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Legislators in New Jersey

Thinking about a career as a Legislators in New Jersey? Below are the key facts. Develop, introduce, or enact laws and statutes at the local, tribal, state, or federal level. Includes only workers in elected positions.

What do Legislators Make in New Jersey?

For legislators working in New Jersey, wages run about $48,050 per year.Annual wages span from $31,470 at the 10th percentile to $161,090 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$31,470	n/a
25th percentile	$31,470	n/a
Median (50th)	$48,050	$0.00
75th percentile	$88,090	n/a
90th percentile	$161,090	n/a

The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in New Jersey compared to the national average — is 0.57, meaning fewer legislators per worker than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, legislators earn a median of $167,600 per year ($80.58/hour), below the New Jersey median.

Employment Outlook

Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 103,736 legislators nationwide. In New Jersey alone, approximately 420 people work in this role. That trails the typical state, which employs around 460 legislators.

Top New Jersey Metros for Legislators

These are the New Jersey metros with the most legislators in New Jersey.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ	90	$44,430

Top States for Legislators Employment

These states have the highest employment of legislators work.

State	Number Employed
California	2,470
Texas	2,040
New York	1,440
Ohio	1,360
Washington	1,300
Missouri	1,210
Alabama	1,120
Wisconsin	960
Georgia	960
Indiana	950
Florida	810
Pennsylvania	770
West Virginia	750
South Carolina	660
Colorado	530
Idaho	530
Maryland	500
Arkansas	460
Arizona	450
Montana	440

Highest-Paying States for Legislators

These states pay the most for legislators.

State	Annual Median Salary
Washington	$109,390
New York	$97,050
Hawaii	$74,150
Michigan	$73,110
Colorado	$66,700
Wisconsin	$58,850
Delaware	$58,250
Maryland	$54,430
California	$54,290
Pennsylvania	$51,490

Daily Tasks

Day-to-day, legislators typically:

• Analyze and understand the local and national implications of proposed legislation.
• Appoint nominees to leadership posts, or approve such appointments.
• Confer with colleagues to formulate positions and strategies pertaining to pending issues.
• Debate the merits of proposals and bill amendments during floor sessions, following the appropriate rules of procedure.
• Develop expertise in subject matters related to committee assignments.
• Hear testimony from constituents, representatives of interest groups, board and commission members, and others with an interest in bills or issues under consideration.
• Keep abreast of the issues affecting constituents by making personal visits and phone calls, reading local newspapers, and viewing or listening to local broadcasts.
• Maintain knowledge of relevant national and international current events.
• Make decisions that balance the perspectives of private citizens, public officials, and party leaders.
• Negotiate with colleagues or members of other political parties in order to reconcile differing interests, and to create policies and agreements.
• Prepare drafts of amendments, government policies, laws, rules, regulations, budgets, programs and procedures.
• Read and review concerns of constituents or the general public and determine if governmental action is necessary.

Tools & Technology

Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: Adobe Acrobat, Cisco Webex

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Programs that train for this career include:

• Public Administration
• Public Policy

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Related Careers

Related occupations to legislators include:

• Treasurers and Controllers
• Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary
• Education Administrators, Postsecondary
• Social and Community Service Managers
• Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers
• Labor Relations Specialists

Also Known As

Alderman, Assembly Member, Assembly Person, Assemblyman, Assemblywoman, City Alderman, City Council Member, City Councilman, Congress Member, Congressional Representative, Congressman, Congresswoman, Council Member, Councilman, Councilor.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
• O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
• BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
• O*NET-SOC code: 11-1031.00