Statewide pay Government data
Concrete finishers in New Jersey earn a statewide median of $61,410 a year, 7% above the typical U.S. metro, ranking #16 of 50 states and DC. About 2,390 people work in the trade statewide.
Statewide pay range
States ranked near New Jersey
See all states on the concrete finishers nationwide.
Pay by city Government data
BLS publishes concrete finisher pay for 3 New Jersey metros: Trenton, Atlantic City and Vineland.
| Metro | Median pay | Real pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| TrentonNEW JERSEY · NJ | $71,820 | $69,607 | 60 |
| Atlantic CityNEW JERSEY · NJ | $64,070 | $64,811 | 130 |
| VinelandNEW JERSEY · NJ | $61,090 | $63,657 | 60 |
Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025 (metro-level). Real pay: BEA price parities, 2024. How we calculate
The job (national)
Smooth and finish surfaces of poured concrete, such as floors, walks, sidewalks, roads, or curbs using a variety of hand and power tools. Align forms for sidewalks, curbs, or gutters; patch voids; and use saws to cut expansion joints.
Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 1.6% from 2025 to 2035, with about 13,600 openings a year. Typical training: moderate-term on-the-job training.
Nationally, concrete finishers have 25 injuries or illnesses serious enough to miss work per 10,000 full-time workers, 71% below the rate for all jobs (87). The most common cause is being struck by or caught in objects and equipment.
What the work is like Government data
How often concrete finishers deal with each condition, from surveys of workers in the job.
Getting started usually takes some preparation (high school plus months of training).
O*NET 31.0 Work Context and Job Zones (U.S. Department of Labor), national.
Registered apprenticeships Government data
Of concrete finisher apprentices in New Jersey who finished or left a registered program in fiscal years 2020–2024, 42% completed (U.S.: 36%), about 4 graduates a year. The typical program runs 6,000 hours, about 3 years of full-time work. Search open registered programs near you on the official Apprenticeship Finder.
U.S. Department of Labor, RAPIDS apprentice records (Completion Rate Analysis), FY2020–2024 exits.
Serious injuries & deaths reported to OSHA Government data
From 2015 to 2024, concrete contractors in New Jersey filed 14 severe injury reports (a hospital stay, amputation or loss of an eye), 2 of them involving an amputation. The most common cause was contact with objects and equipment (43% of reports). These cover everyone at those employers, not only concrete finishers. OSHA also opened 4 fatality investigations at concrete contractors in New Jersey over the same years (federal and state programs).
OSHA Severe Injury Reports, January 2015–December 2024 (states under federal OSHA only).
Fatality investigations: OSHA Fatality Inspection Data, events 2015–2024, all states.
Licensing in New Jersey Official source
The main state licensing office in New Jersey is the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs. It can point you to the right license for concrete finishers.
Official New Jersey licensing site ↗
Requirements for concrete finishers vary by state and sometimes by city; always confirm with the official agency.
Union membership
In 2025, 14.7% of wage and salary workers in New Jersey were union members, above the U.S. rate of about 10% (#9 of 51 states and D.C.), and 16.1% were covered by a union contract. These figures cover all jobs in the state, not only concrete finishers.
BLS Union Members, 2025 (Current Population Survey), table 5.
Cities in New Jersey
All trades in New Jersey.