Hardwood flooring cost in New Jersey
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (500 sq ft)
- $5,850 – $13,300
- Per sq ft
- $11.50 – $26.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +7%
- US $9,000
- Metros covered
- 3
Across New Jersey, a hardwood floor costs about $5,850 to $13,300 for 500 sq ft. Statewide, that midpoint is 7% above the US figure of $9,000. Carpenters earn a median $30.77 an hour in New Jersey (US: $29.12).
Inside New Jersey, the metros we cover range from $9,050 (Atlantic City) to $9,300 (Trenton) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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Estimated cost for 500 sq ft in New Jersey (statewide), standard level
$8,100 to $11,100
About $16 to $22 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 41% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,650 | $6,600 |
| Labor | $3,450 | $4,500 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $8,100 | $11,100 |
Cost breakdown for 500 sq ft in New Jersey
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $3,200 | $5,600 | $8,050 | 59% |
| Labor | $2,650 | $3,950 | $5,300 | 41% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $5,850 | $9,600 | $13,300 | 100% |
New Jersey metro-by-metro prices
0 of the 3 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $9,600, and the top-to-bottom gap is 2%. Each row prices the default size with that metro's own BLS wages and BEA price levels, so the gap between rows is real local variation rather than a flat markup.
| Metro | Range (500 sq ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trenton, NJ | $5,700 – $12,900 | $9,300 | −3% |
| Vineland, NJ | $5,600 – $12,700 | $9,200 | −4% |
| Atlantic City, NJ | $5,550 – $12,600 | $9,050 | −5% |
Why two New Jersey quotes can differ
Solid versus engineered
Solid hardwood is $11-$25 per sq ft installed and engineered hardwood is $9-$20 (HomeGuide).
Materials and labor
Materials are $6-$15 per sq ft and installation labor adds $3-$10 per sq ft.
Layout
Room shape, stairs and installation method change the labor side.
Permit
Flooring rarely needs a permit, so no permit fee is included in this estimate.
New Jersey labor market for hardwood floor
New Jersey's labor line is priced from 2 trades, each compared with its US median wage. After weighting by each trade's share of the work, the state comes out at 1.06 times the national level.
Carpenters (47-2031), 70% of the weighting: a median of $30.77 an hour, 6% above the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $24.63 and $38.67 an hour. About 14,230 work in the state. That is 33.2 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) (47-2042), 30% of the weighting: a median of $28.77 an hour, 6% above the US median of $27.15. The middle half of them earn between $27.72 and $57.14 an hour. About 700 work in the state. That is 1.6 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 1.5 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for carpenters ($38.67 an hour) would add about $710 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($24.63) would take off about $550. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 4,285,720 jobs across New Jersey (May 2025), which is 2.8% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 70% | $24.63 | $30.77 | $38.67 | $29.12 | 1.06 | state |
| Floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) (47-2042) | 30% | $27.72 | $28.77 | $57.14 | $27.15 | 1.06 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.06 | |||||
Related projects, priced for New Jersey
Each project weights the trades differently, so New Jersey's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, bathroom remodel is +12% and laminate flooring +6%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laminate flooring | 500 sq ft | $2,100 – $7,450 | +6% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,750 – $11,000 | +11% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $20,100 – $34,200 | +9% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $5,300 – $26,200 | +12% |
Basic, standard or premium: New Jersey prices
Bands overlap on purpose, since a good standard job can cost as much as a light premium one. Below are the three bands for the default size, then a grid from one room (200 sq ft) to whole house (1,200 sq ft).
Basic
$5,850 to $8,850
Standard solid oak, simple layout
Standard
$8,100 to $11,100
Wider planks or a better grade, some stairs
Premium
$10,300 to $13,300
Exotic species, herringbone or complex layout
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| one room (200 sq ft) | $2,350 – $3,550 | $3,250 – $4,450 | $4,150 – $5,350 |
| main floor (500 sq ft) | $5,850 – $8,850 | $8,100 – $11,100 | $10,300 – $13,300 |
| whole house (1,200 sq ft) | $14,100 – $21,200 | $19,400 – $26,600 | $24,800 – $32,000 |
New Jersey against its neighbors
New Jersey ranks 8 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for hardwood floor, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $11,100 and the cheapest Oklahoma at $7,700, both for 500 sq ft at the midpoint. New Jersey sits at $9,600. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | 60 miles away | $5,350 – $12,100 | $8,750 | −9% |
| New York | 100 miles away | $6,100 – $13,900 | $10,000 | +4% |
| Pennsylvania | 100 miles away | $5,500 – $12,500 | $9,000 | −6% |
| Maryland | 110 miles away | $5,550 – $12,600 | $9,050 | −5% |
| Connecticut | 150 miles away | $5,400 – $12,300 | $8,850 | −8% |
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Hardwood flooring in New Jersey: your questions
+How much does it cost to install hardwood flooring in New Jersey?
$5,850 to $13,300 for 500 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside New Jersey can sit above or below that.
+Which city in New Jersey is cheapest for hardwood floor?
Atlantic City at about $9,050 (midpoint, 500 sq ft). The priciest is Trenton at $9,300.
+Is hardwood floor cheaper in New Jersey than the US average?
It is 7% more expensive: $9,600 against $9,000 for 500 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in New Jersey?
About 41% ($3,950). Materials are 59%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.06x the national wage level.
+What do carpenters earn in New Jersey?
The BLS statewide median is $30.77 an hour, against $29.12 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $24.63 to $38.67.
+Where does New Jersey rank for hardwood floor costs?
8th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $9,600 for 500 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium hardwood floor work cost in New Jersey?
For 500 sq ft, basic work runs $5,850 to $8,850 and premium work $10,300 to $13,300. Basic means: standard solid oak, simple layout. Premium means: exotic species, herringbone or complex layout.
Hardwood flooring by city in New Jersey
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.