$120,000 in New Jersey
Household income percentile, occupation comparison, and lifestyle context for New Jersey.
Occupations near $120,000 (single earner)
BLS national median wages within ±15% of $120,000 — gives texture for which careers and seniorities land at this income level.
| Occupation | Stage | National wage |
|---|---|---|
| Registered nurse | senior | $121,000 |
| Pharmacist | entry-level | $113,000 |
| Data scientist | mid-career | $108,020 |
| Accountant | senior | $132,000 |
| Civil engineer | senior | $133,000 |
| Plumber | senior | $107,000 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. National medians; metro/state variance can be ±30%. Career stage estimates: entry ≈ 25th pct, senior ≈ 75th pct of the same SOC code.
Single earner vs two-earner household
One earner pulling $120,000 typically means a registered nurse or comparable role. Above-median earner status in New Jersey.
Two earners at $60,000 each combined = $120,000. Each individual is below median individually, but the household lands at the same percentile as a single $120,000 earner.
Lifestyle context — rent burden in New Jersey
At $120,000 gross, statewide median rent eats 18% of income — inside the affordable band. Metro areas (LA, SF, NYC, Boston, Seattle) typically run 30-50% above the statewide median.
Home affordability at $120,000
Using the 28% rule on a 30-year mortgage, $120,000 gross supports a home purchase up to about $323,775. New Jersey median home value is $427,600 — you can afford 76% of the median home, so buying requires lower-priced markets, a larger down payment, or co-buying.
How $120,000 ranks in neighboring states
State-adjusted percentile shows the same income placed in New Jersey's contiguous neighbors. Relevant for relocation, remote-work geography, or border-town decisions.
| State | Median HH | % vs median | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey (current) | $101,050 | +19% | 58th |
| Pennsylvania | $76,081 | +58% | 70th |
| New York | $84,578 | +42% | 65th |
| Delaware | $84,825 | +41% | 65th |
$120,000 ranks similarly in
Other incomes in New Jersey
Common questions
- Is $120,000 a good household income in New Jersey?
- It's at roughly the 58th percentile for New Jersey after adjusting for the state's median income ($101,050). Nationally that's about the 67th percentile. Whether "good" depends on household size, debt, and metro cost of living — Census medians smooth over big within-state variation.
- How does $120,000 compare to the New Jersey median?
- It's 19% above the New Jersey median household income of $101,050 (Census ACS 2023, table B19013). Half of New Jersey households earn less than $101,050, half earn more.
- Why does this number differ from other percentile calculators?
- Two sources of variation: (1) some calculators use individual income, not household — household income is typically higher because it combines earners. (2) Some use single-year ACS, others use 5-year averages. We use ACS 2023 1-year B19080 for the national distribution and adjust by state median ratio.
Full data sources and formulas: /sources.