Electricians Average Salary in New Jersey
$86,700 average · $86,700 median · BLS OEWS 2025
SOC Code: 47-2111What is this?
This page shows employer-reported wages for Electricians in New Jersey, drawn from the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey — median and mean pay, the full percentile distribution, and the industries that employ this occupation locally. Licensure and union status are the structural levers. Licensed trades (electrical, plumbing, elevator) out-earn unlicensed work substantially, and union-dense states show wage gaps of 30-50% over open-shop states for identical work — visible directly in the state comparisons on this site. Within a trade, the journeyman-to-foreman-to-superintendent ladder is the progression that reaches the top percentiles.
How much do Electricians make in New Jersey?
The average electricians salary in New Jersey is $86,700 per year. That works out to about $41.68 per hour on average. BLS counts roughly 13,520 electricians jobs in New Jersey.
Mean and median are close, so pay is relatively concentrated around $86,700. Entry-level roles (10th percentile) report about $86,700; experienced workers at the 90th percentile report about $86,700 — a 0% spread from bottom to top. Figures are employer-reported wages from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program — not self-reported survey averages — so they are the right baseline for offers, raises, and relocation decisions in this market.
How Construction and Extraction Careers Are Structured
Construction wages carry a premium over comparable-education work that compensates for two realities: physical demands and cyclicality. The trend data for these occupations shows the boom-bust signature clearly — employment swings with interest rates and building cycles even when wages hold. Plan for the trough years, not just the current figure.
The wage tables and percentile chart on this page show how electricians pay is distributed in New Jersey specifically — and because state-level wages for the same occupation routinely differ by 30% or more, the local figures here are the ones that matter for offers, raises, and relocation decisions in this market.
What Moves Pay in This Field
Licensure and union status are the structural levers. Licensed trades (electrical, plumbing, elevator) out-earn unlicensed work substantially, and union-dense states show wage gaps of 30-50% over open-shop states for identical work — visible directly in the state comparisons on this site. Within a trade, the journeyman-to-foreman-to-superintendent ladder is the progression that reaches the top percentiles.
The registered apprenticeship is the canonical entry: three to five years of paid training, no tuition debt, and a license at the end. Laborer entry is immediate and can convert into an apprenticeship from inside. The long-game consideration is the body: successful construction careers plan the transition into supervision, inspection, or estimating before wear forces it.
New to reading wage distributions? Our guide to salary percentiles explains how to place yourself on the chart above, and the negotiation playbook shows how to use these numbers in an actual conversation.
Critical Worker ShortageBright Outlook
Electricians is experiencing a critical labor shortage. Employers are actively competing for qualified candidates.
What Do Electricians Do?
Electricians positions belong to the construction and extraction field. Construction wages carry a premium over comparable-education work that compensates for two realities: physical demands and cyclicality. The trend data for these occupations shows the boom-bust signature clearly — employment swings with interest rates and building cycles even when wages hold. Plan for the trough years, not just the current figure.
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Code: 47-2111
Electricians pay in New Jersey
In New Jersey, electricians report a median of $86,700 (about $41.68/hour) across roughly 13,520 jobs. The local pay band runs from about $86,700 at the 10th percentile to $86,700 at the 90th.
Compared with the national distribution, local industry mix and cost of living are the main reasons New Jersey wages for this occupation sit where they do — toggle Regional Price Parity on this page to see purchasing-power-adjusted pay.
What your paycheck is really worth in New Jersey
Prices in New Jersey run 9% above the national average (RPP 108.8). So a nominal salary of $86,700 has the buying power of about $79,684 in national terms.
New Jersey vs. United States for Electricians
The median electricians salary in New Jersey is $86,700, which is +23.5% above the national median of $70,190 (mean pay is +21.5% above the U.S. mean of $71,382). Among 51 states and D.C. with OEWS data, New Jersey ranks #7 by median wage for this occupation (top tier). New Jersey accounts for about 0.3% of U.S. electricians employment in the latest OEWS release.
See every state ranked for this occupation on the best-paying states page, or compare purchasing power on real wages.
Income reality check
The median salary for Electricians in New Jersey of $86,700 falls in the Comfortable band of this framework - roughly ~12% of the U.S. population and ~7% of the global population sit in this band.
Illustrative relative standing for education only - this ladder is a simplified framework, not an official Census, BLS, or World Bank statistical series. Salary figures on Wage Atlas come from official BLS OEWS data.
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Job Outlook 2023-2033
Official BLS Employment Projections for Electricians
Skills & What You Do
Most occupations require an apprenticeship or postsecondary training
- Install and maintain electrical wiring and systems
- Inspect electrical components
- Read blueprints and technical diagrams
- Ensure compliance with electrical codes
Top Industries for Electricians
| $81,992 | $78,893 | $39 | 78,910 | |
| $70,050 | $61,660 | $34 | 2,266,810 | |
| $64,972 | $58,926 | $31 | 48,910 |
Related Occupations
SOC: 49-1011 • 91% match | $85,267 | $85,220 | $41 | 3,320,570 |
SOC: 41-3021 • 87% match | $81,395 | $81,480 | $39 | 2,822,690 |
SOC: 13-1031 • 87% match | $80,655 | $79,010 | $39 | 1,912,540 |
| $78,491 | $79,140 | $38 | 2,627,800 | |
| Find Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants Jobs | ||||
SOC: 51-1011 • 93% match | $76,771 | $76,600 | $37 | 3,432,060 |
SOC: 47-2031 • 89% match | $65,741 | $65,630 | $32 | 3,457,910 |
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Electricians in Other States
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Career Advancement Strategy
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Supervisory Role Transition
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Viewing: Electricians (SOC: 47-2111)