State salary profile · New Jersey

New Jersey Salaries

New Jersey ranks #6 by BLS All Occupations mean; occupation detail from OEWS May 2025. Published local OEWS areas include Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ, Trenton-Princeton, NJ, Vineland, NJ.

$212,508
Mean of top 50 medians
736
Occupations
3
Local wage areas
333,160
Estimated jobs (top tier)

The equal-weighted mean of the top 50 published occupation medians in New Jersey is $212,508.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, The May 2025 release has a published median for 736 occupations in New Jersey; percentile boundaries and local-area rows are available only where BLS publishes them. The highest-paying reported occupation, Radiologists, earns $482,700, versus $32,220 for Cooks, Fast Food at the bottom of the range. Detail is available for 3 metro areas. Published local OEWS areas include Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ, Trenton-Princeton, NJ, Vineland, NJ.

New Jersey · employment ≠ wage

In New Jersey, Home Health and Personal Care Aides lead by published employment (117,080 jobs, #1 of 700) but rank #662 of 700 on median wage ($37,090), while Surgeons, All Other top the wage list at $437,890 (#1 of 700) with 680 jobs (#458 of 700). The largest payroll is not the highest published median.

117,080
Home Health and Personal C... employment #1
$437,890
Surgeons wage #1
#458
Employment rank of wage leader
#662
Wage rank of employment leader

Employment is OEWS tot_emp inside this state; pay is the occupation median. Same detailed-occupation pool, two rankings.

Employment of New Jersey's #1 occupations by headcount vs median wage

Same unit (published jobs) for both named leaders. BLS OEWS May 2025.

jobs

What this shows Home Health and Personal Care Aides lead New Jersey by employment; Surgeons, All Other lead on median wage at $437,890.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS As of May 2025

New Jersey, the picture in one line

New Jersey ranks #6 of 54 states and territories by BLS-published All Occupations annual mean wage; its highest published occupation median is Radiologists at $482,700. Published local OEWS areas include Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ, Trenton-Princeton, NJ, Vineland, NJ.

#6
of 54 states by published mean wage
$482,700
top-paying: Radiologists
89th
percentile among all states
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ
local OEWS: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ and Trenton-Princeton, NJ

The state rank uses BLS's All Occupations mean. Occupation rows below use occupation-specific medians; the two statistics are not interchangeable. Start local checks in Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ.

Employment scale inside New Jersey's top-pay list

General and Operations Managers and Computer and Information Systems Managers lead New Jersey's published employment inside this top-pay sample, order follows OEWS job counts, not median wage.

  1. 1. General and Operations Managers 53,000 jobs · $173,690
  2. 2. Computer and Information Systems Managers 34,470 jobs · $203,460
  3. 3. Financial Managers 32,510 jobs · $199,110
  4. 4. Managers, All Other 30,270 jobs · $161,510
  5. 5. Lawyers 23,160 jobs · $161,430
  6. 6. Sales Managers 20,090 jobs · $173,020
  7. 7. Medical and Health Services Managers 16,900 jobs · $145,650
  8. 8. Marketing Managers 13,510 jobs · $180,040
  9. 9. Administrative Services Managers 10,910 jobs · $144,460
  10. 10. Natural Sciences Managers 10,040 jobs · $207,030
  11. 11. Nurse Practitioners 9,950 jobs · $159,310
  12. 12. Physicians, All Other 9,730 jobs · $285,010
  13. 13. Personal Financial Advisors 9,300 jobs · $158,570
  14. 14. Industrial Production Managers 6,780 jobs · $147,260
  15. 15. Human Resources Managers 6,400 jobs · $172,440
  16. 16. Computer Network Architects 5,660 jobs · $162,350
  17. 17. Physician Assistants 4,790 jobs · $165,690
  18. 18. Architectural and Engineering Managers 4,540 jobs · $180,640
  19. 19. Purchasing Managers 3,430 jobs · $174,520
  20. 20. Family Medicine Physicians 3,050 jobs · $292,170

Local BLS wage areas inside New Jersey

Published local OEWS areas include Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ, Trenton-Princeton, NJ, Vineland, NJ.

Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ Trenton-Princeton, NJ Vineland, NJ

Observed statewide pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2024–2025

May 2024 → May 2025
  • BLS's published All Occupations median in New Jersey moved from $57,230 in May 2024 to $58,570 in May 2025 (+2.3%).
  • Across the 54 states and territories priced in both releases, the median place changed +2.7%.
  • New Jersey sits -0.4 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

General and Operations Managers shows the widest statewide vs national median gap in New Jersey

General and Operations Managers publishes $173,690 here versus $105,770 nationally (+64.2%; 53,000statewide jobs). Next is Coaches and Scouts at $76,700 locally versus $47,320 nationally (+62.1%).

  1. General and Operations Managers$173,690 in New Jersey sits 64.2% above the national General and Operations Managers median of $105,770 (53,000 published local jobs).
  2. Coaches and Scouts$76,700 in New Jersey sits 62.1% above the national Coaches and Scouts median of $47,320 (5,670 published local jobs).
  3. Correctional Officers and Jailers$94,770 in New Jersey sits 60.8% above the national Correctional Officers and Jailers median of $58,940 (7,570 published local jobs).
  4. Personal Financial Advisors$158,570 in New Jersey sits 50.9% above the national Personal Financial Advisors median of $105,070 (9,300 published local jobs).

General and Operations Managers and the other occupations above are descriptive OEWS endpoints for New Jersey; they are not findings about taxes, employers, or worker experience.

· Source: BLS OEWS May 2025

The New Jersey OEWS table has a published median for 736 occupations. The displayed top 50 rows have summed published employment of approximately 333,160; that sum does not include the bottom table or rows whose employment is suppressed. BLS publishes means and percentile boundaries only where the corresponding estimate meets its publication standards. Averaging the medians of the top 50 highest-paying occupations gives $212,508 per year. That is only a mean of the displayed upper-tier occupation medians; it is not the BLS All Occupations mean or median and does not describe a typical worker. Published local OEWS areas include Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ, Trenton-Princeton, NJ, Vineland, NJ. Local OEWS areas in this extract include Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ, Trenton-Princeton, NJ, Vineland, NJ.

At the top of the ranking, Radiologists pays a New Jersey median of $482,700, the highest-paying reported occupation in the state. The number-two spot goes to Surgeons, All Other at $437,890, followed by Physicians, Pathologists at $355,970. At the bottom of the published range, Cooks, Fast Food has a median of $32,220, making the displayed endpoint ratio 15.0×. The endpoints do not establish a cause or career stage. WageDex has BLS occupation rows for 3 metro areas assigned to New Jersey, allowing comparisons below the statewide estimate without treating nonmetropolitan areas as MSAs.

New Jersey's #6 All Occupations rank is a different statistic from Radiologists's occupation median. Use the state rank for cross-state context, then open Radiologists's national profile for percentile boundaries where BLS publishes them, see methodology. Published local OEWS areas include Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ, Trenton-Princeton, NJ, Vineland, NJ. Local OEWS area names are state-specific; statewide means are not metro offers.

Top-Tier Sample

75

occupations shown below

Avg. Median Salary

$212,508

top 50 occupations

Top Salary

$482,700

Radiologists

Where New Jersey ranks by published mean wage

BLS All Occupations annual mean vs. 54 states & territories; local OEWS includes Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ and Trenton-Princeton, NJ, Vineland, NJ

$78,040 Top 11% higher than 89% of 54 states & territories

$0–$5,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $5,000–$10,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $10,000–$15,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $15,000–$20,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$25,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$30,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $30,000–$35,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $35,000–$40,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $40,000–$45,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $45,000–$50,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $50,000–$55,000: 3 states & territories (6%). Below this entry. $55,000–$60,000: 8 states & territories (15%). Below this entry. $60,000–$65,000: 16 states & territories (30%). Below this entry. $65,000–$70,000: 8 states & territories (15%). Below this entry. $70,000–$75,000: 8 states & territories (15%). Below this entry. $75,000–$80,000: 4 states & territories (7%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$85,000: 3 states & territories (6%). Above this entry. $85,000–$90,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Above this entry. $90,000–$95,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $95,000–$100,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $100,000–$105,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $105,000–$110,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $110,000–$115,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Above this entry. This state $0 $115,000 every state & territory, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $5K-wide band; taller bars hold more states & territories. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$5,000 0 states & territories 0%
$5,000–$10,000 0 states & territories 0%
$10,000–$15,000 0 states & territories 0%
$15,000–$20,000 0 states & territories 0%
$20,000–$25,000 0 states & territories 0%
$25,000–$30,000 0 states & territories 0%
$30,000–$35,000 0 states & territories 0%
$35,000–$40,000 1 states & territories 2%
$40,000–$45,000 0 states & territories 0%
$45,000–$50,000 1 states & territories 2%
$50,000–$55,000 3 states & territories 6%
$55,000–$60,000 8 states & territories 15%
$60,000–$65,000 16 states & territories 30%
$65,000–$70,000 8 states & territories 15%
$70,000–$75,000 8 states & territories 15%
$75,000–$80,000 (this entry) 4 states & territories 7%
$80,000–$85,000 3 states & territories 6%
$85,000–$90,000 1 states & territories 2%
$90,000–$95,000 0 states & territories 0%
$95,000–$100,000 0 states & territories 0%
$100,000–$105,000 0 states & territories 0%
$105,000–$110,000 0 states & territories 0%
$110,000–$115,000 1 states & territories 2%

