Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Ithaca, NY

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

Cost of living: prices in Ithaca, NY run 3.3% above the national average (2024), so a Ithaca, NY salary is worth about 0.97× 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 Ithaca, NY

OccupationMedian, Ithaca, NY · vs. national

1Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$159,720
Doctoral or professional degree
$81,890 – $376,740+48.8%
2General Internal Medicine Physicians$370,320
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,420 – $370,320+44.3%
3Library Technicians$62,960
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,520 – $68,630+41.2%
4Massage Therapists$80,340
Postsecondary nondegree award
$60,320 – $90,030+37.5%
5Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other$75,860
Bachelor's degree
$60,560 – $95,090+33.7%
6Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$102,910
Master's degree
$50,910 – $211,480+30.9%
7Waiters and Waitresses$46,090
No formal educational credential
$32,410 – $78,100+30.8%
8Security Guards$49,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,600 – $63,040+30.3%
9Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$78,220
Master's degree
$62,350 – $101,580+29.8%
10Bartenders$44,040
No formal educational credential
$32,650 – $80,510+28.2%
11Legal Support Workers, All Other$92,000
Associate's degree
$57,780 – $165,580+27.6%
12Residential Advisors$53,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,320 – $64,690+27.3%
13Education Administrators, Postsecondary$132,470
Master's degree
$81,520 – $323,550+26.7%
14Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary$101,260
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,930 – $203,220+26.2%
15First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers$61,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,720 – $79,810+25.8%
16Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria$46,870
No formal educational credential
$36,890 – $51,450+25.2%
17Public Safety Telecommunicators$66,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,330 – $78,600+24.9%
18Personal Financial Advisors$130,940
Bachelor's degree
$80,300 – $294,940+24.6%
19First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers$60,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,420 – $78,260+23.9%
20Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$79,520
Bachelor's degree
$58,520 – $118,950+23.5%
21Education Teachers, Postsecondary$92,870
Doctoral or professional degree
$69,850 – $187,460+23.3%
22Ophthalmic Medical Technicians$55,570
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,880 – $60,220+21.9%
23Web and Digital Interface Designers$125,810
Bachelor's degree
$51,650 – $212,050+21.0%
24Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$45,980
Associate's degree
$37,530 – $62,290+20.6%
25Surgical Technologists$77,760
Postsecondary nondegree award
$58,100 – $90,080+20.3%
26Credit Counselors$62,750
Bachelor's degree
$47,940 – $87,780+20.1%
27Painters, Construction and Maintenance$59,110
No formal educational credential
$41,430 – $76,270+19.7%
28Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$79,080
Bachelor's degree
$60,790 – $98,010+19.3%
29Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$95,460
Associate's degree
$67,960 – $95,610+19.2%
30Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$100,880
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,840 – $202,280+19.2%
31History Teachers, Postsecondary$99,940
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,780 – $163,480+19.2%
32Veterinary Technologists and Technicians$56,420
Associate's degree
$44,990 – $59,380+19.1%
33Medical Assistants$53,760
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,400 – $53,760+17.7%
34Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$93,970
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,530 – $117,690+17.6%
35Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$63,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,870 – $63,650+17.4%
36Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$117,860
Doctoral or professional degree
$72,510 – $199,160+17.2%
37Social and Human Service Assistants$53,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,360 – $70,230+16.6%
38Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$56,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,630 – $80,140+16.5%
39Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary$93,500
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,250 – $120,460+16.4%
40Industrial Production Managers$146,500
Bachelor's degree
$90,550 – $237,150+16.2%
41Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$121,910
Master's degree
$86,110 – $153,820+15.2%
42Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers$43,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,390 – $46,600+15.1%
43Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$78,460
Master's degree
$56,160 – $96,520+14.9%
44Healthcare Support Workers, All Other$55,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,050 – $58,820+14.5%
45Bus Drivers, School$54,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,370 – $64,540+14.0%
46Food Servers, Nonrestaurant$40,240
No formal educational credential
$33,690 – $45,250+13.8%
47Special Education Teachers, Middle School$75,860
Bachelor's degree
$59,350 – $97,590+13.5%
48Highway Maintenance Workers$56,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,120 – $63,110+13.0%
49Electricians$70,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,590 – $80,470+11.9%
50Administrative Services Managers$127,610
Bachelor's degree
$85,400 – $199,380+11.8%

