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Jobs in New Jersey: pay, hiring and what a paycheck buys

New Jersey has 2,326 open job postings from 363 employers in our data. 42.6% list a pay range, the median posted pay is $131,500 a year, 5.3% are remote and 28.4% have been open more than 60 days (data as of October 2026).

What stands out

Paycheck power: typical official wage, adjusted for local pricesMedian wage for all jobs divided by the local price level, October 2026. Higher means a paycheck goes further.Paycheck power: typical official wage, adjusted for local pricesMassachusettsMassachusetts Official median wage: $63,500 Price level: 105.8 Paycheck power: $60,000 Click for the full page$60,000WashingtonWashington Official median wage: $63,000 Price level: 107 Paycheck power: $59,000 Click for the full page$59,000VirginiaVirginia Official median wage: $55,500 Price level: 101.1 Paycheck power: $55,000 Click for the full page$55,000New JerseyNew Jersey Official median wage: $58,500 Price level: 108.8 Paycheck power: $54,000$54,000OhioOhio Official median wage: $49,500 Price level: 92.8 Paycheck power: $53,000 Click for the full page$53,000MichiganMichigan Official median wage: $49,500 Price level: 96.2 Paycheck power: $51,000 Click for the full page$51,000North CarolinaNorth Carolina Official median wage: $48,000 Price level: 94.3 Paycheck power: $51,000 Click for the full page$51,000GeorgiaGeorgia Official median wage: $48,000 Price level: 96.3 Paycheck power: $50,000 Click for the full page$50,000Source: Second Summit, October 2026; BLS; BEA; Census
New Jersey compared with similar-sized states: the median wage divided by the local price level (US average prices = 100). Download this chart (SVG)
2,326open postings from 363 employers
42.6%list a pay range
$131,500median posted pay
$58,500official median wage, all jobs (BLS)
4.7%unemployment rate, 2026-08 (BLS)
172,000job openings, 2025-12 (BLS JOLTS), rate 3.8%

Pay transparency

New Jersey requires employers to include a pay range in job postings (since 2025).

Metro areas in New Jersey

Metro areaPostingsPay listedMedian posted pay
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ12,64265.6%$168,000
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD2,65228.4%$111,500
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ21212.5%–
Trenton-Princeton, NJ19757.7%$138,500

What your paycheck buys here

Prices in New Jersey run 9% above the national average, and housing runs 34% above it. The official median wage for all jobs is $58,500, which is worth $54,000 in average-US dollars. The median posted pay of $131,500 is worth $121,000.

What things cost here (US average = 100)BEA regional price parities for the New Jersey metro area, 2024.What things cost here (US average = 100)All itemsAll items: 108.8 9% above the US average (100)108.8HousingHousing: 134.3 34% above the US average (100)134.3GoodsGoods: 107.1 7% above the US average (100)107.1UtilitiesUtilities: 114.2 14% above the US average (100)114.2Other servicesOther services: 103.5 4% above the US average (100)103.5Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024
Local prices compared with the national average, where 100 is the US average. Download this chart (SVG)
The area's biggest jobs and what they payOfficial median annual wage for the ten largest occupations in New Jersey, May 2025.The area's biggest jobs and what they payHome Health and Personal Care (117.1k)Home Health and Personal Care Aides 117,080 workers Median wage: $37,000$37,000Cashiers (107.7k)Cashiers 107,680 workers Median wage: $34,500$34,500Laborers and Freight, Stock, a (97.2k)Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 97,230 workers Median wage: $39,500$39,500Fast Food and Counter Workers (93.7k)Fast Food and Counter Workers 93,730 workers Median wage: $34,000$34,000Registered Nurses (92.7k)Registered Nurses 92,680 workers Median wage: $106,500$106,500Retail Salespersons (72.5k)Retail Salespersons 72,530 workers Median wage: $36,500$36,500Packers and Packagers, Hand (71.3k)Packers and Packagers, Hand 71,260 workers Median wage: $44,000$44,000Janitors and Cleaners, Except (67.7k)Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 67,660 workers Median wage: $37,500$37,500Secretaries and Administrative (66k)Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 65,960 workers Median wage: $50,500$50,500Office Clerks, General (65.1k)Office Clerks, General 65,130 workers Median wage: $48,500$48,500Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
Median wages for the ten occupations with the most workers here (worker count in parentheses). Download this chart (SVG)
Open postings by industry of the employerPostings by employer industry in New Jersey.Open postings by industry of the employerHealthcare & Life SciencesHealthcare & Life Sciences 699 open postings 30.1% of this area's postings699Retail & E-commerceRetail & E-commerce 307 open postings 13.2% of this area's postings307Software & TechnologySoftware & Technology 297 open postings 12.8% of this area's postings297Manufacturing & IndustrialManufacturing & Industrial 281 open postings 12.1% of this area's postings281Real Estate & ConstructionReal Estate & Construction 125 open postings 5.4% of this area's postings125OtherOther 123 open postings 5.3% of this area's postings123Financial ServicesFinancial Services 115 open postings 4.9% of this area's postings115Consulting & Professional ServicesConsulting & Professional Services 110 open postings 4.7% of this area's postings110Source: Second Summit, October 2026; BLS; BEA; Census
Which industries have the most open postings in our data. Download this chart (SVG)

Employers with the most openings

  1. Jefferson Health: 200 postings
  2. Coreweave: 112 postings
  3. Carvana: 83 postings
  4. Floor & Decor: 68 postings
  5. Careers Uhnjcareers: 60 postings

Federal government hiring

233 federal job announcements open to the public list New Jersey, with a median posted salary range midpoint of $103,000. Agencies hiring most: Air Mobility Command (33), Veterans Health Administration (23), Federal Aviation Administration (21), Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System (19), Department of the Air Force Headquarters (17). Source: USAJOBS.

How it compares with similar-sized states

StatePay listedPosted payOfficial wagePricesPaycheck power
New Jersey42.6%$131,500$58,500108.8$54,000
Michigan22.1%$140,000$49,50096.2$51,000
Virginia43.6%$135,000$55,500101.1$55,000
Georgia23.4%$130,000$48,00096.3$50,000
North Carolina23.7%$127,500$48,00094.3$51,000
Massachusetts56.6%$155,000$63,500105.8$60,000
Washington58.8%$175,000$63,000107$59,000

Compare any states side by side

Download this data

Free to use with credit: Second Summit, October 2026. Data (CSV) · Data (JSON) · paycheck power chart (SVG) · prices chart (SVG) · industries chart (SVG) · biggest jobs chart (SVG)

Related pages

A posting that lists several states counts in each. This covers employers whose career pages we read, not every job in New Jersey. Methodology · All states (CSV)

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