NJ pay vs NY pay. (Newark, Berkeley Heights: headhunters, calculation, salary)

[vision33r]

I work in NYC and get paid pretty good with good benefits. Quite often I get calls from job recruiters and headhunters telling me exciting job opportunities. One thing I don't get is the huge pay differences between NJ and NYC jobs.

A typical Project Mgr pay starts at $150-200k in NYC. So far all I hear is $125-140k tops in NJ and location either in JC, Berkeley Heights, or Parsippany, NJ.

The cost of living in NJ ain't much cheaper than NYC, it some respect it's almost the same but companies are getting away with paying much less in NJ.

Now, some of these jobs in JC are just as busy, difficult, and crazy as NYC jobs so I would not take a paycut just to work in JC when the commute to JC cost about the same as going into NYC.

[captne76]

Probably all else is less expensive such as commute costs, lunch, taxes, etc.

[sonofagunk]

1) usually different companies. NYC/Banks pay more, because you are expected to work more
2) other people are moving NYC to NJ to pay less
3) $200K for a PM is ridiculous :>

Some people would take a $175K to $140K cut to move their job from NYC to Parsippany and work 9-5 instead of 8-6+

[babo111]

I work in Manhattan currently and been PM for 10+ years with solid agile chops working in finance and now tech. I worked in Parsippany for 4 years so I know how that goes as well.

I wouldn't say typical PM base salary is 150-200k in NYC, typical base salary is more likely to be 120ish average when you include all range of experience, industries, and 5 boroughs. If its just Manhattan then 150-200k is not a surprise number for senior roles. I used to hire or help hire for those roles previously and currently.

As for pay difference between NYC and NJ, that's exactly the reason why some people choose the long commute for more money or why some choose to work in NJ for lower pay but more free time.

Also, not to sound like a complete dick but market for NYC is different from NJ and caliber of talent/experience is different as well. Plus you may think working in JC isn't much different from working in NYC but it matters a lot. If job is say in Brooklyn, your looking at another 40-60 min commute on top of your distance into JC. If your job is in east side then that's also another easy 40-60 min on top of your already existing commute. If your job happens to be right near by Path in city or by penn station then maybe another 20 min. If its port authority by bus...you are gunna get hit with tunnel traffic which is brutal.

[bbnetworking]

I think NYC always pay little more in General, but you gotta factor in NYC city tax around 3-4%.

Really depend on where you live, if you live in NJ, I think take a small paycut will be a no brainer, the amount of time you saved and the headache you go through travelling to NYC will be a killer for me.

[bbnetworking]

Originally Posted by sonofagunk

1) usually different companies. NYC/Banks pay more, because you are expected to work more
2) other people are moving NYC to NJ to pay less
3) $200K for a PM is ridiculous :>

Some people would take a $175K to $140K cut to move their job from NYC to Parsippany and work 9-5 instead of 8-6+

I agree, that $35k difference is not really $35k after taxes, it will be about $20k per year, consider all the extra commute costs, it will be more like $1k more per month. Not worth it.

[vision33r]

I was getting low ball offers for $30-40k below my rate. I was just told of a job in Bridgewater and I do some simple calculations. Travel actually costs more in terms of gas/tolls + energy vs NJT fares. Ok, as for taxes, you take 4% out of that then NYC job still top that by a wide margin. Perhaps the job is maybe a notch or 2 less stressful it all depends on the firm and culture.

A lot of NJ jobs are basically NYC companies with a NJ office. Same people you have to work with in NYC or NJ and same demands.

[sonofagunk]

you only pay the 3%-4% if you LIVE in the city. It is a resident tax, not a wage tax

[sonofagunk]

And for me, it is not even the money. When you work in Manhattan they can pull people from CT, NJ, Brooklyn, Queens, West Chester, Scarborough, ...

If you work in JC, you can only get Jersey people and a few other desperate people. The overall quality of people you work with (if it is a large company), will be lower. And for most people JC is not even that much shorter of a commute (at least for public transportation). Now I would consider a 10%-15% pay cut to work on top of the Newark Train station. That would save me 40 minutes each way!!!

[ansky]

I work in IT and I get paid more in NJ than when I was working in NYC. Salary is more dependent on the company than the location from what I've seen.