Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY

Each occupation's median wage in Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY run 0.4% below the national average (2024), so a Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY salary is worth about 1.00× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY

OccupationMedian, Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY · vs. national

1Real Estate Sales Agents$73,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,410 – $140,050+39.2%
2Waiters and Waitresses$48,980
No formal educational credential
$32,240 – $80,500+39.0%
3Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door$102,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$65,970 – $121,590+38.1%
4Bartenders$47,370
No formal educational credential
$32,240 – $83,420+37.9%
5Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$82,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,020 – $128,950+37.9%
6Chefs and Head Cooks$84,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,640 – $96,730+35.2%
7Opticians, Dispensing$63,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,380 – $85,170+34.8%
8Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$127,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,190 – $131,550+33.8%
9Bailiffs$74,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,180 – $95,900+30.8%
10Computer and Information Research Scientists$181,990
Master's degree
$122,250 – $280,710+29.7%
11Education Administrators, Postsecondary$134,980
Master's degree
$81,120 – $298,550+29.1%
12Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$61,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,990 – $100,010+28.6%
13Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$62,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,340 – $94,810+28.6%
14Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$76,970
Master's degree
$51,920 – $100,840+27.7%
15Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$80,000
Bachelor's degree
$40,920 – $104,060+27.1%
16Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$80,760
Bachelor's degree
$60,870 – $105,380+25.5%
17Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary$100,780
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,130 – $126,860+25.4%
18Survey Researchers$86,890
Master's degree
$64,990 – $120,930+25.1%
19Demonstrators and Product Promoters$49,020
No formal educational credential
$33,810 – $59,440+24.7%
20Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$82,480
Associate's degree
$51,950 – $101,160+24.7%
21Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$61,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,990 – $79,870+24.6%
22Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers$59,480
Some college, no degree
$39,900 – $73,900+24.4%
23Veterinary Technologists and Technicians$58,750
Associate's degree
$47,410 – $75,300+24.0%
24Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$79,240
Bachelor's degree
$51,510 – $104,390+23.9%
25Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling$98,390
Bachelor's degree
$71,210 – $102,900+23.7%
26Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists$81,540
Bachelor's degree
$63,930 – $101,190+23.0%
27Structural Iron and Steel Workers$77,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,350 – $97,730+22.8%
28Special Education Teachers, Middle School$81,800
Bachelor's degree
$62,050 – $103,580+22.4%
29Hazardous Materials Removal Workers$60,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,200 – $75,550+22.1%
30Coaches and Scouts$57,620
Bachelor's degree
$34,990 – $105,480+21.8%
31Chemists$110,920
Bachelor's degree
$72,770 – $179,660+21.6%
32Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$77,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,050 – $116,550+21.4%
33Forensic Science Technicians$87,020
Bachelor's degree
$52,760 – $117,860+20.8%
34Helpers--Production Workers$47,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,140 – $65,050+20.8%
35First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers$59,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,200 – $77,700+20.6%
36Anesthesiologists$471,720
Doctoral or professional degree
$168,700 – $521,220+20.5%
37Firefighters$70,840
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,660 – $82,190+19.5%
38Community Health Workers$61,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,480 – $93,400+18.8%
39Personal Financial Advisors$124,610
Bachelor's degree
$57,330 – $360,640+18.6%
40Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$77,210
Bachelor's degree
$59,790 – $106,820+18.6%
41Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other$67,220
Bachelor's degree
$52,510 – $92,890+18.5%
42Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$125,480
Master's degree
$82,340 – $164,570+18.5%
43Electricians$74,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,130 – $106,520+18.5%
44Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$78,420
Bachelor's degree
$58,720 – $106,760+18.3%
45Physicians, All Other$314,460
Doctoral or professional degree
$125,230 – $398,730+18.2%
46Industrial Machinery Mechanics$76,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$54,660 – $93,110+18.1%
47Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health$64,990
Associate's degree
$37,570 – $100,920+18.0%
48Parts Salespersons$45,220
No formal educational credential
$35,600 – $63,850+17.1%
49First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$87,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,330 – $125,450+16.9%
50Social Workers, All Other$83,910
Bachelor's degree
$58,900 – $106,440+16.7%

