We spend a lot of time talking about what’s wrong with New Jersey. Too expensive. Too crowded. Too many rules. Too much of everything. And most days, honestly, that criticism feels pretty earned. But every once in a while, something pops up that makes me stop and say, okay, hold on. Maybe it’s not all doom and gloom.
This time, it’s about jobs. Specifically, entry-level jobs. And before you roll your eyes and say, “yeah right,” hear me out.
A new study by TopResume just released, looking at the best and worst states for people starting their careers in 2026. They analyzed more than 33,000 LinkedIn job postings across all 50 states, factoring in job availability, salaries, and cost of living. Not just what you make on paper, but what your paycheck is actually worth once rent, food, gas, and life take their cut.
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Canva / Townsquare Media illustration
Canva / Townsquare Media illustration
And here’s the part that surprised me. New Jersey actually shows up pretty strong.
We landed in the top five for adjusted entry-level salaries. That means even after accounting for our famously painful cost of living, starting pay here still stretches further than people assume. The average entry-level salary in New Jersey is about $67,000. Adjusted for cost of living, it comes in around $58,500. That puts us ahead of a lot of states people think are “easier” places to live.
Meanwhile, California ranked dead last. Hawaii was brutal. New York was right down there, too. All the flashy places everyone thinks they want to move to when they’re 22 turn out to be the hardest places to actually survive on a starter salary.
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Obviously, New Jersey is far from cheap, and it’s also not easy to live here. But this study backs up something a lot of us already know. If you can land that first job here, you’re not automatically drowning. There are real opportunities, real paychecks, and industries that still hire people who are just starting.
So yes, we complain. Loudly. It’s basically our personality. But if you’re young, job hunting, and trying to build something, New Jersey isn’t the worst place to do it. Not even close. And in a sea of bad Jersey headlines, I’ll happily take a little good news.
LOOK: Fastest-growing jobs in New Jersey
Stacker analyzed data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to determine which jobs in New Jersey grew the fastest between 2022 and 2023.
Gallery Credit: Stacker
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Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Judi Franco only.
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