Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Trenton-Princeton, NJ

Each occupation's median wage in Trenton-Princeton, NJ compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Trenton-Princeton, NJ pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Trenton-Princeton, NJ run 3.2% above the national average (2024), so a Trenton-Princeton, NJ salary is worth about 0.97× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

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

Find high paying jobs in Trenton-Princeton, NJ

OccupationMedian, Trenton-Princeton, NJ · vs. national

1Counselors, All Other$107,330
Master's degree
$67,400 – $125,980+111.0%
2General and Operations Managers$181,450
Bachelor's degree
$81,050 – $438,160+71.6%
3Coaches and Scouts$74,620
Bachelor's degree
$38,500 – $138,080+57.7%
4Electricians$98,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,520 – $125,680+55.4%
5Construction Laborers$71,920
No formal educational credential
$38,200 – $106,370+52.6%
6Rehabilitation Counselors$69,740
Master's degree
$46,930 – $101,680+48.9%
7Firefighters$88,090
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,160 – $101,840+48.6%
8Roofers$82,100
No formal educational credential
$45,230 – $96,490+48.1%
9Protective Service Workers, All Other$61,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,650 – $85,630+44.9%
10Opticians, Dispensing$67,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,960 – $83,930+42.0%
11Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$103,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$83,930 – $105,030+39.4%
12Marriage and Family Therapists$92,150
Master's degree
$65,020 – $110,990+37.7%
13Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$90,990
Bachelor's degree
$63,680 – $103,290+37.3%
14Instructional Coordinators$105,720
Master's degree
$63,860 – $129,990+36.5%
15Administrative Services Managers$154,070
Bachelor's degree
$103,990 – $199,140+35.0%
16Biological Technicians$77,170
Bachelor's degree
$53,550 – $101,190+34.2%
17Psychiatric Aides$60,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,390 – $74,420+33.8%
18Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$141,580
Master's degree
$101,290 – $177,450+33.7%
19Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents$83,110
Bachelor's degree
$56,820 – $121,880+33.3%
20Bus Drivers, School$63,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,290 – $74,700+32.3%
21Sales and Related Workers, All Other$63,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,490 – $122,900+31.0%
22First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$104,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$66,850 – $140,070+30.5%
23English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$102,410
Doctoral or professional degree
$32,220 – $292,950+30.0%
24Technical Writers$117,130
Bachelor's degree
$69,760 – $158,480+29.6%
25Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$133,870
Doctoral or professional degree
$91,970 – $172,830+29.5%
26Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$100,520
Doctoral or professional degree
$35,800 – $448,370+29.5%
27Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$138,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$91,980 – $228,060+29.4%
28Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare$76,390
Bachelor's degree
$48,600 – $124,380+28.8%
29Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$128,850
Doctoral or professional degree
$82,170 – $168,210+28.1%
30Training and Development Managers$170,050
Bachelor's degree
$99,820 – $234,340+27.9%
31Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$101,590
Postsecondary nondegree award
$70,290 – $126,380+27.2%
32Emergency Medical Technicians$56,430
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,160 – $73,280+26.9%
33Dentists, General$216,750
Doctoral or professional degree
$92,770 – $339,100+26.8%
34Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service$49,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,160 – $63,800+26.1%
35Library Assistants, Clerical$46,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,490 – $53,980+25.9%
36Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners$77,010
Bachelor's degree
$49,890 – $105,980+25.9%
37Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$78,620
Bachelor's degree
$59,560 – $102,770+25.4%
38First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$132,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$96,090 – $171,220+25.1%
39Marketing Managers$208,440
Bachelor's degree
$131,980 – $288,660+25.0%
40Industrial Production Managers$157,160
Bachelor's degree
$96,330 – $222,820+24.7%
41Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$130,380
Bachelor's degree
$80,190 – $200,860+24.3%
42Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$75,240
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,730 – $111,720+23.3%
43Facilities Managers$131,140
Bachelor's degree
$87,650 – $220,180+23.0%
44Personal Financial Advisors$129,130
Bachelor's degree
$83,340 – $318,360+22.9%
45Child, Family, and School Social Workers$72,730
Bachelor's degree
$44,600 – $113,690+22.1%
46Public Relations Managers$179,330
Bachelor's degree
$95,420 – $298,490+22.1%
47Printing Press Operators$55,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,780 – $76,640+22.1%
48Producers and Directors$110,190
Bachelor's degree
$61,060 – $192,820+21.9%
49Purchasing Managers$180,340
Bachelor's degree
$131,880 – $289,430+21.8%
50Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$77,850
Bachelor's degree
$62,830 – $102,060+21.7%

