New Jersey works differently than almost every other state: the New Jersey Compensation Rating & Inspection Bureau (NJCRIB) publishes uniform manual rates, and every carrier writing comp in the state charges them. That means you can’t shop the base rate — but premium still varies meaningfully between businesses through classification accuracy, experience rating, payroll reporting, and dividend programs.

The current rate environment in New Jersey

Rates are moving in employers’ favor: the Department of Banking and Insurance approved a 4.3% overall rate decrease effective January 1, 2026 (NJCRIB Circular Letter No. 2510). Your renewal on or after that date should reflect the new rating values automatically — if it doesn’t, ask why.

New Jersey rates by class code (effective January 1, 2026)

Because New Jersey is administered pricing, these are the actual manual rates every carrier applies, published by NJCRIB. New Jersey uses its own classification system, so some familiar NCCI codes go by different numbers here (restaurants are 9079, carpentry 5403).

Class Code	Classification	Manual rate per $100 payroll
8810	Clerical office	$0.14
8832	Physician & clerical	$0.44
8868	School — professional	$1.16
9079	Restaurant (NJ’s food-service class)	$2.13
8017	Store — retail	$2.39
9014	Janitorial / building maintenance	$4.48
5403	Carpentry NOC (NJ’s carpentry class)	$14.95

Source: NJCRIB rate & classification search, effective January 1, 2026. Manual rates before experience modification, premium discounts, and applicable surcharges; your effective cost also reflects NJ assessments and any dividend plan.

What determines your New Jersey premium

• Class codes — every job type carries its own rate; misclassification is the most common cause of overpayment
• Payroll — premium is calculated per $100 of payroll, by class
• Experience mod — your claims history versus similar businesses scales the whole premium up or down
• Carrier pricing — in NJ the base rate is fixed by NJCRIB — carriers instead compete on dividend plans, service, and audit fairness
• Credits and programs — safety programs, dividend plans, and pay-as-you-go options move the net cost

How to get the best rate in New Jersey

The rate tables are only the starting point: the carrier you land with, the accuracy of your class codes, and how your payroll is reported decide what you actually pay. We quote New Jersey businesses across a dozen A-rated markets and show you the comparison — including pay-as-you-go billing that matches premium to actual payroll. See our New Jersey workers’ comp guide and New Jersey forms & resources for the rest of the picture.

New Jersey rate FAQs

Can I shop around for a lower workers’ comp rate in New Jersey?

Not on the base rate — New Jersey is an administered-pricing state where every carrier charges the same NJCRIB manual rates. Where comparison still pays: dividend programs that return premium, classification reviews, and payroll/audit handling. That’s what we shop for NJ clients.

What is the NJ workers’ comp rate for clerical employees?

Clerical office employees (class 8810) carry a manual rate of $0.14 per $100 of payroll effective January 1, 2026, per NJCRIB — one of the lowest rates in the state’s tables.

Did New Jersey workers’ comp rates go down for 2026?

Yes — the Department of Banking and Insurance approved an overall 4.3% rate decrease effective January 1, 2026 (NJCRIB Circular No. 2510). Renewals on or after that date use the reduced rating values.