Fastest declining jobs in New Jersey, 2024–34

Ranked by projected percent change in employment from 2024 to 2034 in New Jersey, most negative first. A declining projection does not mean a job is disappearing — most of these still hire steadily to replace people who leave.

State projections are produced by New Jersey's own workforce agency and collected by Projections Central — the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes projections only at the national level. Methodology varies by state, so these are not directly comparable with the national figures. Wages remain BLS OEWS.

Cost of living: prices in New Jersey run 8.8% above the national average (2024), so a New Jersey salary is worth about 0.92× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in New Jersey.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in New Jersey

OccupationMedian, New Jersey · Growth 2024–34

1Word Processors and Typists$49,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,430 – $70,650-34.0%
2Data Entry Keyers$42,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,410 – $61,990-26.0%
3Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service$40,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,780 – $51,890-20.2%
4Office Machine Operators, Except Computer$39,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,270 – $56,520-17.6%
5Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers$59,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,790 – $93,350-17.2%
6Telemarketers$39,370
No formal educational credential
$33,230 – $46,790-17.0%
7Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks$60,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,990 – $84,990-16.5%
8File Clerks$44,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,370 – $65,100-16.1%
9Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks$59,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,070 – $77,130-14.9%
10Gambling Dealers$33,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,220 – $69,910-14.7%
11Order Clerks$46,270
Some college, no degree
$37,440 – $78,230-14.3%
12Tellers$47,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,390 – $56,670-14.2%
13First-Line Supervisors of Gambling Services Workers$64,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,800 – $80,540-13.6%
14Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$95,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,780 – $129,720-13.2%
15Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators$60,530
No formal educational credential
$47,440 – $76,360-12.9%
16Insurance Underwriters$96,220
Bachelor's degree
$66,290 – $144,230-12.9%
17Postal Service Mail Carriers$61,130
No formal educational credential
$43,120 – $81,040-12.9%
18Postal Service Clerks$64,290
No formal educational credential
$54,330 – $76,360-12.9%
19Meter Readers, Utilities$63,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,660 – $91,710-11.9%
20Brokerage Clerks$74,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,930 – $100,410-11.2%
21Baggage Porters and Bellhops$41,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,770 – $41,690-11.1%
22Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan$47,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,420 – $61,330-10.8%
23Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants$63,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,900 – $89,010-10.7%
24Cashiers$34,590
No formal educational credential
$32,220 – $43,260-10.7%
25Cooks, Fast Food$32,220
No formal educational credential
$32,220 – $41,860-10.5%
26Computer Programmers$104,940
Bachelor's degree
$65,000 – $172,990-9.4%
27Bill and Account Collectors$52,510
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,530 – $79,380-9.2%
28Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$51,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,670 – $99,840-8.2%
29Carpet Installers$115,180
No formal educational credential
$48,790 – $128,130-8.0%
30Insurance Sales Agents$81,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,330 – $169,770-7.6%
31Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$78,000
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,590 – $104,770-7.6%
32Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$102,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,690 – $115,000-7.3%
33Network and Computer Systems Administrators$116,420
Bachelor's degree
$73,990 – $166,690-6.9%
34Customer Service Representatives$47,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,520 – $72,040-6.7%
35Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers$61,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,640 – $90,930-6.7%
36Locksmiths and Safe Repairers$57,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,220 – $79,770-6.4%
37Correctional Officers and Jailers$94,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,410 – $106,570-6.2%
38Paralegals and Legal Assistants$71,500
Associate's degree
$47,070 – $99,900-6.1%
39Computer User Support Specialists$64,470
Some college, no degree
$41,830 – $105,380-6.1%
40Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants$35,350
No formal educational credential
$32,220 – $44,840-6.0%
41Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$78,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,050 – $99,240-6.0%
42Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks$58,300
Some college, no degree
$41,000 – $78,910-5.9%
43Security Guards$38,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,230 – $60,420-5.7%
44Procurement Clerks$57,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,690 – $72,660-5.7%
45Transportation Security Screeners$74,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,860 – $81,600-5.6%
46Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks$59,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,310 – $74,100-5.4%
47Office Clerks, General$48,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,810 – $71,230-5.4%
48Credit Analysts$100,940
Bachelor's degree
$71,590 – $169,490-5.3%
49Library Technicians$48,840
Postsecondary nondegree award
$32,220 – $69,730-5.2%
50Loan Interviewers and Clerks$58,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,740 – $77,580-5.2%

