Jobs that pay the biggest premium in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ

Each occupation's median wage in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 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 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ run 12.6% above the national average (2024), so a New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ salary is worth about 0.89× 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 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ

OccupationMedian, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ · vs. national

1Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents$167,890
Bachelor's degree
$59,230 – $326,290+113.4%
2Flight Attendants$127,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,430 – $165,290+100.9%
3Real Estate Sales Agents$103,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,350 – $179,500+96.0%
4Firefighters$106,420
Postsecondary nondegree award
$56,390 – $115,380+79.5%
5Bartenders$61,220
No formal educational credential
$34,410 – $94,640+78.3%
6Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare$98,470
Bachelor's degree
$56,800 – $158,110+66.1%
7News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists$101,670
Bachelor's degree
$59,360 – $476,330+63.5%
8Credit Analysts$136,500
Bachelor's degree
$80,850 – $258,320+63.5%
9Personal Financial Advisors$170,050
Bachelor's degree
$81,520 – $420,630+61.8%
10Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$127,140
Postsecondary nondegree award
$75,330 – $240,310+59.2%
11Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$95,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,680 – $154,040+58.8%
12Correctional Officers and Jailers$93,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,410 – $105,950+58.2%
13Sales and Related Workers, All Other$74,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,460 – $110,130+54.4%
14Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$163,210
Master's degree
$99,730 – $206,640+54.2%
15Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$96,930
Bachelor's degree
$49,440 – $133,110+54.0%
16Advertising Sales Agents$99,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,200 – $177,660+52.7%
17Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$96,900
Bachelor's degree
$62,530 – $136,330+51.5%
18Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$99,830
Bachelor's degree
$63,600 – $133,160+50.6%
19Opticians, Dispensing$71,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,060 – $85,050+50.3%
20Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$96,500
Bachelor's degree
$62,990 – $137,370+49.9%
21Hazardous Materials Removal Workers$74,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,870 – $99,110+49.8%
22General and Operations Managers$157,000
Bachelor's degree
$71,030 – $364,770+48.4%
23Sales Managers$215,150
Bachelor's degree
$109,210 – $368,210+45.1%
24Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$335,270
Bachelor's degree
$121,220 – $475,690+44.4%
25First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$132,810
Postsecondary nondegree award
$110,810 – $168,610+42.0%
26Special Education Teachers, Middle School$94,740
Bachelor's degree
$64,460 – $132,270+41.8%
27Financial Examiners$133,380
Bachelor's degree
$78,560 – $217,430+41.7%
28Chief Executives$301,440
Bachelor's degree
$164,740 – $709,670+40.9%
29Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$91,610
Bachelor's degree
$63,420 – $133,270+40.7%
30Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$100,800
Bachelor's degree
$63,480 – $136,340+39.9%
31Coaches and Scouts$66,110
Bachelor's degree
$38,830 – $115,450+39.7%
32Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door$103,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,930 – $129,710+39.6%
33Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$83,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,030 – $102,500+38.8%
34Film and Video Editors$104,590
Bachelor's degree
$61,730 – $172,280+38.7%
35Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers$96,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,170 – $207,960+38.5%
36Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$105,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,390 – $131,690+38.5%
37Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$102,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,440 – $121,390+38.0%
38Roofers$76,400
No formal educational credential
$48,240 – $104,520+37.8%
39Construction Managers$158,000
Bachelor's degree
$91,740 – $250,520+37.4%
40Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$82,450
Master's degree
$52,800 – $125,870+36.8%
41Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants$75,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,830 – $107,780+36.6%
42Protective Service Workers, All Other$57,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,180 – $84,090+36.2%
43Fundraising Managers$170,780
Bachelor's degree
$105,770 – $305,020+36.1%
44Medical and Health Services Managers$167,580
Bachelor's degree
$102,450 – $348,010+35.3%
45Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$100,430
Bachelor's degree
$67,400 – $135,410+35.2%
46Waiters and Waitresses$47,610
No formal educational credential
$33,810 – $95,610+35.1%
47Financial Specialists, All Other$109,580
Bachelor's degree
$57,920 – $221,460+35.1%
48Photographers$60,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,750 – $110,380+34.5%
49Respiratory Therapists$110,490
Associate's degree
$87,090 – $131,500+34.3%
50Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$93,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,370 – $176,300+33.9%

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

#	Occupation	MedianNew York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales AgentsBachelor's degree	$167,890	$59,230 – $326,290	+113.4%
2	Flight AttendantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$127,740	$52,430 – $165,290	+100.9%
3	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$103,550	$48,350 – $179,500	+96.0%
4	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$106,420	$56,390 – $115,380	+79.5%
5	BartendersNo formal educational credential	$61,220	$34,410 – $94,640	+78.3%
6	Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and DaycareBachelor's degree	$98,470	$56,800 – $158,110	+66.1%
7	News Analysts, Reporters, and JournalistsBachelor's degree	$101,670	$59,360 – $476,330	+63.5%
8	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$136,500	$80,850 – $258,320	+63.5%
9	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$170,050	$81,520 – $420,630	+61.8%
10	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$127,140	$75,330 – $240,310	+59.2%
11	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$95,050	$56,680 – $154,040	+58.8%
12	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$93,220	$51,410 – $105,950	+58.2%
13	Sales and Related Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,530	$39,460 – $110,130	+54.4%
14	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$163,210	$99,730 – $206,640	+54.2%
15	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$96,930	$49,440 – $133,110	+54.0%
16	Advertising Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$99,010	$50,200 – $177,660	+52.7%
17	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$96,900	$62,530 – $136,330	+51.5%
18	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$99,830	$63,600 – $133,160	+50.6%
19	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,050	$43,060 – $85,050	+50.3%
20	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$96,500	$62,990 – $137,370	+49.9%
21	Hazardous Materials Removal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,060	$46,870 – $99,110	+49.8%
22	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$157,000	$71,030 – $364,770	+48.4%
23	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$215,150	$109,210 – $368,210	+45.1%
24	Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight EngineersBachelor's degree	$335,270	$121,220 – $475,690	+44.4%
25	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$132,810	$110,810 – $168,610	+42.0%
26	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$94,740	$64,460 – $132,270	+41.8%
27	Financial ExaminersBachelor's degree	$133,380	$78,560 – $217,430	+41.7%
28	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$301,440	$164,740 – $709,670	+40.9%
29	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$91,610	$63,420 – $133,270	+40.7%
30	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$100,800	$63,480 – $136,340	+39.9%
31	Coaches and ScoutsBachelor's degree	$66,110	$38,830 – $115,450	+39.7%
32	Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical DoorHigh school diploma or equivalent	$103,780	$60,930 – $129,710	+39.6%
33	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,320	$52,030 – $102,500	+38.8%
34	Film and Video EditorsBachelor's degree	$104,590	$61,730 – $172,280	+38.7%
35	Property, Real Estate, and Community Association ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$96,950	$58,170 – $207,960	+38.5%
36	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$105,540	$56,390 – $131,690	+38.5%
37	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$102,550	$57,440 – $121,390	+38.0%
38	RoofersNo formal educational credential	$76,400	$48,240 – $104,520	+37.8%
39	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$158,000	$91,740 – $250,520	+37.4%
40	Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social WorkersMaster's degree	$82,450	$52,800 – $125,870	+36.8%
41	Legal Secretaries and Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,920	$47,830 – $107,780	+36.6%
42	Protective Service Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,920	$37,180 – $84,090	+36.2%
43	Fundraising ManagersBachelor's degree	$170,780	$105,770 – $305,020	+36.1%
44	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$167,580	$102,450 – $348,010	+35.3%
45	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$100,430	$67,400 – $135,410	+35.2%
46	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$47,610	$33,810 – $95,610	+35.1%
47	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$109,580	$57,920 – $221,460	+35.1%
48	PhotographersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,050	$37,750 – $110,380	+34.5%
49	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$110,490	$87,090 – $131,500	+34.3%
50	Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and TravelHigh school diploma or equivalent	$93,750	$46,370 – $176,300	+33.9%

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Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ to rank honestly.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ

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By field in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ

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