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Food Service

Dishwashers Salary

in New Jersey

The median pay for a dishwashers in New Jersey is $35,900/year ($17.26/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $43K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 99.34), that's roughly $36,139 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,067/month, about 83.4% of take-home, which is tight.

Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across New Jersey. Jump to a metro for precise data:

$36K
Median annual
$17.26/hr
Hourly rate
$32K
Entry level (10th %)
$43K
Senior level (90th %)

So what does $36K get you in New Jersey?

Estimated monthly take-home$2,526/mo
Median 2BR rent-$2,067/mo
Rent as % of take-home81.8% (above 30% guideline)
Cost-of-living adjusted salary$36,139/yr
Monthly remaining after rent$459/mo

About dishwashers

Education: No formal educational credential
U.S. employed: 477,450
New Jersey employed: 7,450
Category: Food Service

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What this looks like in New Jersey

Dishwashers pay in New Jersey tracks closely to the national median, $36K locally vs. $35K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,067/month, which is 81.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 99.34) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.

Compensation breakdown

Annual earnings by percentile, New Jersey

Bar chart showing Dishwashers salary percentiles in New Jersey: 10th percentile $32,220, 25th percentile $32,800, median $35,900, 75th percentile $37,640, 90th percentile $42,860. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.10th$32K25th$33KMedian$36K75th$38K90th$43K
Bar chart showing Dishwashers salary percentiles in New Jersey: 10th percentile $32,220, 25th percentile $32,800, median $35,900, 75th percentile $37,640, 90th percentile $42,860. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Entry-level dishwashers (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $36K. Top earners bring in $43K or more, a $11K spread from bottom to top.

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Dishwashers salary by metro in New Jersey

3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay

Metro areaMedian salaryvs. stateEmployment
Atlantic City-Hammonton$37K+3%890
Trenton-Princeton$35K-2%270
Vineland$33K-7%70

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Track dishwashers salary changes

BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when New Jersey numbers change.

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Frequently asked questions

Can a dishwasher afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Jersey?

It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $36K, rent takes 81.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,067/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.

What’s the entry-level salary for dishwashers in New Jersey?

The 10th-percentile wage — what new dishwashers typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,933/month. At HUD’s $2,067/month FMR, rent would take 107% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.

Is dishwasher a high-paying job in New Jersey?

Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $36K locally vs. $35K nationally, a 3% difference.

How does New Jersey compare to the national average for dishwashers?

New Jersey pays $36K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 99.34), the purchasing-power equivalent is $36K — still ahead of the national median.

How much do dishwashers make in New Jersey?

The median is $35,900 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,220, and experienced dishwashers can clear $42,860. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.

Is $36K enough to live in New Jersey?

On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,526/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,067/month, which eats 81.8% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.

How far does a dishwashers salary go in New Jersey?

New Jersey has a Regional Price Parity of 99.34 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median dishwashers salary is worth about $36,139 in national-average purchasing power.

Where do dishwashers get paid the most?

The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.

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