Welder salary in New Jersey
Median $28.58 an hour for 3,730 welders, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.
Welder pay in New Jersey: the full range
New Jersey ranks 17th of 51 states for median welder pay, and 36th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $26.27). 3,730 welders work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.9× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $20.81 – $23.98 | $43,290 – $49,870 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $23.98 – $34.17 | $49,870 – $71,060 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $34.17 – $39.31 | $71,060 – $81,760 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Welder pay by metro in New Jersey
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York City | $21.58 | $29.66 | $26.34 | $46.12 | 5,780 | 4% above |
| Atlantic City | $19.74 | $29.27 | $29.60 | $43.57 | 90 | 2% above |
| Philadelphia | $21.36 | $28.07 | $27.36 | $38.44 | 4,630 | 2% below |
| Allentown | $21.02 | $26.34 | $26.34 | $35.97 | 860 | 8% below |
| Trenton | $21.89 | $26.27 | $25.46 | $39.85 | 180 | 8% below |
| Vineland | $20.57 | $25.48 | $26.54 | $33.13 | 70 | 11% below |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Welder wages in New Jersey over time
Table
| Year | New Jersey $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $15.30 | $29.57 | $12.58 | 5,480 |
| 2000 | $15.69 | $29.33 | $13.13 | 5,290 |
| 2001 | $15.90 | $28.90 | $13.70 | 5,010 |
| 2002 | $15.97 | $28.58 | $14.02 | 4,190 |
| 2003 | $15.89 | $27.80 | $14.25 | 4,330 |
| 2004 | $16.28 | $27.75 | $14.72 | 4,780 |
| 2005 | $16.37 | $26.99 | $14.90 | 4,190 |
| 2006 | $17.59 | $28.09 | $15.10 | 4,120 |
| 2007 | $17.63 | $27.37 | $15.51 | 3,390 |
| 2008 | $17.97 | $26.87 | $16.13 | 3,810 |
| 2009 | $17.98 | $26.98 | $16.71 | 3,800 |
| 2010 | $18.96 | $27.99 | $17.04 | 3,640 |
| 2011 | $18.74 | $26.82 | $17.27 | 3,380 |
| 2012 | $19.60 | $27.48 | $17.45 | 2,910 |
| 2013 | $19.82 | $27.39 | $17.66 | 2,910 |
| 2014 | $20.74 | $28.20 | $17.99 | 3,600 |
| 2015 | $21.05 | $28.59 | $18.34 | 3,810 |
| 2016 | $21.60 | $28.97 | $18.94 | 4,090 |
| 2017 | $20.95 | $27.52 | $19.35 | 4,240 |
| 2018 | $21.47 | $27.53 | $19.89 | 4,440 |
| 2019 | $22.29 | $28.07 | $20.43 | 4,350 |
| 2020 | $23.85 | $29.67 | $21.25 | 3,550 |
| 2021 | $23.79 | $28.27 | $22.60 | 3,480 |
| 2022 | $24.43 | $26.87 | $22.86 | 3,740 |
| 2023 | $27.55 | $29.11 | $23.53 | 3,690 |
| 2024 | $28.67 | $29.42 | $24.52 | 3,300 |
| 2025 | $28.58 | $28.58 | $25.84 | 3,730 |
In today's dollars, the median welder wage in New Jersey changed by -0.0% over the last ten years of data and by +1.8% since 2019.
Are there more welder jobs in New Jersey?
Since 1999, the number of welders counted in New Jersey has changed by -31.9%, against +1.5% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by -14.3%.
Table
| Year | New Jersey jobs | New Jersey index | US index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 5,480 | 100 | 100 |
| 2000 | 5,290 | 96 | 101 |
| 2001 | 5,010 | 91 | 93 |
| 2002 | 4,190 | 76 | 88 |
| 2003 | 4,330 | 79 | 86 |
| 2004 | 4,780 | 87 | 84 |
| 2005 | 4,190 | 76 | 87 |
| 2006 | 4,120 | 75 | 92 |
| 2007 | 3,390 | 62 | 94 |
| 2008 | 3,810 | 70 | 96 |
| 2009 | 3,800 | 69 | 87 |
| 2010 | 3,640 | 66 | 77 |
| 2011 | 3,380 | 62 | 77 |
| 2012 | 2,910 | 53 | 80 |
| 2013 | 2,910 | 53 | 86 |
| 2014 | 3,600 | 66 | 90 |
| 2015 | 3,810 | 70 | 94 |
| 2016 | 4,090 | 75 | 93 |
| 2017 | 4,240 | 77 | 92 |
| 2018 | 4,440 | 81 | 95 |
| 2019 | 4,350 | 79 | 100 |
| 2020 | 3,550 | 65 | 97 |
| 2021 | 3,480 | 64 | 97 |
| 2022 | 3,740 | 68 | 100 |
| 2023 | 3,690 | 67 | 103 |
| 2024 | 3,300 | 60 | 103 |
| 2025 | 3,730 | 68 | 102 |
Job counts are BLS OEWS survey estimates built from three years of samples, so moves of a few percent from one year to the next are within the survey's margin. Self-employed tradespeople are not counted. Areas with fewer than 3,000 jobs or a large sampling error are shown as a single figure rather than a trend.
Outlook for welders in New Jersey
New Jersey's labor market agency projects the number of welders in the state to change by +3.5% between 2024 and 2034, from 3,500 to 3,620, with about 360 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +2.4% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed and use a different base year, so they do not match the 3,730 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
Welder pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in New Jersey
More on New Jersey
Questions this page answers
How much do welders make in New Jersey?
The median welder in New Jersey earned $28.58 an hour ($59,440 a year) in May 2025, 11% above the national median of $25.84. The middle half earn $23.98–$34.17; the top 10% earn more than $39.31.
Where does New Jersey rank for welder pay?
New Jersey ranks 17th of 51 states for welder pay, with a median of $28.58 an hour, and 36th after adjusting for New Jersey's cost of living (BEA price parity 108.8, US = 100).
What is the union welder rate in New Jersey?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a welder classification for most New Jersey counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many welders work in New Jersey?
BLS counted 3,730 welders in New Jersey in May 2025, 0.9 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.33; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is welder work growing in New Jersey?
The BLS employer survey count of welders in New Jersey went from 3,810 in 2015 to 3,730 in 2025, -2.1%, and -14.3% since 2019. New Jersey's labor market agency projects +3.5% growth for welders between 2024 and 2034, from 3,500 to 3,620 jobs.
How many welder openings a year are there in New Jersey?
New Jersey projects about 360 openings a year for welders over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 40,300 a year.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, New Jersey and metro areas, SOC 51-4121. 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.