$78,040 · 89th percentile of 54 states & territories

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

New Jersey ranks #6 of 54 by BLS-published All Occupations annual mean wage ($78,040). It is not the median wage or a prediction for a particular worker.

National-price-equivalent mean: dividing the $78,040 BLS All Occupations mean by the BEA state RPP gives $71,728. Inputs: BEA Regional Price Parity for New Jersey (RPP 108.8, 2024; 100 = national average, all items, table SARPP). The division is a WageDex calculation, not an after-tax or household-income measure.

Highest-paying occupations in New Jersey

Median annual wage by occupation, top 15 reported roles

median / yr
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS As of May 2025

BLS publishes wage data for 736 distinct occupations in New Jersey. The table below shows the top 50 by median annual wage. Drill into the full top-100 ranking or the fastest-growing list for deeper coverage.

Highest Paying Jobs in New Jersey

View all 100 →
# Occupation Median Salary
1 Radiologists $482,700
2 Surgeons, All Other $437,890
3 Physicians, Pathologists $355,970
4 Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric $341,430
5 Emergency Medicine Physicians $315,340
6 Chief Executives $310,440
7 Family Medicine Physicians $292,170
8 Nurse Anesthetists $291,350
9 Pediatric Surgeons $288,930
10 Cardiologists $286,540
11 Physicians, All Other $285,010
12 Athletes and Sports Competitors $253,870
13 Obstetricians and Gynecologists $228,870
14 Commercial Pilots $226,710
15 Neurologists $222,120
16 Natural Sciences Managers $207,030
17 Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates $204,160
18 Computer and Information Systems Managers $203,460
19 Dentists, All Other Specialists $201,840
20 Pediatricians, General $201,560
21 Financial Managers $199,110
22 Psychiatrists $194,070
23 Architectural and Engineering Managers $180,640
24 Marketing Managers $180,040
25 Public Relations Managers $174,980
26 Purchasing Managers $174,520
27 General and Operations Managers $173,690
28 Sales Managers $173,020
29 Human Resources Managers $172,440
30 Dentists, General $171,330
31 Medical Dosimetrists $170,650
32 Compensation and Benefits Managers $168,370
33 Economists $167,550
34 Physician Assistants $165,690
35 Advertising and Promotions Managers $165,390
36 Physicists $163,270
37 Computer Network Architects $162,350
38 Managers, All Other $161,510
39 Lawyers $161,430
40 Training and Development Managers $160,540
41 Podiatrists $160,300
42 Veterinarians $160,140
43 Nurse Practitioners $159,310
44 Optometrists $159,040
45 Electronics Engineers, Except Computer $158,730
46 Personal Financial Advisors $158,570
47 Nurse Midwives $153,970
48 Industrial Production Managers $147,260
49 Medical and Health Services Managers $145,650
50 Administrative Services Managers $144,460

Lowest Paying Jobs in New Jersey

Occupation Median Salary
Cooks, Fast Food $32,220
Gambling Dealers $33,000
Shampooers $33,180
Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other $33,790
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop $34,050
Fast Food and Counter Workers $34,150
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers $34,170
Physical Therapist Aides $34,430
Amusement and Recreation Attendants $34,500
Cashiers $34,590
Cutters and Trimmers, Hand $34,600
Food Processing Workers, All Other $34,670
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers $34,760
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers $34,930
Parking Attendants $35,100
Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants $35,350
Food Preparation Workers $35,540
Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic $35,630
Animal Caretakers $35,850
Dishwashers $35,900
Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers $35,990
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers $36,050
School Bus Monitors $36,100
Sewing Machine Operators $36,130
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists $36,150

Fastest Growing Jobs

View all 50 →

See national growth projections alongside the published OEWS state employment estimates for each occupation in New Jersey. Based on BLS employment projections 2024-2034.

