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Essex County, NJ · Electrician
Electrician prevailing wage in Essex County, New Jersey
$110.20an hour, base wage + fringe benefits · Journeyman Wireman
$66.99 base wage + $43.21 fringe benefits
On New Jersey public works in Essex County, an electrician working as journeyman wireman must be paid at least $110.20 an hour: a $66.99 base wage plus $43.21 in fringe benefits. NJDOL's schedule raises it to $114.20 on June 2, 2027.
NJDOL county packages of October 19, 2026; this rate, effective July 10, 2026. Rates are those in effect when the contract is awarded, plus every pre-determined increase listed then, from its date (NJDOL FAQ). Checked against nj.gov on October 25, 2026.
NJDOL lists 8 electrician rates for Essex County, from $110.20 to $148.77 an hour. See all of them.
NJDOL's posted rates are informational. The public body obtains the project's official determination, and it goes in the contract.
Base wage and fringe benefits: $66.99 + $43.21
The base wage is the taxable hourly wage. NJDOL prints the fringe benefits as one hourly figure, not itemized; it can go to health, pension, vacation and training plans, or be paid as cash where the state allows.
| Base wage (taxable) | $66.99 |
| Fringe benefits (one figure, not itemized) | $43.21 |
| Total hourly rate, as printed | $110.20 |
When does this rate change?
- The rates in effect on the date the contract is awarded apply, plus every pre-determined increase listed then, from its date. A later posting doesn't change an awarded job (NJDOL FAQ). Rates marked expired "remain in effect" until new ones are posted.
- NJDOL reissues a county's package whenever a union agreement changes. This page uses the packages of October 19, 2026 (NJDOL current rates).
Dated rates for this classification
NJDOL prints more than one dated line for Electrician: Journeyman Wireman. The one in force on October 25, 2026 leads this page; scheduled lines take effect on their date.
| Effective | Rate | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 10, 2026 | $110.20 ($66.99 + $43.21) | In force |
| Jun 2, 2027 | $114.20 ($69.85 + $44.35) | Scheduled |
| Jun 2, 2028 | $118.21 ($72.30 + $45.91) | Scheduled |
Every electrician rate in Essex County
As NJDOL lists them. The highlighted row is the one this page leads with.
- Electrician: General Foreman (150 + Journeyman workers on job site)$148.77
- Electrician: General Foreman (23-149 Journeyman workers on job site)$138.85
- Electrician: Assistant General Foreman$134.44
- Electrician: Journeyman on Radio Tower Work$134.44
- Electrician: Foreman$128.93
- Electrician: Journeyman as a Crane Operator, as a Welder, as a Cable Splicer$128.93
- Electrician: Layout Man$120.12
- Electrician: Journeyman Wireman$110.20
| Classification | Base wage | Fringe benefits | Total rate | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrician: Assistant General Foreman | $81.73 | $52.71 | $134.44 | Jul 10, 2026 |
| Electrician: Foreman | $78.38 | $50.55 | $128.93 | Jul 10, 2026 |
| Electrician: General Foreman (150 + Journeyman workers on job site) | $90.44 | $58.33 | $148.77 | Jul 10, 2026 |
| Electrician: General Foreman (23-149 Journeyman workers on job site) | $84.41 | $54.44 | $138.85 | Jul 10, 2026 |
| Electrician: Journeyman as a Crane Operator, as a Welder, as a Cable Splicer | $78.38 | $50.55 | $128.93 | Jul 10, 2026 |
| Electrician: Journeyman on Radio Tower Work | $81.73 | $52.71 | $134.44 | Jul 10, 2026 |
| Electrician: Journeyman Wireman | $66.99 | $43.21 | $110.20 | Jul 10, 2026 |
| Electrician: Layout Man | $73.02 | $47.10 | $120.12 | Jul 10, 2026 |
Davis-Bacon electrician rate in Essex County
Federally funded or assisted construction here uses the U.S. Department of Labor's wage determinations. Where both Davis-Bacon and the New Jersey Act apply, "whichever rate is higher must be paid" (NJDOL FAQ).
