New Jersey Unemployment Insurance
What this line takes out of your pay in 2026, what it is calculated on, and where the rate comes from.
What New Jersey Unemployment Insurance costs at different salaries
New Jersey Unemployment Insurance is charged at 0.383% of wages in New Jersey, but only on the first $44,800 earned in the year. The figure is set in statute, so it is the amount actually withheld rather than an approximation.
This assessment stops applying above $44,800 of wages, so the amount flattens once pay passes that ceiling while the share of gross keeps falling.
| Salary | Per year | Per biweekly cheque | Share of gross |
|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $153 | $6 | 0.383% |
| $60,000 | $171 | $7 | 0.286% |
| $85,000 | $171 | $7 | 0.202% |
| $150,000 | $171 | $7 | 0.114% |
How New Jersey compares
2 states in this model run a employee unemployment contribution programme funded by an employee deduction. Ranked by employee rate, New Jersey is 2 of 2. Rates are not directly comparable as benefits — each programme sets its own wage base, benefit ceiling and eligibility rules. See every payroll deduction in the model.
| State | Employee rate | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 0.50% | Wages up to a cap |
| New Jersey | 0.38% | Wages up to a cap |
A single filer paid biweekly in New Jersey, on 2026 rules reviewed through 2026-08-09. The rate traces to New Jersey DOL — worker contribution rates.
More on New Jersey pay and deductions
New Jersey paycheck calculator
New Jersey's own brackets, deductions and payroll assessments, with the sources behind each.
Where New Jersey ranks
What New Jersey leaves you against every other state on the same salary, and where a move gains most.
New Jersey unemployment benefits
How New Jersey works out a weekly benefit, for how long, and the caps either side of it.
New Jersey wage garnishment limits
The most a creditor can take from a New Jersey paycheck, where state law is stricter than federal.
Common questions
How much does New Jersey Unemployment Insurance take out of a New Jersey paycheck?
0.383% of wages, charged only on the first $44,800 you earn in the year. Above that ceiling the deduction stops for the rest of the year, so it takes a larger share of a lower salary than a higher one.
Is New Jersey Unemployment Insurance taken out of every paycheck?
Yes, while you are being paid wages in New Jersey and, where a ceiling applies, until you reach it for the year. It is withheld by your employer alongside federal tax and FICA rather than being something you pay separately at filing time.
Can my New Jersey employer charge less than this?
Yes. The figure modelled here is the MAXIMUM an employee can be charged. Employers may set a lower employee share, or cover more of the cost themselves, so a real payslip can show less than this and still be correct. It should not show more.