Wood deck cost in New Jersey
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (300 sq ft)
- $8,250 – $16,500
- Per sq ft
- $27.50 – $54.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +9%
- US $11,400
- Metros covered
- 3
New Jersey prices for wood deck: $8,250 to $16,500 for 300 sq ft, or $27.50 to $54.50 per sq ft without the permit. The state midpoint is 9% above the national one. Local wages for carpenters are $30.77 an hour.
Inside New Jersey, the metros we cover range from $11,500 (Atlantic City) to $12,300 (Vineland) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in New Jersey (statewide), standard level
$10,700 to $14,000
About $35.50 to $46.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 45% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $5,850 | $7,650 |
| Labor | $4,800 | $6,250 |
| Permits and fees | $85 | $130 |
| Total | $10,700 | $14,000 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in New Jersey
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,500 | $6,750 | $9,000 | 54% |
| Labor | $3,700 | $5,550 | $7,350 | 45% |
| Permits and fees | $55 | $110 | $160 | 1% |
| Total | $8,250 | $12,400 | $16,500 | 100% |
Weather windows across New Jersey
Weather decides when exterior installation can happen, and New Jersey is not uniform. The table uses NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals from the weather station nearest each metro we cover, and counts the months that are neither cold nor hot enough to complicate the job.
Vineland has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in New Jersey at 11 months (February through December); Trenton has the shortest at 9 (March through November). Rainfall runs from 43 inches a year in Vineland to 46 inches in Trenton.
We do not adjust prices by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. Timing is still worth raising when you collect bids.
| Metro | Jan avg low °F | Jul avg high °F | Precip (in/yr) | Comfortable months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trenton | 24 | 86 | 46 | 9: March through November |
| Atlantic City | 30 | 80 | 44 | 10: March through December |
| Vineland | 24 | 86 | 43 | 11: February through December |
How New Jersey compares with nearby states
New Jersey ranks 8 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for wood deck, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $14,300 and the cheapest Oklahoma at $9,900, both for 300 sq ft at the midpoint. New Jersey sits at $12,400. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | 60 miles away | $7,300 – $14,700 | $11,000 | −11% |
| New York | 100 miles away | $8,500 – $17,000 | $12,800 | +3% |
| Pennsylvania | 100 miles away | $7,500 – $15,100 | $11,300 | −9% |
| Maryland | 110 miles away | $7,750 – $15,600 | $11,700 | −6% |
| Connecticut | 150 miles away | $7,750 – $15,500 | $11,600 | −6% |
New Jersey metro-by-metro prices
0 of the 3 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $12,400, and the top-to-bottom gap is 7%. 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 (300 sq ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vineland, NJ | $8,200 – $16,400 | $12,300 | −1% |
| Trenton, NJ | $8,100 – $16,300 | $12,200 | −2% |
| Atlantic City, NJ | $7,650 – $15,400 | $11,500 | −7% |
New Jersey labor market for wood deck
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 1.12 times the national level.
Carpenters (47-2031), 80% 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.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 20%) the local median is $30.80 an hour, which is 36% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.46 and $45.44 an hour. BLS counts 23,590 of them working in the state, 55.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for carpenters ($38.67 an hour) would add about $1,050 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($24.63) would take off about $830. 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) | 80% | $24.63 | $30.77 | $38.67 | $29.12 | 1.06 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $22.46 | $30.80 | $45.44 | $22.66 | 1.36 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.12 | |||||
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 10x12 (120 sq ft) to 20x20 (400 sq ft).
Basic
$8,250 to $11,600
Pressure-treated pine, low to the ground, simple rectangle
Standard
$10,700 to $14,000
Cedar or upgraded pine, stairs and a railing
Premium
$13,200 to $16,500
Hardwood decking, multi-level, built-in features
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $3,350 – $4,700 | $4,350 – $5,700 | $5,350 – $6,700 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $4,000 – $5,600 | $5,200 – $6,800 | $6,400 – $8,000 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $8,800 – $12,300 | $11,400 – $15,000 | $14,100 – $17,600 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $11,000 – $15,400 | $14,300 – $18,700 | $17,600 – $22,000 |
Why two New Jersey quotes can differ
Wood species
Pressure-treated pine is the cheapest at $25-$50 per sq ft installed. Ipe runs $50-$70 and bamboo $27-$52 (HomeGuide).
Height and stairs
A second-story deck needs more structure. New stairs run $1,400-$2,600 installed.
Railing
A wood or vinyl railing adds $20-$60 per linear foot.
Replacement versus new
Deck replacement costs $30-$55 per sq ft because of demolition and haul-away.
Permit
Deck permits average $50-$150. Many cities skip the permit for small, low, freestanding decks.
Other New Jersey jobs that often go with wood deck
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, paver patio is +19% and composite deck +10%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Composite deck | 300 sq ft | $13,200 – $26,500 | +10% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,400 – $4,600 | +14% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,550 – $6,500 | +19% |
| Detached garage | 576 sq ft | $32,400 – $65,100 | +12% |
Add-ons priced for New Jersey
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 1.09 for New Jersey, which is the average of the area's wage index (1.12) and goods price index (1.07). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add stairs (flat) | $1,550 – $2,850 |
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Wood deck in New Jersey: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a wood deck in New Jersey?
$8,250 to $16,500 for 300 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 wood deck?
Atlantic City at about $11,500 (midpoint, 300 sq ft). The priciest is Vineland at $12,300.
+Is wood deck cheaper in New Jersey than the US average?
It is 9% more expensive: $12,400 against $11,400 for 300 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in New Jersey?
About 45% ($5,550). Materials are 54%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.12x 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 wood deck costs?
8th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $12,400 for 300 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium wood deck work cost in New Jersey?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $8,250 to $11,600 and premium work $13,200 to $16,500. Basic means: pressure-treated pine, low to the ground, simple rectangle. Premium means: hardwood decking, multi-level, built-in features.
+Does the season matter for wood deck in New Jersey?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the New Jersey metros we cover, Vineland has the most comfortable months (11 of 12) based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals. Our prices do not change by month, so ask contractors whether they charge more or less in busy and slow seasons.
+What does "add stairs" add in New Jersey?
$1,550 to $2,850, from a national range scaled by the statewide wage and goods indexes.
Wood deck 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.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does It Cost to Build a Deck? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: 2026 Building Permit Costs | Fees & Cost Calculator (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: How Much Does Composite Decking Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020