Statewide pay Government data
Electrical lineworkers in New Jersey earn a statewide median of $121,580 a year, 26% above the typical U.S. metro, ranking #7 of 50 states and DC. About 1,310 people work in the trade statewide.
Statewide pay range
States ranked near New Jersey
See all states on the electrical lineworker overview.
Pay by city Government data
BLS publishes electrical lineworker pay for 1 New Jersey metro: Atlantic City.
| Metro | Median pay | Real pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic CityNEW JERSEY · NJ | $109,220 | $110,483 | 40 |
Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025 (metro-level). Real pay: BEA price parities, 2024. How we calculate
The job (national)
Install or repair cables or wires used in electrical power or distribution systems. May erect poles and light or heavy duty transmission towers.
Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 10.3% from 2025 to 2035, with about 10,900 openings a year. Typical training: long-term on-the-job training.
Nationally, electrical lineworkers have 177 injuries or illnesses serious enough to miss work per 10,000 full-time workers, 2.0× the rate for all jobs (87). The most common cause is overexertion and repetitive strain.
What the work is like Government data
How often electrical lineworkers 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 electrical lineworker apprentices in New Jersey who finished or left a registered program in fiscal years 2020–2024, 90% completed (U.S.: 68%), about 5 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.
Where to train in New Jersey Government data
17 schools in New Jersey offer electrical and power line installer programs below the bachelor's level, 7 of them at public colleges. Many people in this trade learn through an apprenticeship instead; a program can shorten it or get you hired as a helper.
Where published, graduates earned a median of $38,450 in their first year out.
| School | Credential | Yearly cost | Recent grads | First-year pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Technical Institute-Union Union, NJ · Private for-profit | Certificate | $37,150 | 573 | $41,310 |
| Lincoln Technical Institute-Mahwah Mahwah, NJ · Private for-profit | Certificate | $43,424 | 233 | $41,310 |
| Pennco Tech-Blackwood Blackwood, NJ · Private for-profit | Certificate | $33,359 | 232 | $38,309 |
| Hohokus School of Trade and Technical Sciences Paterson, NJ · Private for-profit | Certificate | $31,115 | 88 | $36,374 |
| National Career Institute East Orange, NJ · Private for-profit | Certificate | $25,882 | 47 | $38,450 |
| American Institute-Toms River Toms River, NJ · Private for-profit | Certificate | $24,334 | 43 | — |
| Union County Vocational Technical School Scotch Plains, NJ · Public | Certificate | $11,940 | 37 | — |
| American Institute-Clifton CLIFTON, NJ · Private for-profit | Certificate | $25,304 | 34 | — |
U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (data updated October 2026). Cost is the school's average yearly cost of attendance before financial aid; earnings are the median for graduates one year after finishing, shown only where the school has enough graduates to publish. “—” means not published.
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 electrical lineworkers.
Official New Jersey licensing site ↗
Requirements for electrical lineworkers 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 electrical lineworkers.
BLS Union Members, 2025 (Current Population Survey), table 5.
Cities in New Jersey
All trades in New Jersey.