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

#	Occupation	MedianTrenton-Princeton, NJ	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Counselors, All OtherMaster's degree	$107,330	$67,400 – $125,980	+111.0%
2	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$181,450	$81,050 – $438,160	+71.6%
3	Coaches and ScoutsBachelor's degree	$74,620	$38,500 – $138,080	+57.7%
4	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$98,210	$48,520 – $125,680	+55.4%
5	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$71,920	$38,200 – $106,370	+52.6%
6	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$69,740	$46,930 – $101,680	+48.9%
7	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$88,090	$48,160 – $101,840	+48.6%
8	RoofersNo formal educational credential	$82,100	$45,230 – $96,490	+48.1%
9	Protective Service Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,630	$35,650 – $85,630	+44.9%
10	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,110	$43,960 – $83,930	+42.0%
11	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$103,650	$83,930 – $105,030	+39.4%
12	Marriage and Family TherapistsMaster's degree	$92,150	$65,020 – $110,990	+37.7%
13	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$90,990	$63,680 – $103,290	+37.3%
14	Instructional CoordinatorsMaster's degree	$105,720	$63,860 – $129,990	+36.5%
15	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$154,070	$103,990 – $199,140	+35.0%
16	Biological TechniciansBachelor's degree	$77,170	$53,550 – $101,190	+34.2%
17	Psychiatric AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,110	$45,390 – $74,420	+33.8%
18	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$141,580	$101,290 – $177,450	+33.7%
19	Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue AgentsBachelor's degree	$83,110	$56,820 – $121,880	+33.3%
20	Bus Drivers, SchoolHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,400	$46,290 – $74,700	+32.3%
21	Sales and Related Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,230	$37,490 – $122,900	+31.0%
22	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$104,310	$66,850 – $140,070	+30.5%
23	English Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$102,410	$32,220 – $292,950	+30.0%
24	Technical WritersBachelor's degree	$117,130	$69,760 – $158,480	+29.6%
25	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$133,870	$91,970 – $172,830	+29.5%
26	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$100,520	$35,800 – $448,370	+29.5%
27	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$138,760	$91,980 – $228,060	+29.4%
28	Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and DaycareBachelor's degree	$76,390	$48,600 – $124,380	+28.8%
29	Clinical and Counseling PsychologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$128,850	$82,170 – $168,210	+28.1%
30	Training and Development ManagersBachelor's degree	$170,050	$99,820 – $234,340	+27.9%
31	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$101,590	$70,290 – $126,380	+27.2%
32	Emergency Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$56,430	$46,160 – $73,280	+26.9%
33	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$216,750	$92,770 – $339,100	+26.8%
34	Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal ServiceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,520	$36,160 – $63,800	+26.1%
35	Library Assistants, ClericalHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,460	$33,490 – $53,980	+25.9%
36	Meeting, Convention, and Event PlannersBachelor's degree	$77,010	$49,890 – $105,980	+25.9%
37	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$78,620	$59,560 – $102,770	+25.4%
38	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$132,610	$96,090 – $171,220	+25.1%
39	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$208,440	$131,980 – $288,660	+25.0%
40	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$157,160	$96,330 – $222,820	+24.7%
41	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$130,380	$80,190 – $200,860	+24.3%
42	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$75,240	$47,730 – $111,720	+23.3%
43	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$131,140	$87,650 – $220,180	+23.0%
44	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$129,130	$83,340 – $318,360	+22.9%
45	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$72,730	$44,600 – $113,690	+22.1%
46	Public Relations ManagersBachelor's degree	$179,330	$95,420 – $298,490	+22.1%
47	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,920	$37,780 – $76,640	+22.1%
48	Producers and DirectorsBachelor's degree	$110,190	$61,060 – $192,820	+21.9%
49	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$180,340	$131,880 – $289,430	+21.8%
50	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$77,850	$62,830 – $102,060	+21.7%

More for Trenton-Princeton, NJ

Other metro areas in NJ

By field in Trenton-Princeton, NJ

Without a degree

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

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Trenton-Princeton, NJ

More for Trenton-Princeton, NJ

Other metro areas in NJ

By field in Trenton-Princeton, NJ

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state