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianNew Jersey	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Growth 2024–34
1	Word Processors and TypistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,520	$38,430 – $70,650	-34.0%
2	Data Entry KeyersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,470	$32,410 – $61,990	-26.0%
3	Switchboard Operators, Including Answering ServiceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,430	$35,780 – $51,890	-20.2%
4	Office Machine Operators, Except ComputerHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,360	$35,270 – $56,520	-17.6%
5	Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,480	$34,790 – $93,350	-17.2%
6	TelemarketersNo formal educational credential	$39,370	$33,230 – $46,790	-17.0%
7	Payroll and Timekeeping ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,750	$42,990 – $84,990	-16.5%
8	File ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,400	$33,370 – $65,100	-16.1%
9	Insurance Claims and Policy Processing ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,810	$47,070 – $77,130	-14.9%
10	Gambling DealersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$33,000	$32,220 – $69,910	-14.7%
11	Order ClerksSome college, no degree	$46,270	$37,440 – $78,230	-14.3%
12	TellersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,210	$37,390 – $56,670	-14.2%
13	First-Line Supervisors of Gambling Services WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,210	$61,800 – $80,540	-13.6%
14	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$95,690	$61,780 – $129,720	-13.2%
15	Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$60,530	$47,440 – $76,360	-12.9%
16	Insurance UnderwritersBachelor's degree	$96,220	$66,290 – $144,230	-12.9%
17	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$61,130	$43,120 – $81,040	-12.9%
18	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$64,290	$54,330 – $76,360	-12.9%
19	Meter Readers, UtilitiesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,030	$48,660 – $91,710	-11.9%
20	Brokerage ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,830	$60,930 – $100,410	-11.2%
21	Baggage Porters and BellhopsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,080	$32,770 – $41,690	-11.1%
22	Interviewers, Except Eligibility and LoanHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,380	$35,420 – $61,330	-10.8%
23	Legal Secretaries and Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,080	$41,900 – $89,010	-10.7%
24	CashiersNo formal educational credential	$34,590	$32,220 – $43,260	-10.7%
25	Cooks, Fast FoodNo formal educational credential	$32,220	$32,220 – $41,860	-10.5%
26	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$104,940	$65,000 – $172,990	-9.4%
27	Bill and Account CollectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,510	$39,530 – $79,380	-9.2%
28	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,120	$38,670 – $99,840	-8.2%
29	Carpet InstallersNo formal educational credential	$115,180	$48,790 – $128,130	-8.0%
30	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,640	$49,330 – $169,770	-7.6%
31	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$78,000	$51,590 – $104,770	-7.6%
32	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$102,090	$58,690 – $115,000	-7.3%
33	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$116,420	$73,990 – $166,690	-6.9%
34	Customer Service RepresentativesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,740	$35,520 – $72,040	-6.7%
35	Title Examiners, Abstractors, and SearchersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,930	$48,640 – $90,930	-6.7%
36	Locksmiths and Safe RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,000	$46,220 – $79,770	-6.4%
37	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$94,770	$51,410 – $106,570	-6.2%
38	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$71,500	$47,070 – $99,900	-6.1%
39	Computer User Support SpecialistsSome college, no degree	$64,470	$41,830 – $105,380	-6.1%
40	Automotive and Watercraft Service AttendantsNo formal educational credential	$35,350	$32,220 – $44,840	-6.0%
41	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,760	$51,050 – $99,240	-6.0%
42	Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing ClerksSome college, no degree	$58,300	$41,000 – $78,910	-5.9%
43	Security GuardsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,880	$32,230 – $60,420	-5.7%
44	Procurement ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,460	$39,690 – $72,660	-5.7%
45	Transportation Security ScreenersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,400	$58,860 – $81,600	-5.6%
46	Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,400	$46,310 – $74,100	-5.4%
47	Office Clerks, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,570	$34,810 – $71,230	-5.4%
48	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$100,940	$71,590 – $169,490	-5.3%
49	Library TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$48,840	$32,220 – $69,730	-5.2%
50	Loan Interviewers and ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,760	$43,740 – $77,580	-5.2%

More for New Jersey

Metro areas in New Jersey

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in New Jersey

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in New Jersey to rank honestly.

Fastest declining jobs in New Jersey, 2024–34

More for New Jersey

Metro areas in New Jersey

By field in New Jersey

Without a degree

Fastest declining jobs in each state, 2024–34