75th band — $64,060 to $92,840 — is where most trades land, with a midpoint of $77,010. Elevator Installer sits at the top at $137,920; Hazardous Materials Removal Worker anchors the bottom at $55,900. Every figure here is a nominal BLS dollar — the number BLS reports, before any cost-of-living adjustment. TradesPays does not apply cost-of-living indices to state wage data, so don't read a higher New Jersey figure as automatically "better" than a lower number elsewhere until you account for what it costs to live where you work.
Where the jobs are in New Jersey
By headcount, Construction Laborer is the most-employed trade TradesPays tracks in New Jersey, with about 23,590 workers reported (BLS OEWS May 2025 total employment). Employment and pay are separate signals: the trade that employs the most people is rarely the top-paying one. TradesPays surfaces them separately on purpose — we don't blend headcount and wage into a single "best trade" score, because they answer different questions. If you want the highest wage, look at Elevator Installer; if you want the widest hiring market, Construction Laborer is where the volume is.
Trades in New Jersey: FAQ
- What is the highest-paying skilled trade in New Jersey?
- Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 data, Elevator Installer is the top-paying trade tracked in New Jersey, at a statewide median of $137,920.
- What is the lowest-paying trade in New Jersey's dataset?
- Hazardous Materials Removal Worker sits at the bottom of the 29 trades tracked in New Jersey, with a statewide median of $55,900 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
- What does the typical skilled trade pay in New Jersey?
- Across the 29 trades TradesPays tracks in New Jersey, the midpoint trade earns about $77,010 (the median of the per-trade statewide medians), with most trades falling between $64,060 and $92,840 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
- How many skilled trades does TradesPays track in New Jersey?
- TradesPays tracks 29 skilled trades at the state level in New Jersey. All figures are statewide medians from BLS OEWS May 2025.
- Which trade employs the most workers in New Jersey?
- Construction Laborer is the most-employed trade TradesPays tracks in New Jersey, with about 23,590 workers reported (BLS OEWS May 2025 total employment). The trade that hires the most isn't the highest-paying — that's Elevator Installer at $137,920.
- Are New Jersey's trade wages adjusted for cost of living?
- No. Every wage figure on TradesPays is a nominal BLS dollar — the number reported in BLS OEWS May 2025 before any cost-of-living adjustment. TradesPays does not apply cost-of-living indices to state figures, so what these dollars buy depends on where in New Jersey you live and work.
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