Plumber · New Jersey · SOC 47-2152
New Jersey Plumber Salary — 2026 BLS + BEA RPP
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2024 reference period · BEA Regional Price Parity 2023 vintage · Last synced 2026-05-07.
TL;DR
- New Jersey pays Plumbers a BLS median of $77,160 — the more useful number is $70,827, what that paycheck buys after rent and services.
- Bottom quartile $63,940, top quartile $109,170. The P90 ($133,260) is roughly 2.6× the P10 ($50,430).
- BEA RPP near 100 means nominal pay translates almost 1:1 into real take-home.
- Plumber ranking: #12 on the BLS table, #15 once cost of living is in.
Wage breakdown — New Jersey
| Percentile | Nominal (BLS) | Real (BEA RPP-adjusted) |
|---|---|---|
| P10 (entry tier) | $50,430 | $46,291 |
| P25 (lower quartile) | $63,940 | $58,692 |
| P50 (median) | $77,160 | $70,827 |
| P75 (upper quartile) | $109,170 | $100,210 |
| P90 (top tier) | $133,260 | $122,323 |
| Mean | $89,320 | $81,989 |
| Employment | 9,840 Plumbers in New Jersey | |
Cost of living — BEA Regional Price Parity
| Component | New Jersey index (US = 100) |
|---|---|
| All-items RPP | 108.9 |
| Goods | 105.8 |
| Services | 114.8 |
| Rents | 134.1 |
New Jersey is a high-cost state — RPP 108.9 above the national 100 baseline. Most of the cost premium routes through rents (134.1) and services (114.8).
After-tax take-home — New Jersey (2024 BLS · 2024 tax year, single filer)
Layer-by-layer take-home math at the BLS median
| Layer | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Gross BLS P50 (Plumber) | $77,160 | nominal median |
| Federal income tax | −$8,222 | 10.7% effective; std deduction $15,750 applied |
| State income tax | −$2,789 | 1.4–10.75% (graduated) |
| FICA (SS 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%) | −$5,903 | SS capped at $183,600 wage base |
| Take-home (after-tax) | $60,246 | 78.1% of gross |
| Real take-home (RPP-adjusted) | $55,302 | ÷ (108.9 / 100) BEA cost-of-living |
What the New Jersey state-tax burden means for Plumber take-home
Mid-band state-tax burden at 3.6% effective. Combined with federal and FICA, take-home is $60,246 (78.1% of gross). After the 108.9 RPP, real take-home is $55,302.
Computed from 2026 IRS federal brackets (Rev. Proc. 2025-32), 2026 state DOR brackets, and 2026 FICA rates. Single filer, standard deduction, no other adjustments. See methodology · tax for limitations (married filers, ITM/SALT itemizers, retirement deferrals, HSA, dependent credits, etc.).
National context
Across the United States, BLS reports a national median of $62,970 for Plumbers with mean pay of $69,940 and total employment of 455,940. New Jersey sits at #12 on nominal pay and #15 on real (cost-adjusted) pay among the 51 states and DC. After cost adjustment, New Jersey falls 3 positions — the cost premium eats into the headline wage.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Plumber make in New Jersey?
- BLS reports a median annual wage of $77,160 for Plumbers in New Jersey as of the latest OES release. That is the 50th-percentile figure — half earn more, half earn less. The 25th-percentile is $63,940 and the 75th-percentile is $109,170.
- How many Plumbers does New Jersey employ?
- BLS OES counts 9,840 Plumbers employed in New Jersey in the most recent release. Employment density relative to population determines whether wage tiers reflect a robust competitive market or a thinner labor pool.
- Why is the BEA RPP for New Jersey different from a single CPI number?
- BEA splits regional price parity into three components — goods, services, and rents — reweighted to the BEA's national consumption basket. New Jersey's overall index of 108.9 reflects rents 134.1, services 114.8, and goods 105.8.
- How wide is the wage spread in New Jersey?
- P10 to P90 spans $50,430 to $133,260. That spread captures entry-level to top-quartile pay, including specialty differentials and metro-area variance within the state.
- What are the limits of these Plumber salary numbers?
- BLS OES is an employer survey of W-2 wages — it excludes contractor pay, bonuses outside the base wage definition, equity compensation, and tip income. Self-employed practitioners and gig workers are not represented. For occupations with significant non-W-2 income, the BLS figure is a floor, not a complete picture.
- Union vs non-union plumber pay in New Jersey?
- BLS does not split union from non-union compensation. In New Jersey, UA (United Association)-represented plumbers and pipefitters typically earn 20-40% above non-union median once health, pension, and annuity contributions are included. The premium is concentrated in industrial, commercial, and government project work; residential service plumbing in New Jersey is predominantly non-union. UA Local hall job boards in New Jersey are the cleanest reference for current scale and benefit values.
- Service plumber vs new construction plumber in New Jersey — pay difference?
- BLS aggregates plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters (47-2152) into one category. In New Jersey, residential service plumbers (drain cleaning, water heater replacement, repair calls) earn near or below BLS median; commission-based service models in New Jersey can produce above-median earnings for high-volume techs but with substantial variance. New-construction plumbing in New Jersey pays above median for pipefitter and steamfitter specialties on industrial and commercial projects, especially when union-rate prevailing-wage rules apply on government work.
Sources & methodology
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES), SOC 47-2152, 2024 reference period.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities, 2023 vintage (all-items, goods, services, rents).
- Real-wage figures = nominal BLS wage ÷ (state RPP / 100).
- See the methodology page for full computation details and limitations.
Cross-comparison: see how New Jersey Plumber pay ranks against the other 254 state × occupation pages on the Real Wage Atlas → — four-way ranking by real wage, after-tax take-home, state-tax savings, and cost-of-living arbitrage.