Skilled Wages

Boilermaker salary in New Jersey

Median $39.62 an hour for 280 boilermakers, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$39.62/hrMedian hourly wageNew Jersey, May data
$82,410/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$23.56 – $55.4210th to 90th percentilehourly range
280Jobs countedemployer survey

Boilermaker pay in New Jersey: the full range

Wage percentiles, New JerseyMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$20$30$40$50$60/hrNew Jersey: 10th $23.56 · 25th $34.41 · median $39.62 · 75th $43.76 · 90th $55.42New Jersey$39.62$23.56$55.42United States: 10th $24.28 · 25th $31.13 · median $36.74 · 75th $45.88 · 90th $53.06United States$36.74
Hourly wage percentiles for boilermakers: New Jersey vs United States, May 2025.

New Jersey ranks 17th of 37 states for median boilermaker pay, and 28th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $36.42). 280 boilermakers work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$23.56 – $34.41$49,010 – $71,560roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$34.41 – $43.76$71,560 – $91,010the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$43.76 – $55.42$91,010 – $115,270the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Boilermaker pay by metro in New Jersey

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrPhiladelphia: $41.79Philadelphia$41.79New York City: $39.62New York City$39.62
Median hourly wage for boilermakers by metro area in New Jersey, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Philadelphia$31.86$41.79$55.421405% above
New York City$29.02$39.62$65.64330about the same as

Boilermaker wages in New Jersey over time

New Jersey, 1999-2025New JerseyUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40$50200020052010201520202025$39.62New Jersey$36.74United States
Median hourly wage for boilermakers, New Jersey vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearNew Jersey $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$18.87$36.46$18.0940
2000$25.46$47.60$17.80—
2001$28.61$52.01$19.06600
2002$27.06$48.43$20.17440
2003$27.63$48.34$20.79450
2004$23.51$40.07$21.68440
2005$24.95$41.13$23.10420
2006$24.92$39.80$22.58360
2007$29.28$45.46$24.38370
2008$22.92$34.27$25.13300
2009$26.92$40.40$26.97240
2010$30.03$44.34$26.27190
2011$30.76$44.03$27.36220
2012$29.16$40.89$27.19230
2013$25.45$35.17$27.74200
2014$31.75$43.18$28.78100
2015$34.90$47.41$28.9090
2016$31.75$42.59$29.84200
2017$26.66$35.02$29.93300
2018$31.50$40.39$29.88370
2019$32.79$41.29$30.34310
2020$40.78$50.73$31.42220
2021$37.89$45.02$30.91600
2022$37.30$41.03$32.17300
2023$39.26$41.48$34.20390
2024$38.73$39.75$35.26310
2025$39.62$39.62$36.74280

In today's dollars, the median boilermaker wage in New Jersey changed by -16.4% over the last ten years of data.

Is construction work growing in New Jersey?

167.4kConstruction jobsNew Jersey, 2026-08
-2.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202650k100k150k200k19901995200020052010201520202025167kAug 2026
Construction employment in New Jersey (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Contractor pay by county

Average pay at specialty trade contractors establishments by county (all employees, not just boilermakers), from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.

CountyEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Middlesex County9,199$97,416$1,873
Hudson County3,007$95,564$1,838
Mercer County3,543$94,905$1,825
Morris County8,730$91,378$1,757
Union County6,308$91,096$1,752
Gloucester County4,374$90,128$1,733
Hunterdon County1,945$90,014$1,731
Essex County6,092$89,479$1,721
Camden County6,357$89,390$1,719
Somerset County4,438$88,130$1,695
Burlington County4,355$86,431$1,662
Passaic County5,178$85,739$1,649

Keep comparing

Boilermaker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in New Jersey

Questions this page answers

How much do boilermakers make in New Jersey?

The median boilermaker in New Jersey earned $39.62 an hour ($82,410 a year) in May 2025, 8% above the national median of $36.74. The middle half earn $34.41–$43.76; the top 10% earn more than $55.42.

Where does New Jersey rank for boilermaker pay?

New Jersey ranks 17th of 37 states for boilermaker pay, with a median of $39.62 an hour, and 28th after adjusting for New Jersey's cost of living (BEA price parity 108.8, US = 100).

What is the union boilermaker rate in New Jersey?

Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a boilermaker classification for most New Jersey counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.

How many boilermakers work in New Jersey?

BLS counted 280 boilermakers in New Jersey in May 2025, 0.1 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.01; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, New Jersey and metro areas, SOC 47-2011.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-08.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Not the official determination.