Metro and Nonmetropolitan Wage Areas in New Jersey

Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ Trenton-Princeton, NJ Vineland, NJ

Salary Guides

Best States for Salaries

Which states pay the most and why

Salary vs. Cost of Living

Compare local wage and price-level benchmarks

Fastest Growing Occupations

Where the job growth is heading

Nationwide states with similar All Occupations pay or employment scale

Two BLS OEWS peer sets outside New Jersey. Local metro cards below stay inside this state; these neighborhoods are cross-state nearest neighbors on published All Occupations mean wage ($78,040 here) and reported employment (4,285,720 jobs here).

Similar mean wage

Nearest other states by BLS All Occupations annual mean wage.

Similar employment scale

Nearest headcount peers (floor 250,000 All Occupations jobs), distinct from the mean-wage column.

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS All Occupations mean annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude states already listed in the mean-wage column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Local OEWS areas and related New Jersey pages

Published local OEWS areas include Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ, Trenton-Princeton, NJ, Vineland, NJ.

Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ

Local OEWS wage area

Trenton-Princeton, NJ

Local OEWS wage area

Vineland, NJ

Local OEWS wage area

Highest Paying in New Jersey

Top 100 by median salary

Fastest Growing in New Jersey

Projected 2024-2034 growth

Radiologists

National occupation profile

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average of the top 50 occupation medians in New Jersey? ▼
The equal-weighted mean of the top 50 published occupation medians is $212,508/year (BLS OEWS May 2025). It is not the statewide mean or median and does not describe the wage of a typical worker.
What is the average salary in New Jersey? ▼
BLS publishes an All Occupations annual mean wage of $78,040/year for New Jersey in the May 2025 OEWS release, which ranks 6th among the 54 states and territories with a published mean. Published local OEWS areas include Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ, Trenton-Princeton, NJ, Vineland, NJ. This is an occupational wage estimate, not a household-income statistic or a prediction for one worker.
What is the highest paying job in New Jersey? ▼
The highest paying occupation in New Jersey is Radiologists with a median salary of $482,700/year according to BLS data. The second highest is Surgeons, All Other at $437,890/year.
What jobs pay the least in New Jersey? ▼
The lowest published occupation median in this New Jersey ranking is Cooks, Fast Food at $32,220/year. The table does not classify that occupation as entry-level or explain why its median is lowest.
How many local BLS wage areas are shown for New Jersey? ▼
WageDex has occupation-level wage rows for 3 metro areas assigned to New Jersey. Published local OEWS areas include Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ, Trenton-Princeton, NJ, Vineland, NJ. Nonmetropolitan reporting areas are not MSAs. Compare the same occupation and statistic across areas; published coverage can differ by occupation and geography.
How many occupations are shown for New Jersey? ▼
BLS publishes wage data for 736 distinct occupations in New Jersey. The 50 occupations in the displayed upper tier have a combined OEWS employment estimate of approximately 333,160 jobs in covered establishments.

Federal sources behind New Jersey wages

BLS OEWS state wage tables → BLS QCEW state series → BLS LAUS unemployment → BEA personal income by state →

What to do with this data

How to use New Jersey wage data in a real decision

  • New Jersey ranks #6 of 54 by All Occupations mean; that state rank is not interchangeable with Radiologists's occupation median of $482,700. Compare states
  • Inside New Jersey, re-check Radiologists in Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ, Trenton-Princeton, NJ, Vineland, NJ before treating the statewide median as a metro offer. Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ
  • Open Radiologists for percentile bands and local-area rows; New Jersey's statewide median of $482,700 uses a different geography than any single metro estimate. Radiologists
  • The published New Jersey range runs from Cooks, Fast Food at $32,220 to Radiologists at $482,700; an offer still depends on the exact role and employer. Salary calculator

BLS OEWS estimates reflect the May 2025 reference period and exclude self-employed workers; some small occupation-area cells are suppressed.

Last updated: May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.

State-level employment totals and local-area breakouts from BLS OEWS State and Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, May 2025. Local areas can be metropolitan or nonmetropolitan.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. State wage figures are computed directly from BLS OEWS state-level data. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Statewide figures are estimates and may not reflect pay in your specific local wage area or employer.