What skilled trades pay in New Jersey, where the jobs are and how work is changing, from 39 public government sources. The best-paying trade here is elevator installer at a $137,920 median. For every trade and metro, start from the New Jersey pay page.
How New Jersey compares
41 of the 41 trades we track in New Jersey pay more than in a typical U.S. metro. The biggest premiums are for rebar worker (+104%), ironworker (+77%) and telecom line installer (+54%), and the biggest gaps for paving equipment operator (+1%) and flooring installer (+7%). Prices in New Jersey's metros run about 1% below the U.S. average, and a typical 1-bedroom rents for $1,555 a month (U.S. metros: $1,097).
Best-paying trades in New Jersey
Statewide median pay, BLS May 2025. The lowest-paying trade we track here is landscaper at $41,360.
Every trade in New Jersey
| Trade | Median pay | vs. U.S. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevator Installer | $137,920 | +27% | 800 |
| Electrical Lineworker | $121,580 | +26% | 1,310 |
| Ironworker | $113,220 | +77% | 1,060 |
| Construction Supervisor | $105,510 | +37% | 16,230 |
| Telecom Line Installer | $102,090 | +54% | 2,540 |
| Sheet Metal Worker | $92,840 | +51% | 2,790 |
| Heavy Equipment Operator | $89,660 | +50% | 5,980 |
| Rigger | $82,130 | +36% | 200 |
| Building Inspector | $81,760 | +21% | 5,950 |
| Solar Installer | $78,950 | +35% | 1,880 |
| Plumber | $78,240 | +27% | 8,750 |
| Telecom Equipment Installer | $78,000 | +25% | 2,690 |
| Electrician | $77,250 | +24% | 13,520 |
| Brickmason | $77,010 | +22% | 520 |
| Roofer | $76,600 | +53% | 1,860 |
| Drywall Installer | $75,080 | +39% | 1,340 |
| Industrial Machinery Mechanic | $74,760 | +17% | 8,380 |
| HVAC Technician | $74,450 | +25% | 10,330 |
| Diesel Mechanic | $72,340 | +20% | 8,160 |
| Glazier | $70,890 | +28% | 820 |
| Plasterer | $69,990 | +19% | 50 |
| Septic & Sewer Technician | $64,650 | +27% | 220 |
| Construction Laborer | $64,060 | +37% | 23,590 |
| Carpenter | $64,010 | +14% | 14,230 |
| Machinist | $63,190 | +11% | 3,210 |
| Auto Body Repairer | $62,400 | +21% | 3,720 |
| Tile Setter | $62,370 | +24% | 460 |
| Concrete Finisher | $61,410 | +7% | 2,390 |
| Flooring Installer | $59,840 | +7% | 700 |
| Welder | $59,440 | +14% | 3,730 |
| Painter | $59,250 | +24% | 4,110 |
| Fence Installer | $56,690 | +17% | 910 |
| Auto Mechanic | $56,610 | +16% | 17,640 |
| Hazmat Removal Worker | $55,900 | +16% | 2,250 |
| Appliance Repair Technician | $55,450 | +10% | 1,200 |
| Maintenance Technician | $54,810 | +13% | 37,350 |
| Insulation Installer | $52,750 | +9% | 820 |
| Paving Equipment Operator | $50,500 | +1% | 840 |
| Pest Control Technician | $48,780 | +10% | 2,270 |
| Landscaper | $41,360 | +10% | 30,470 |
Statewide medians and jobs, BLS OEWS May 2025. “vs. U.S.” compares with the typical U.S. metro median for the trade.
Where the jobs are
- Maintenance Technician: 37,350 jobs
- Landscaper: 30,470 jobs
- Construction Laborer: 23,590 jobs
- Auto Mechanic: 17,640 jobs
- Construction Supervisor: 16,230 jobs
New Jersey metros, best pay first
Ranked by how each metro's trade pay compares with all U.S. metros, averaged across trades.
Construction hiring
- Atlantic City: -0.4% (8,319 workers)
- Trenton: -1.5% (5,417 workers)
Change in private construction jobs from a year earlier, 2026 Q1, metros with at least 5,000 construction workers (BLS QCEW).
Unions
14.7% of New Jersey workers belong to a union (16.1% are covered by a union contract), compared with about 10% nationally (all jobs, 2025).
Apprenticeships
Registered apprentices in New Jersey who finished or left a program in FY2020–2024 completed most often in electrical lineworker (90%), telecom equipment installer (82%) and plumber (78%).
Wages and safety
Unpaid wages recovered
Since 2018, the U.S. Labor Department has concluded 306 wage cases against construction employers in New Jersey, recovering $8,497,630 in back wages for 2,595 workers.
DOL Wage and Hour Division enforcement data, cases concluded 2018–2026. Counts only; employers aren't named here.
Safety inspections
In 2025, federal OSHA opened 965 inspections of construction worksites in the state. About 41% were set off by a complaint, a referral or an accident (16 after an accident or fatality); the rest were planned spot checks.
OSHA inspection data via the U.S. Department of Labor, construction (NAICS 23), inspections opened in 2025. Counts only.
Storm and disaster rebuild work
Since 2016, the New Jersey metros with the most federal major disasters are Atlantic City (4), Vineland (3) and Trenton (2) (FEMA).
Veterans
Veterans: train on the job with the GI Bill
In New Jersey, 640 employers and programs are approved for GI Bill on-the-job training and apprenticeships, across all fields. Veterans in an approved trade apprenticeship can get a monthly housing allowance on top of apprentice pay. Search approved employers with the VA's GI Bill Comparison Tool.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, GI Bill Comparison Tool data, October 2026.
Common questions
What is the highest-paying skilled trade in New Jersey?
Elevator Installer pays the most of the trades we track, with a $137,920 statewide median (BLS, May 2025), followed by electrical lineworker and rebar worker.
Which trade has the most jobs in New Jersey?
maintenance technicians, with about 37,350 jobs statewide, followed by landscapers and construction laborers.
Which New Jersey city pays the trades best?
Trenton, compared with other U.S. metros across the trades we track, followed by Atlantic City.
Is construction hiring growing in New Jersey?
In 2026 Q1, private construction jobs were down 0.4% from a year earlier in Atlantic City, the fastest-changing large market in the state, and down 1.5% in Trenton.
Part of the State of Trade Pay 2026 report. Cite as “PayByTrade, State of Trade Pay in New Jersey 2026, payby.trade/report/nj/.”