We don't put a federal figure next to NJDOL's here, because the federal determination for this county has no matching classification. The federal rows for this trade are below; match the classification to the work.
| Construction | Federal classification | Base wage | Total rate | WD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building | ELECTRICIAN (INCLUDING LOW VOLTAGE WIRING) ........$ 62.90 39.31 ELECTRICIAN (INCLUDING LOW VOLTAGE WIRING) CABLE SPLICERELEC0164-006 | $73.59 | $119.58 | NJ20260031 Mod 1 |
| Heavy | ELECTRICIAN (WORK ON LINE VOLTAGE OF 440 OR 480 VOLTS: 10% PER HOUR ADDITIONAL. WORK FROM TRUSSES, SCAFFOLDS, FRAMES, LADDERS AND POLES, 40 FT. OR MORE ABOVE …ELEC0164-008 | $62.90 | $102.21 | NJ20260052 Mod 2 |
| Heavy | ELECTRICIAN: CABLE SPLICER (WORK ON LINE VOLTAGE OF 440 OR 480 VOLTS: 10% PER HOUR ADDITIONAL. WORK FROM TRUSSES, SCAFFOLDS, FRAMES, LADDERS AND POLES, 40 FT. …ELEC0164-008 | $73.59 | $119.58 | NJ20260052 Mod 2 |
| Residential | ELECTRICIANELEC0164-001 | $62.90 | $102.21 | NJ20260011 Mod 1 |
Davis-Bacon rates from SAM.gov, read October 25, 2026. Our federal totals are base plus fringe; DOL prints no total. New Jersey Davis-Bacon changes
How Essex County compares
The main electrician rate in every county that has one, and how the pay splits here and nearby. All bars use the same scale.
Every county in New Jersey
Wage and fringe benefits, nearby
- Essex Countybase $66.99$110.20
- Union Countybase $67.92$112.56
- Hudson Countybase $66.99$110.20
- Bergen Countybase $66.99$110.20
Electrician rates in nearby counties
Current NJDOL rates. Rates "are generally set for each of the State's twenty-one (21) counties", and some crafts are statewide (NJDOL FAQ).
| County | Classification | Base wage | Total rate | vs Essex County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union County | Electrician: Journeyman | $67.92 | $112.56 | +$2.36 |
| Morris County | Electrician: Journeyman | $67.92 | $112.56 | +$2.36 |
| Passaic County | Electrician: Journeyman | $67.92 | $112.56 | +$2.36 |
| Somerset County | Electrician: Journeyman | $67.92 | $112.56 | +$2.36 |
| Essex County | Electrician: Journeyman Wireman | $66.99 | $110.20 | |
| Hudson County | Electrician: Journeyman Wireman | $66.99 | $110.20 | same |
| Bergen County | Electrician: Journeyman Wireman | $66.99 | $110.20 | same |
New Jersey electrician prevailing wage by county, with a map
More from NJDOL on this rate
- NJDOL NJDOL county package, page 20
- NJDOL's current prevailing wage rates
- These are journeyman rates. Apprentices registered with the U.S. Office of Apprenticeship get the percentage in the craft's apprentice schedule, with full benefits unless noted.
Are you being paid this rate?
Add your wage to what your employer pays into benefits for you, or pays you in cash each payday, and compare it with the total. Rates for every craft, including future increases, must be posted on site, and certified payroll goes to NJDOL within 10 days of payday (N.J.S.A. 34:11-56.29). NJDOL Public Contracts: (609) 292-2259.
Source
Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL), NJDOL county package NJDOL-20261019-essex, issued October 19, 2026, effective July 10, 2026, page 20: lwdwebpt.dol.state.nj.us/archivewages/292125119-essex-10-19-2026.pdf
We read every county package of October 19, 2026, including its statewide pages, and check every number with a second, separate reader. Wage plus benefit equals NJDOL's printed total on every step that prints both. How we check · Download Essex County as CSV · Report an error