Average Salary in New York
What workers in New York earn: mean and median wages, monthly and hourly pay, the full wage distribution, household income and cost-of-living context. Wage data: BLS OEWS May 2025.
- Mean annual wage$82,460Rank #4 of 51 · US $69,770
- Median annual wage$59,670Rank #7 of 51 · US $50,980
- Mean hourly wage$39.65Median $28.69/hour
- Median monthly pay$4,972Mean $6,872/month
- Median household income$85,820ACS 2024 · rank #16
- Price level (RPP)107.9US = 100 · BEA 2024
What is the average salary in New York?
The average (mean) annual wage across all occupations in New York is $82,460, and the median annual wage is $59,670, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2025 OEWS estimates. The mean is 18.2% above the national mean of $69,770; the median is 17.0% above the national median of $50,980. New York ranks #4 of the 50 states and DC for mean wage and #7 for median wage.
The mean is $22,790 (38%) higher than the median. That gap is normal: a minority of very high earners pulls the average up, so the median is the better guide to what a typical worker in New York earns. Why mean and median differ →
The estimates cover 9,688,000 wage and salary jobs in New York (self-employed workers are not included).
Monthly, weekly and hourly pay in New York
Gross pay before taxes. Monthly = annual ÷ 12, bi-weekly = annual ÷ 26, weekly = annual ÷ 52. Hourly figures are published by BLS.
| Pay period | Mean (average) | Median (typical) |
|---|---|---|
| Annual | $82,460 | $59,670 |
| Monthly | $6,872 | $4,972 |
| Bi-weekly paycheck | $3,172 | $2,295 |
| Weekly | $1,586 | $1,148 |
| Hourly | $39.65 | $28.69 |
Estimate take-home pay on the New York median wage (2026 tax year) →
What is a good salary in New York?
“Good” depends on your household and where in the state you live, but the wage distribution shows where a salary stands relative to other workers in New York:
| Percentile | Annual | Monthly | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $35,760 | $2,980 | 90% of workers earn more |
| 25th | $41,160 | $3,430 | 75% earn more |
| 50th (median) | $59,670 | $4,972 | half earn more, half less |
| 75th | $98,810 | $8,234 | top 25% earn more than this |
| 90th | $157,500 | $13,125 | top 10% earn more than this |
In practice, a salary above $59,670 beats more than half of New York workers, about $98,810 puts you in the top quarter, and $157,500 or more puts you in the top 10%. These are individual wages, not household income. Compare percentiles across states →
Household income and earnings in New York
| Measure (ACS 2024) | New York | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $85,820 | $81,604 |
| Median family income | $106,073 | $101,265 |
| Per-capita income | $51,002 | $45,256 |
| Median earnings, all workers with earnings | $51,169 | $46,949 |
| Median earnings, men working full-time year-round | $72,097 | $66,965 |
| Median earnings, women working full-time year-round | $65,869 | $55,678 |
Household income adds up the income of everyone in a household — often two earners, plus Social Security, investment and self-employment income — so it is higher than any per-worker wage figure. Women working full-time year-round in New York have median earnings equal to 91% of men’s. Household income in every state →
Salary vs. cost of living in New York
Prices in New York are about 7.9% above the national average (BEA regional price parity 107.9; housing 122.2). Adjusted for that, the median wage of $59,670 is worth $55,301 at national-average prices (rank #12), and the mean wage is worth $76,423 (rank #4). Cost-of-living adjusted ranking →
New York taxes wage income, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures above by federal tax, FICA and state income tax.
New York vs. neighboring states
| State | Mean wage | Median wage | RPP | Adjusted median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $82,460 | $59,670 | 107.9 | $55,301 |
| Connecticut | $77,420 | $59,690 | 103.6 | $57,616 |
| Massachusetts | $85,610 | $63,590 | 105.8 | $60,104 |
| New Jersey | $78,040 | $58,570 | 108.8 | $53,833 |
| Pennsylvania | $65,730 | $49,690 | 97.6 | $50,912 |
| Vermont | $69,050 | $56,390 | 98.0 | $57,541 |
Highest-paying occupations in New York
Detailed occupations with at least 300 jobs in the state, ranked by mean annual wage. “$239,200+” means BLS reports only that the wage is at or above that level.
| Occupation | Mean wage | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiologists | $437,490 | $492,040 | 2,260 |
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | $364,520 | $414,290 | 1,450 |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | $353,390 | $360,050 | 960 |
| Chief Executives | $351,160 | $257,980 | 8,430 |
| Anesthesiologists | $349,940 | $445,660 | 7,230 |
| Surgeons, All Other | $345,710 | $410,410 | 4,540 |
| Radiologists | $336,460 | $441,580 | 2,010 |
| Dermatologists | $334,230 | $374,010 | 2,070 |
| Physicians, Pathologists | $309,660 | $321,550 | 1,220 |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | $306,240 | $348,800 | 2,750 |
Most common jobs in New York and what they pay
| Occupation | Employment | Median wage | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 663,140 | $39,620 | $19.05 |
| Retail Salespersons | 238,540 | $37,720 | $18.13 |
| General and Operations Managers | 206,740 | $130,860 | $62.91 |
| Registered Nurses | 205,810 | $109,440 | $52.62 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 195,250 | $41,640 | $20.02 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 168,620 | $35,250 | $16.95 |
| Cashiers | 158,890 | $35,500 | $17.07 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 146,140 | $39,030 | $18.76 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 142,940 | $47,020 | $22.61 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 141,090 | $48,000 | $23.08 |
The largest occupation in New York is home health and personal care aides, with 663,140 jobs and a median wage of $39,620. Many of the most common jobs pay well below the state median, which is one reason the overall median sits far below the mean.
