Lineman salary in New Jersey
Median $58.45 an hour for 1,310 linemen, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.
Lineman pay in New Jersey: the full range
New Jersey ranks 7th of 51 states for median lineman pay, and 13th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $53.72). 1,310 linemen work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.6× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $39.17 – $48.01 | $81,470 – $99,860 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $48.01 – $59.49 | $99,860 – $123,740 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $59.49 – $60.75 | $123,740 – $126,350 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Lineman pay by metro in New Jersey
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York City | $28.14 | $58.89 | $52.30 | $71.51 | 3,850 | 1% above |
| Philadelphia | $31.02 | $57.44 | $55.98 | $60.59 | 1,420 | 2% below |
| Atlantic City | $37.78 | $52.51 | $53.09 | $63.31 | 40 | 10% below |
| Allentown | $36.73 | $51.68 | $51.68 | $57.81 | 300 | 12% below |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Lineman wages in New Jersey over time
Table
| Year | New Jersey $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $24.90 | $48.12 | $20.97 | 2,400 |
| 2000 | $27.26 | $50.96 | $22.01 | 2,320 |
| 2001 | $28.06 | $51.01 | $22.70 | 1,930 |
| 2002 | $27.94 | $50.00 | $23.33 | 1,460 |
| 2003 | $29.14 | $50.99 | $23.54 | 1,790 |
| 2004 | $28.48 | $48.54 | $23.61 | 1,730 |
| 2005 | $27.34 | $45.07 | $24.11 | 1,840 |
| 2006 | $25.27 | $40.35 | $24.41 | 1,920 |
| 2007 | $28.30 | $43.94 | $25.27 | 1,500 |
| 2008 | $31.58 | $47.22 | $26.49 | 1,190 |
| 2009 | $35.18 | $52.79 | $27.24 | 1,120 |
| 2010 | $36.72 | $54.21 | $27.90 | — |
| 2011 | $38.22 | $54.70 | $28.94 | 1,410 |
| 2012 | $39.16 | $54.91 | $30.41 | 1,760 |
| 2013 | $39.44 | $54.51 | $30.85 | 1,990 |
| 2014 | $40.87 | $55.58 | $31.70 | 1,750 |
| 2015 | $40.34 | $54.79 | $31.95 | 1,980 |
| 2016 | $41.13 | $55.17 | $32.70 | 1,860 |
| 2017 | $41.15 | $54.05 | $33.36 | 1,630 |
| 2018 | $42.60 | $54.62 | $34.09 | — |
| 2019 | $44.99 | $56.65 | $34.86 | 1,260 |
| 2020 | $46.29 | $57.58 | $36.07 | 1,270 |
| 2021 | $48.23 | $57.30 | $37.65 | 1,160 |
| 2022 | $52.28 | $57.51 | $39.59 | 1,130 |
| 2023 | $54.11 | $57.17 | $41.07 | 1,330 |
| 2024 | $55.90 | $57.37 | $44.50 | 1,270 |
| 2025 | $58.45 | $58.45 | $45.83 | 1,310 |
In today's dollars, the median lineman wage in New Jersey changed by +6.7% over the last ten years of data and by +3.2% since 2019.
Are there more lineman jobs in New Jersey?
BLS counted 1,310 linemen in New Jersey in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 14%. With fewer than 3,000 jobs or a wide margin of error, year-to-year changes are within the survey's noise and are not shown as a trend.
Outlook for linemen in New Jersey
New Jersey's labor market agency projects the number of linemen in the state to change by +9.4% between 2024 and 2034, from 1,290 to 1,410, with about 110 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +10.3% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed and use a different base year, so they do not match the 1,310 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: New Jersey labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Is construction work growing in New Jersey?
Keep comparing
Lineman pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in New Jersey
More on New Jersey
Questions this page answers
How much do linemen make in New Jersey?
The median lineman in New Jersey earned $58.45 an hour ($121,580 a year) in May 2025, 28% above the national median of $45.83. The middle half earn $48.01–$59.49; the top 10% earn more than $60.75.
Where does New Jersey rank for lineman pay?
New Jersey ranks 7th of 51 states for lineman pay, with a median of $58.45 an hour, and 13th after adjusting for New Jersey's cost of living (BEA price parity 108.8, US = 100).
What is the union lineman rate in New Jersey?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a lineman classification for most New Jersey counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many linemen work in New Jersey?
BLS counted 1,310 linemen in New Jersey in May 2025, 0.3 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.36; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is lineman work growing in New Jersey?
New Jersey's labor market agency projects +9.4% growth for linemen between 2024 and 2034, from 1,290 to 1,410 jobs.
How many lineman openings a year are there in New Jersey?
New Jersey projects about 110 openings a year for linemen over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 10,900 a year.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, New Jersey and metro areas, SOC 49-9051. Job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
- BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-09.
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (cost-of-living adjustment).
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Not the official determination.
- BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
- State projection: New Jersey labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.