Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| New Jersey | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $59,440 | $53,934 | +10% |
| Median hourly wage | $28.58 | $25.93 | +10% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $54,632.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City-level data coming soon. | ||||
The median annual salary for a Welder in New Jersey is $59,440, or about $28.58 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Welders is $53,934. New Jersey is +10% above the national median.
Entry-level welders in New Jersey typically earn from varies by experience depending on the city and employer.
With 3,730 welder jobs on record and a median salary of $59,440, New Jersey offers above-average pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, welders rank 448 of the 736 occupations reported in New Jersey — higher than 39% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Power Plant Operators at $131,370, Power Distributors and Dispatchers at $128,220, Gas Plant Operators at $110,900 — all figures are median annual wages for New Jersey.
No. Every figure on this page is a gross (pre-tax) wage. New Jersey levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 116.0 (100 = national average).
By median annual wage, welders rank 448 of the 736 occupations reported in New Jersey — higher than 39% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in New Jersey | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Power Plant Operators | $131,370 | $300 |
| Power Distributors and Dispatchers | $128,220 | $330 |
| Gas Plant Operators | $110,900 | $190 |
| Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers | $104,540 | $420 |
| Chemical Plant and System Operators | $86,820 | $330 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $81,110 | $15,040 |
New Jersey levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 116.0 (100 = national average).
Ranking and comparison figures come from the same BLS OEWS release as the rest of this page, which covers 736 occupations in New Jersey.