Average salary in New Jersey

1 min read by Charlie Barton Last updated October 4, 2024

Learn about the average salaries and highest paying counties in New Jersey

According to Forbes, New Jersey ranks as the seventh most expensive state to live in. Despite the high cost of living, New Jersey offers several advantages for workers, including access to major metropolitan areas like New York City and Philadelphia, as well as a diverse range of industries. Indeed, the higher cost of living means salaries tend to be higher to match.  

Whether you already live in New Jersey or are considering a move, it is important to understand the financial landscape. But which cities and counties offer the highest average salaries? 

Average salary in New Jersey by city 

City living is often more expensive than living in more rural areas, but it’s also where the money is. New Jersey’s own cities can vary massively in average salary; cities like Middletown Township and Edison command well into six figures, while Newark's average sits below $42,000.  

Average earnings by city—or any other geographical metric—is just one way of calculating wealth, and certainly shouldn’t be the only way you look at your own earning potential in a given place. It doesn’t take into account the type of jobs that people do to earn above or below this average bracket, and omits any consideration for the number of people living in a household. However, it’s certainly one way of establishing which place offers good earning opportunities.  

The US Census Bureau’s latest American Community Survey has calculated the average earnings for the 20 largest cities in New Jersey, which you can find ranked below.  

CityAverage household income
Newark$41,335
Jersey City$81,390
Paterson$48,540
Elizabeth$54,415
Edison$110,896
Woodbridge$98,096
Lakewood$50,139
Toms River$80,145
Hamilton Township$84,684
Trenton$39,718
Clifton$86,616
Camden$30,247
Brick Township$86,090
Cherry Hill Township$107,341
Passaic$49,436
Union City$53,177
Middletown Township$167,295
Old Bridge Township$94,153
Gloucester Township$88,699
East Orange$54,520

Average salary in New Jersey by county 

Reviewing average salaries in New Jersey by city is not necessarily an adequate metric for average salaries across the state, since it’s entirely urban focused. A good idea is to weigh these figures up against the average salary in New Jersey by county, as this will take areas outside the main cities into account and offer a broader idea of salary ranges.  

The same survey from the US Census Bureau gives further insight this way, with the average household income calculated for each county.  

CountyAverage Household Income
Hunterdon County$136,119
Somerset County$134,331
Morris County$123,045
Bergen County$118,168
Monmouth County$116,251
Essex County$104,936
Union County$100,042
Middlesex County$98,408
Mercer County$96,139
Ocean County$95,402
Passaic County$87,801
Burlington County$87,750
Gloucester County$86,423
Camden County$85,702
Atlantic County$77,622
Cumberland County$63,004
Salem County$62,047
Cape May County$61,530
Sussex County$61,411
Warren County$61,274

Highest paying jobs in New Jersey

There’s another weighty factor that will influence how much you earn if you live in New Jersey: your job type. Average salaries for various sectors and job roles can vary massively across the state, so it’s absolutely something to consider when looking at salaries by location.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has calculated a comprehensive list of annual salaries by occupation area, which you can also find below.

OccupationAnnual Salary
Family Medicine Physicians$203,620
Natural Sciences Managers$191,860
Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates$191,810
Nurse Anesthetists$191,800
General Pediatricians$169,570
Computer and Information Systems Managers$169,130
Advertising and Promotions Managers$168,790
Financial Managers$164,440
Architectural and Engineering Managers$164,340
Sales Managers$164,210
Purchasing Managers$163,350
Marketing Managers$163,290
Compensation and Benefits Managers$162,720
Human Resources Managers$161,520
Training and Development Managers$161,520
All Other Managers$159,890
General Dentists$155,990
Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric$154,550
General and Operations Managers$149,290
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons$146,200

Frequently asked questions about salaries in New Jersey

What is the average salary in New Jersey by age?
Alongside location and occupation, salaries in New Jersey are also dependent on age, since more senior workers will be paid more. Then, when they retire, their income will dip again as they will rely on pensions and other forms of set income.

The Census Bureau data finds that householders under 25 have a median household income of $52,657; householders aged 24 to 44 years old have a median income of $92,366; those aged 45 to 64 years old have a median income of $103,820; and those 65 and older have a median income of $61,413.

What is a ‘good’ salary in New Jersey?
The median income in New Jersey is $91,420. Defining 'good' relies on all sorts of variable factors and these should be taken into account. For example, $120,000 is a higher salary than the state average.

What is the average salary in New Jersey by hour?
If Americans work an average of 1,801 hours per year—at 37.5 hours a week—then the average hourly salary in New Jersey is $50.69.

Getting expert advice before you make significant financial decisions can really benefit you in the long term. Protect your financial future and speak to one of our financial advisors today.

Writer

Charlie Barton

Charlie Barton is a writer at Unbiased. He has been writing about personal finance and investing since 2017, with extensive knowledge of platforms and products. Charlie has a first-class degree from the London School of Economics.