Home / New Jersey / Essex County / Paperhanger
Essex County, NJ · Paperhanger
Paperhanger prevailing wage in Essex County, New Jersey
$84.84an hour, base wage + fringe benefits
$51.43 base wage + $33.41 fringe benefits
Essex County uses the same paperhanger rates as 20 other counties. See all of them on one page.
On New Jersey public works in Essex County, a paperhanger must be paid at least $84.84 an hour: a $51.43 base wage plus $33.41 in fringe benefits.
NJDOL county packages of October 19, 2026; this rate, effective May 8, 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 3 paperhanger rates for Essex County, from $84.84 to $95.13 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: $51.43 + $33.41
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) | $51.43 |
| Fringe benefits (one figure, not itemized) | $33.41 |
| Total hourly rate, as printed | $84.84 |
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).
Every paperhanger rate in Essex County
As NJDOL lists them. The highlighted row is the one this page leads with.
- Paperhanger: General Foreman$95.13
- Paperhanger: Foreman$89.98
- Paperhanger: Journeyman$84.84
| Classification | Base wage | Fringe benefits | Total rate | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paperhanger: Foreman | $56.57 | $33.41 | $89.98 | May 8, 2026 |
| Paperhanger: General Foreman | $61.72 | $33.41 | $95.13 | May 8, 2026 |
| Paperhanger: Journeyman | $51.43 | $33.41 | $84.84 | May 8, 2026 |
Davis-Bacon paperhanger 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).
The federal determinations for Essex County list no paperhanger classification.
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 paperhanger 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 $51.43$84.84
- Union Countybase $51.43$84.84
- Hudson Countybase $51.43$84.84
- Bergen Countybase $51.43$84.84
Paperhanger 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).
NJDOL's paperhanger rates for Essex County are the same as in 20 other counties: Atlantic, Bergen, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Hudson and 12 more.
| County | Classification | Base wage | Total rate | vs Essex County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essex County | Paperhanger: Journeyman | $51.43 | $84.84 | |
| Union County | Paperhanger: Journeyman | $51.43 | $84.84 | same |
| Hudson County | Paperhanger: Journeyman | $51.43 | $84.84 | same |
| Bergen County | Paperhanger: Journeyman | $51.43 | $84.84 | same |
| Morris County | Paperhanger: Journeyman | $51.43 | $84.84 | same |
| Passaic County | Paperhanger: Journeyman | $51.43 | $84.84 | same |
| Somerset County | Paperhanger: Journeyman | $51.43 | $84.84 | same |
New Jersey paperhanger prevailing wage by county, with a map
More from NJDOL on this rate
- NJDOL NJDOL county package, page 53
- 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 May 8, 2026, page 53: 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