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

#	Occupation	MedianIthaca, NY	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$159,720	$81,890 – $376,740	+48.8%
2	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$370,320	$78,420 – $370,320	+44.3%
3	Library TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,960	$39,520 – $68,630	+41.2%
4	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$80,340	$60,320 – $90,030	+37.5%
5	Community and Social Service Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$75,860	$60,560 – $95,090	+33.7%
6	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$102,910	$50,910 – $211,480	+30.9%
7	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$46,090	$32,410 – $78,100	+30.8%
8	Security GuardsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,540	$37,600 – $63,040	+30.3%
9	Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social WorkersMaster's degree	$78,220	$62,350 – $101,580	+29.8%
10	BartendersNo formal educational credential	$44,040	$32,650 – $80,510	+28.2%
11	Legal Support Workers, All OtherAssociate's degree	$92,000	$57,780 – $165,580	+27.6%
12	Residential AdvisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,760	$36,320 – $64,690	+27.3%
13	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$132,470	$81,520 – $323,550	+26.7%
14	Philosophy and Religion Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$101,260	$59,930 – $203,220	+26.2%
15	First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,140	$42,720 – $79,810	+25.8%
16	Cooks, Institution and CafeteriaNo formal educational credential	$46,870	$36,890 – $51,450	+25.2%
17	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,250	$53,330 – $78,600	+24.9%
18	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$130,940	$80,300 – $294,940	+24.6%
19	First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,840	$44,420 – $78,260	+23.9%
20	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$79,520	$58,520 – $118,950	+23.5%
21	Education Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$92,870	$69,850 – $187,460	+23.3%
22	Ophthalmic Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$55,570	$38,880 – $60,220	+21.9%
23	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$125,810	$51,650 – $212,050	+21.0%
24	Preschool Teachers, Except Special EducationAssociate's degree	$45,980	$37,530 – $62,290	+20.6%
25	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$77,760	$58,100 – $90,080	+20.3%
26	Credit CounselorsBachelor's degree	$62,750	$47,940 – $87,780	+20.1%
27	Painters, Construction and MaintenanceNo formal educational credential	$59,110	$41,430 – $76,270	+19.7%
28	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$79,080	$60,790 – $98,010	+19.3%
29	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$95,460	$67,960 – $95,610	+19.2%
30	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$100,880	$60,840 – $202,280	+19.2%
31	History Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$99,940	$61,780 – $163,480	+19.2%
32	Veterinary Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$56,420	$44,990 – $59,380	+19.1%
33	Medical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$53,760	$38,400 – $53,760	+17.7%
34	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$93,970	$52,530 – $117,690	+17.6%
35	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,650	$51,870 – $63,650	+17.4%
36	Clinical and Counseling PsychologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$117,860	$72,510 – $199,160	+17.2%
37	Social and Human Service AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,550	$38,360 – $70,230	+16.6%
38	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,740	$40,630 – $80,140	+16.5%
39	Psychology Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$93,500	$63,250 – $120,460	+16.4%
40	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$146,500	$90,550 – $237,150	+16.2%
41	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$121,910	$86,110 – $153,820	+15.2%
42	Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal CaretakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,900	$35,390 – $46,600	+15.1%
43	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$78,460	$56,160 – $96,520	+14.9%
44	Healthcare Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,460	$44,050 – $58,820	+14.5%
45	Bus Drivers, SchoolHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,620	$47,370 – $64,540	+14.0%
46	Food Servers, NonrestaurantNo formal educational credential	$40,240	$33,690 – $45,250	+13.8%
47	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$75,860	$59,350 – $97,590	+13.5%
48	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,770	$43,120 – $63,110	+13.0%
49	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,720	$50,590 – $80,470	+11.9%
50	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$127,610	$85,400 – $199,380	+11.8%

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