Workers’ comp insurance cost for roofers in New Jersey

Q: What does workers' comp cost roofing contractors in New Jersey?

Modeled from the 2024 filed manual rate of $6.41 per $100 of payroll: a <5-employee roofing company lands around $3.9k–$16k per year before experience mods and schedule credits.

Q: What drives the rate up or down?

Three levers: payroll (the exposure base), claims history (the experience modifier), and schedule credits/debits the insurer applies. Roofing work is NCCI class 5551 (Roofing — All Kinds) — one classification covers roofing of every kind, residential and commercial alike.

Published 2026-06-11 · by Brokly

Direct answer: New Jersey roofing contractors pay a filed workers’-comp manual rate of $6.41 per $100 of payroll (2024 filed rate) — the 32nd-highest of 51 US jurisdictions. Modeled on real payrolls, most <5-employee roofing contractors land around $3.9k–$16k/yr, before experience mods and schedule credits.

65% of NJ roofing contractors have <5 employees — the chart below prices every size band from its own observed payroll.
New Jersey sits 32nd of 51: TN pays more ($9.63), MT less ($4.31).
Workers’ comp is one of several coverages — see everything your roofing company needs in New Jersey →

What do New Jersey roofing contractors pay for workers’ comp?

Modeled annual premium across the real size distribution of NJ roofing contractors

bar height = how many roofing contractors are that size · figures = modeled annual cost

typical · most NJ roofing contractors

▼

<5 emp

≈$6.4k/yr

5–9 emp

≈$31k/yr

10–19 emp

≈$57k/yr

20–49 emp

≈$170k/yr

SMALLER

MID-SIZE

LARGER

A <5-employee NJ roofing company: modeled $3.9k–$16k/yr in workers’-comp premium (that band’s own average wage, before experience mods and schedule credits). Bar heights show how many of the 374 NJ roofing contractors fall in each size band.

Cohort: size distribution of 374 NJ roofing contractors (Census CBP 2023); premiums modeled from one filed rate ($6.41/$100 payroll, 2024). Bands shown cover 365 of 374 establishments (97.6%) — 9 establishments in larger, very small-count, or data-suppressed size bands are not shown. 2023 payroll dollars, not inflation-adjusted. Illustrative benchmark — not a quote or coverage recommendation.

Filed manual rate (NJ)

$6.41 / $100 payroll

as of 2024

Typical <5-employee roofing company (65% of NJ)

$3.9k–$16k / yr modeled

as of 2024 · CBP 2023

Sources: Oregon DCBS workers' compensation premium rate ranking study, June 2025 (calendar-year 2024 rates) (as of calendar year 2024, retrieved 2026-06-04) · US Census County Business Patterns 2023, state file (Roofing contractors (NAICS 238160)) (as of 2023, retrieved 2026-06-05)

How does New Jersey compare to nearby ranks?

Calculated manual rates, $ per $100 payroll, NCCI class 5551 (Roofing — All Kinds), 2024. See all 51 jurisdictions →

Rank	State	Rate / $100 payroll
28	Massachusetts	$9.42
29	Virginia	$8.79
30	Mississippi	$8.39
31	Kentucky	$8.31
32	New Jersey	$6.41
33	Utah	$6.17
34	Nevada	$5.43
35	Arizona	$5.39
36	West Virginia	$4.94

Sources: Oregon DCBS workers' compensation premium rate ranking study, June 2025 (calendar-year 2024 rates) (as of calendar year 2024, retrieved 2026-06-04)

Frequently asked questions

What does workers' comp cost roofing contractors in New Jersey?

Modeled from the 2024 filed manual rate of $6.41 per $100 of payroll: a <5-employee roofing company lands around $3.9k–$16k per year before experience mods and schedule credits.

What drives the rate up or down?

Three levers: payroll (the exposure base), claims history (the experience modifier), and schedule credits/debits the insurer applies. Roofing work is NCCI class 5551 (Roofing — All Kinds) — one classification covers roofing of every kind, residential and commercial alike.

Roofers in nearby-ranked states: Kentucky ($8.31) · Utah ($6.17) · Arizona ($5.39) · Virginia ($8.79)

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Illustrative benchmark — not a quote or coverage recommendation. Figures are modeled from public filings and Census data for 374 New Jersey roofing contractors; your premium depends on your payroll, claims history, and carrier.