Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY

Each occupation's median wage in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, 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 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY run 4.2% below the national average (2024), so a Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY salary is worth about 1.04× 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 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY

OccupationMedian, Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY · vs. national

1Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary$61,540
Bachelor's degree
$44,670 – $79,080+43.4%
2Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$89,950
Bachelor's degree
$48,880 – $107,250+39.7%
3Bartenders$46,920
No formal educational credential
$32,240 – $80,440+36.6%
4Waiters and Waitresses$46,580
No formal educational credential
$32,240 – $86,590+32.2%
5Correctional Officers and Jailers$76,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,940 – $80,280+29.2%
6Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$61,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,370 – $77,140+28.8%
7Opticians, Dispensing$60,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,990 – $77,380+28.3%
8Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door$94,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$54,730 – $103,110+27.4%
9Tool and Die Makers$81,510
Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,410 – $94,730+27.3%
10Millwrights$82,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,130 – $92,330+26.1%
11Firefighters$74,470
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,120 – $80,920+25.6%
12Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists$83,030
Bachelor's degree
$49,670 – $96,160+25.3%
13Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$78,050
Bachelor's degree
$48,370 – $104,110+24.0%
14Brickmasons and Blockmasons$76,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,080 – $95,100+23.6%
15Education Administrators, Postsecondary$129,320
Master's degree
$66,280 – $216,720+23.6%
16Electricians$77,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,820 – $104,710+23.3%
17Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$73,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,170 – $114,540+23.1%
18Butchers and Meat Cutters$49,070
No formal educational credential
$35,220 – $57,250+22.2%
19Structural Iron and Steel Workers$76,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,000 – $108,340+21.7%
20Hazardous Materials Removal Workers$59,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,670 – $73,920+20.7%
21Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$75,460
Bachelor's degree
$46,440 – $112,650+20.4%
22First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers$93,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$82,190 – $108,320+20.0%
23Surgical Technologists$77,440
Postsecondary nondegree award
$61,030 – $134,890+19.8%
24Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$76,490
Bachelor's degree
$48,080 – $106,980+19.6%
25Credit Analysts$99,640
Bachelor's degree
$61,710 – $160,970+19.3%
26Chefs and Head Cooks$74,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,500 – $103,510+18.9%
27Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$78,700
Bachelor's degree
$49,570 – $102,770+18.8%
28Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$124,990
Master's degree
$80,440 – $160,410+18.1%
29Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$78,100
Associate's degree
$53,730 – $78,100+18.1%
30Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary$128,920
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,790 – $213,570+18.0%
31Medical Records Specialists$60,230
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,680 – $83,650+17.8%
32Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$57,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,720 – $80,880+17.6%
33Sheet Metal Workers$72,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,630 – $111,500+17.4%
34Insurance Underwriters$95,370
Bachelor's degree
$60,340 – $134,980+17.2%
35First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$102,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$64,470 – $167,640+17.1%
36Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$70,230
Master's degree
$48,980 – $92,870+16.5%
37Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary$93,160
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,990 – $167,540+16.0%
38Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers$80,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,580 – $150,410+15.4%
39Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$109,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$66,620 – $130,780+14.7%
40Parts Salespersons$44,130
No formal educational credential
$34,200 – $63,790+14.2%
41Public Safety Telecommunicators$60,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,110 – $75,470+13.8%
42Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$57,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,970 – $79,050+13.6%
43Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$72,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,300 – $104,040+13.2%
44Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates$174,250
Doctoral or professional degree
$174,250 – $223,650+13.2%
45Roofers$62,590
No formal educational credential
$48,370 – $77,150+12.9%
46Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$61,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,160 – $76,670+12.8%
47Social Workers, All Other$80,850
Bachelor's degree
$54,840 – $101,940+12.4%
48Chief Executives$239,990
Bachelor's degree
$139,980 – $621,830+12.2%
49First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers$55,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,640 – $75,830+12.1%
50Operations Research Analysts$99,560
Bachelor's degree
$64,850 – $163,980+11.9%

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

#	Occupation	MedianBuffalo-Cheektowaga, NY	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Teaching Assistants, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$61,540	$44,670 – $79,080	+43.4%
2	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$89,950	$48,880 – $107,250	+39.7%
3	BartendersNo formal educational credential	$46,920	$32,240 – $80,440	+36.6%
4	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$46,580	$32,240 – $86,590	+32.2%
5	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,170	$58,940 – $80,280	+29.2%
6	Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,700	$49,370 – $77,140	+28.8%
7	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,620	$44,990 – $77,380	+28.3%
8	Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical DoorHigh school diploma or equivalent	$94,730	$54,730 – $103,110	+27.4%
9	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$81,510	$50,410 – $94,730	+27.3%
10	MillwrightsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,840	$63,130 – $92,330	+26.1%
11	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$74,470	$48,120 – $80,920	+25.6%
12	Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$83,030	$49,670 – $96,160	+25.3%
13	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$78,050	$48,370 – $104,110	+24.0%
14	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,800	$57,080 – $95,100	+23.6%
15	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$129,320	$66,280 – $216,720	+23.6%
16	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,930	$37,820 – $104,710	+23.3%
17	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,650	$49,170 – $114,540	+23.1%
18	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$49,070	$35,220 – $57,250	+22.2%
19	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,420	$48,000 – $108,340	+21.7%
20	Hazardous Materials Removal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,700	$46,670 – $73,920	+20.7%
21	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$75,460	$46,440 – $112,650	+20.4%
22	First-Line Supervisors of Correctional OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$93,600	$82,190 – $108,320	+20.0%
23	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$77,440	$61,030 – $134,890	+19.8%
24	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$76,490	$48,080 – $106,980	+19.6%
25	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$99,640	$61,710 – $160,970	+19.3%
26	Chefs and Head CooksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,290	$48,500 – $103,510	+18.9%
27	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$78,700	$49,570 – $102,770	+18.8%
28	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$124,990	$80,440 – $160,410	+18.1%
29	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$78,100	$53,730 – $78,100	+18.1%
30	Engineering Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$128,920	$61,790 – $213,570	+18.0%
31	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,230	$39,680 – $83,650	+17.8%
32	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,260	$39,720 – $80,880	+17.6%
33	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,580	$44,630 – $111,500	+17.4%
34	Insurance UnderwritersBachelor's degree	$95,370	$60,340 – $134,980	+17.2%
35	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$102,520	$64,470 – $167,640	+17.1%
36	Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social WorkersMaster's degree	$70,230	$48,980 – $92,870	+16.5%
37	Psychology Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$93,160	$52,990 – $167,540	+16.0%
38	Property, Real Estate, and Community Association ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,780	$49,580 – $150,410	+15.4%
39	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$109,350	$66,620 – $130,780	+14.7%
40	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$44,130	$34,200 – $63,790	+14.2%
41	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,380	$40,110 – $75,470	+13.8%
42	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,100	$37,970 – $79,050	+13.6%
43	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,230	$40,300 – $104,040	+13.2%
44	Judges, Magistrate Judges, and MagistratesDoctoral or professional degree	$174,250	$174,250 – $223,650	+13.2%
45	RoofersNo formal educational credential	$62,590	$48,370 – $77,150	+12.9%
46	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,170	$42,160 – $76,670	+12.8%
47	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$80,850	$54,840 – $101,940	+12.4%
48	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$239,990	$139,980 – $621,830	+12.2%
49	First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,060	$37,640 – $75,830	+12.1%
50	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$99,560	$64,850 – $163,980	+11.9%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY

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