Salaries for 54 common occupations in New York
| Occupation | Mean wage | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Financial Manager | $246,560 | $219,880 | 80,810 |
| Family Medicine Physician | $211,570 | $210,920 | 4,000 |
| Lawyer | $220,180 | $207,860 | 91,870 |
| Dentist (General) | $202,040 | $183,060 | 7,340 |
| Marketing Manager | $202,480 | $181,200 | 54,000 |
| Software Developer | $163,820 | $166,180 | 113,510 |
| Medical and Health Services Manager | $184,960 | $164,120 | 33,200 |
| Physician Assistant | $155,150 | $160,880 | 19,140 |
| Construction Manager | $159,510 | $155,360 | 10,280 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $153,900 | $153,510 | 22,890 |
| Pharmacist | $140,260 | $142,090 | 19,760 |
| Information Security Analyst | $144,720 | $134,660 | 10,060 |
| General and Operations Manager | $167,820 | $130,860 | 206,740 |
| Data Scientist | $137,690 | $130,460 | 23,970 |
| Financial and Investment Analyst | $146,620 | $127,930 | 52,380 |
| Project Management Specialist | $126,260 | $121,040 | 68,020 |
| Electrical Engineer | $122,140 | $119,010 | 8,770 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | $117,960 | $109,610 | 24,100 |
| Registered Nurse | $113,440 | $109,440 | 205,810 |
| Dental Hygienist | $103,640 | $106,130 | 13,660 |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrator | $113,900 | $105,810 | 18,220 |
| Civil Engineer | $117,880 | $103,760 | 17,500 |
| Accountant and Auditor | $114,070 | $102,640 | 109,830 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $110,270 | $102,440 | 8,590 |
| Firefighter | $87,150 | $100,960 | 12,950 |
| Physical Therapist | $102,740 | $100,660 | 20,940 |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | $107,700 | $100,610 | 15,310 |
| Web Developer | $102,850 | $98,580 | 3,990 |
| High School Teacher | $97,220 | $97,070 | 70,660 |
| Occupational Therapist | $97,650 | $96,390 | 11,690 |
| Middle School Teacher | $95,960 | $94,840 | 38,670 |
| Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer | $87,110 | $92,790 | 53,470 |
| Elementary School Teacher | $93,400 | $85,760 | 101,410 |
| Human Resources Specialist | $95,040 | $84,380 | 54,610 |
| Electrician | $84,860 | $78,750 | 40,130 |
| Plumber, Pipefitter and Steamfitter | $83,790 | $77,490 | 23,210 |
| Correctional Officer | $77,240 | $76,820 | 27,770 |
| HVAC Technician | $74,760 | $74,430 | 24,430 |
| Carpenter | $75,970 | $72,330 | 40,630 |
| Diesel Mechanic | $70,740 | $70,100 | 13,230 |
| Paralegal and Legal Assistant | $76,890 | $68,410 | 34,220 |
| Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN/LVN) | $69,170 | $67,180 | 39,400 |
| Child, Family and School Social Worker | $72,150 | $65,100 | 30,170 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver | $65,780 | $62,050 | 63,700 |
| Welder | $62,810 | $59,140 | 8,310 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting and Auditing Clerk | $59,930 | $58,160 | 84,280 |
| Construction Laborer | $62,180 | $55,930 | 52,090 |
| Automotive Service Technician | $59,110 | $54,120 | 32,020 |
| Secretary and Administrative Assistant | $51,490 | $49,600 | 122,490 |
| Nursing Assistant (CNA) | $48,800 | $48,590 | 87,990 |
| Medical Assistant | $48,750 | $48,000 | 40,710 |
| Customer Service Representative | $52,740 | $48,000 | 141,090 |
| Retail Salesperson | $42,580 | $37,720 | 238,540 |
| Cashier | $37,540 | $35,500 | 158,890 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the average salary in New York?
The average (mean) annual wage in New York is $82,460, or $39.65 per hour, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates. The median wage — what a typical worker earns — is $59,670 a year ($28.69 per hour).
What is the average monthly salary in New York?
Dividing the annual figures by 12, the mean wage in New York works out to about $6,872 per month and the median wage to about $4,972 per month, before taxes.
What is considered a good salary in New York?
Earning more than the median of $59,670 puts you above half of all workers in New York. A salary of $98,810 or more is in the top 25%, and $157,500 or more is in the top 10% of wage earners in the state.
What is the median household income in New York?
Median household income in New York was $85,820 in the Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey, compared with $81,604 nationally. Household income combines all earners and income sources in a home.
Does New York have a state income tax on wages?
Yes. New York taxes wage income, so state income tax is deducted from paychecks in addition to federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare.