Average Salaries in Trenton-Princeton, NJ
Explore salaries across 442 occupations in Trenton-Princeton, NJ. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $80.1K, +21.7% vs the national average. See the highest-paying roles, where the jobs are, and how local wages compare to the rest of the country.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates. Coverage: 442 occupations and 221,850 total jobs in Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
How the metro compares
Trenton-Princeton, NJ is one of the higher-paying metros in the country. Average wages here run meaningfully above the national level, though local cost of living often offsets some of that premium.
Trenton-Princeton, NJ is a smaller metro labor market. Some occupations may have limited local demand.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Obstetricians And Gynecologists. Drill into any occupation below to see its local pay distribution, employment, and how it compares to the national market.
Top-paying and largest occupations in Trenton-Princeton, NJ
Two different lenses on the local labor market: which occupations pay the most, and which employ the most workers. The highest-paid list tends to favor specialized professional and technical roles. The largest list reflects where the everyday jobs actually are.
Highest-paid occupations in Trenton-Princeton, NJ
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Obstetricians And Gynecologists | $298.1K | 30 |
| Psychiatrists | $294.9K | 60 |
| Physicians, All Other | $279.9K | 360 |
| Dentists, General | $216.8K | 170 |
| Marketing Managers | $208.4K | 1,250 |
| Commercial Pilots | $205.7K | 50 |
| Judges, Magistrate Judges, And Magistrates | $204.2K | 50 |
| Computer And Information Systems Managers | $197.4K | 2,000 |
| Architectural And Engineering Managers | $196.9K | 320 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | $192.1K | 190 |
Largest occupations in Trenton-Princeton, NJ
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 5,570 | $89.4K |
| Registered Nurses | 5,180 | $100K |
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 4,920 | $37.8K |
| Cashiers | 4,800 | $34.7K |
| Laborers And Freight, Stock, And Material Movers, Hand | 4,460 | $37.6K |
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 4,300 | $34.7K |
| Janitors And Cleaners, Except Maids And Housekeeping Cleaners | 3,840 | $37.6K |
| Secretaries And Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, And Executive | 3,680 | $54.1K |
| Software Developers | 3,390 | $128.8K |
| Customer Service Representatives | 3,140 | $47.6K |
What Trenton-Princeton, NJ specializes in
The location quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is here compared to the national average. A value above 1.00 means the occupation is more common in Trenton-Princeton, NJ than in the country as a whole, which signals what this metro is known for.
Most concentrated occupations in Trenton-Princeton, NJ
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Natural Sciences Managers | 12.78 | $182.2K |
| Biochemists And Biophysicists | 9.92 | $124.3K |
| Environmental Scientists And Specialists, Including Health | 6.89 | $78K |
| Psychiatric Aides | 6.66 | $60.1K |
| Word Processors And Typists | 6.48 | $44.7K |
| Therapists, All Other | 6.16 | $83.2K |
| Brokerage Clerks | 5.91 | $71.7K |
| Epidemiologists | 5.79 | $105.9K |
| Environmental Engineers | 5.41 | $92.2K |
| Financial Specialists, All Other | 5.21 | $92.7K |
Comparable metros
| Metro | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $98.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $95.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $92.6K | Cardiologists |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $87.1K | Cardiologists |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $83.8K | Radiologists |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $82.7K | Radiologists |
| Boulder, CO | $82.3K | Surgeons, All Other |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $82.3K | Radiologists |
Common salary questions for Trenton-Princeton, NJ
What does "average median" mean? +
It is the average of all occupation-level medians in this area. It gives a rough sense of the overall wage level here compared to other states or metros, but it is not the same as a household income figure or a single blended salary.
What is a location quotient? +
A location quotient (LQ) compares how concentrated an occupation is in this area versus the national average. An LQ of 2.0 means the occupation is twice as concentrated here as it is nationally. High-LQ occupations are what this area specializes in.
How are comparable areas selected? +
Peer areas are other metros with a similar overall wage level and employment size. They give you a quick sense of how this area ranks among places with a comparable labor market.