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianAlbany-Schenectady-Troy, NY	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,560	$44,410 – $140,050	+39.2%
2	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$48,980	$32,240 – $80,500	+39.0%
3	Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical DoorHigh school diploma or equivalent	$102,660	$65,970 – $121,590	+38.1%
4	BartendersNo formal educational credential	$47,370	$32,240 – $83,420	+37.9%
5	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,540	$51,020 – $128,950	+37.9%
6	Chefs and Head CooksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$84,430	$51,640 – $96,730	+35.2%
7	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,710	$46,380 – $85,170	+34.8%
8	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$127,580	$63,190 – $131,550	+33.8%
9	BailiffsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,030	$50,180 – $95,900	+30.8%
10	Computer and Information Research ScientistsMaster's degree	$181,990	$122,250 – $280,710	+29.7%
11	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$134,980	$81,120 – $298,550	+29.1%
12	Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,990	$61,990 – $100,010	+28.6%
13	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,470	$40,340 – $94,810	+28.6%
14	Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social WorkersMaster's degree	$76,970	$51,920 – $100,840	+27.7%
15	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$80,000	$40,920 – $104,060	+27.1%
16	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$80,760	$60,870 – $105,380	+25.5%
17	Psychology Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$100,780	$62,130 – $126,860	+25.4%
18	Survey ResearchersMaster's degree	$86,890	$64,990 – $120,930	+25.1%
19	Demonstrators and Product PromotersNo formal educational credential	$49,020	$33,810 – $59,440	+24.7%
20	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$82,480	$51,950 – $101,160	+24.7%
21	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,060	$45,990 – $79,870	+24.6%
22	Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine RepairersSome college, no degree	$59,480	$39,900 – $73,900	+24.4%
23	Veterinary Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$58,750	$47,410 – $75,300	+24.0%
24	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$79,240	$51,510 – $104,390	+23.9%
25	Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except GamblingBachelor's degree	$98,390	$71,210 – $102,900	+23.7%
26	Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$81,540	$63,930 – $101,190	+23.0%
27	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,110	$52,350 – $97,730	+22.8%
28	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$81,800	$62,050 – $103,580	+22.4%
29	Hazardous Materials Removal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,390	$47,200 – $75,550	+22.1%
30	Coaches and ScoutsBachelor's degree	$57,620	$34,990 – $105,480	+21.8%
31	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$110,920	$72,770 – $179,660	+21.6%
32	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,460	$47,050 – $116,550	+21.4%
33	Forensic Science TechniciansBachelor's degree	$87,020	$52,760 – $117,860	+20.8%
34	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,210	$35,140 – $65,050	+20.8%
35	First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,230	$40,200 – $77,700	+20.6%
36	AnesthesiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$471,720	$168,700 – $521,220	+20.5%
37	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$70,840	$46,660 – $82,190	+19.5%
38	Community Health WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,610	$39,480 – $93,400	+18.8%
39	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$124,610	$57,330 – $360,640	+18.6%
40	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$77,210	$59,790 – $106,820	+18.6%
41	Community and Social Service Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$67,220	$52,510 – $92,890	+18.5%
42	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$125,480	$82,340 – $164,570	+18.5%
43	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,890	$46,130 – $106,520	+18.5%
44	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$78,420	$58,720 – $106,760	+18.3%
45	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$314,460	$125,230 – $398,730	+18.2%
46	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,220	$54,660 – $93,110	+18.1%
47	Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including HealthAssociate's degree	$64,990	$37,570 – $100,920	+18.0%
48	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$45,220	$35,600 – $63,850	+17.1%
49	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$87,000	$53,330 – $125,450	+16.9%
50	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$83,910	$58,900 – $106,440	+16.7%

More for Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY

Other metro areas in NY

By field in Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY to rank honestly.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY

More for Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY

Other metro areas in NY

By field in Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state