Jobs that pay the biggest premium in New York

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

Cost of living: prices in New York run 7.9% above the national average (2024), so a New York salary is worth about 0.93× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in New York.

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

Find high paying jobs in New York

OccupationMedian, New York · vs. national

1Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents$168,340
Bachelor's degree
$59,960 – $329,460+114.0%
2Flight Attendants$126,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,430 – $163,750+99.2%
3Real Estate Sales Agents$102,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,350 – $178,710+94.9%
4Bartenders$61,210
No formal educational credential
$33,640 – $93,530+78.2%
5Firefighters$100,960
Postsecondary nondegree award
$56,390 – $106,440+70.3%
6Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare$96,810
Bachelor's degree
$57,770 – $156,440+63.3%
7News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists$100,770
Bachelor's degree
$49,500 – $327,640+62.0%
8Credit Analysts$133,270
Bachelor's degree
$76,730 – $241,220+59.6%
9Personal Financial Advisors$166,400
Bachelor's degree
$76,190 – $427,700+58.4%
10Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$97,280
Bachelor's degree
$50,060 – $132,530+54.6%
11Advertising Sales Agents$98,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,560 – $178,600+51.7%
12Hazardous Materials Removal Workers$73,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,600 – $99,320+47.8%
13Concierges$57,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,820 – $63,880+47.8%
14Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$94,840
Bachelor's degree
$60,040 – $137,370+47.3%
15Sales Managers$217,640
Bachelor's degree
$107,670 – $378,910+46.8%
16Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity$84,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,610 – $84,700+43.1%
17Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers$99,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,510 – $208,740+42.0%
18First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$132,520
Postsecondary nondegree award
$87,670 – $158,510+41.7%
19Special Education Teachers, Middle School$93,820
Bachelor's degree
$59,720 – $132,490+40.4%
20Interpreters and Translators$84,090
Bachelor's degree
$48,930 – $127,350+39.8%
21First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$121,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$64,490 – $198,130+39.1%
22Film and Video Editors$103,440
Bachelor's degree
$55,990 – $172,280+37.2%
23Bailiffs$77,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,400 – $96,770+37.0%
24Financial Examiners$128,920
Bachelor's degree
$70,710 – $216,090+36.9%
25Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door$101,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,490 – $128,240+36.1%
26Brickmasons and Blockmasons$84,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,470 – $127,980+35.9%
27Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$100,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,470 – $120,090+35.8%
28Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$80,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,190 – $144,920+35.3%
29Opticians, Dispensing$63,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,060 – $81,200+35.2%
30Construction Managers$155,360
Bachelor's degree
$86,250 – $244,590+35.1%
31Fundraising Managers$169,510
Bachelor's degree
$102,040 – $304,970+35.1%
32Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$97,070
Bachelor's degree
$60,070 – $136,450+34.7%
33Photographers$60,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,890 – $109,470+34.5%
34Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$85,760
Bachelor's degree
$56,760 – $136,260+34.1%
35Waiters and Waitresses$47,020
No formal educational credential
$33,540 – $83,210+33.5%
36Education Administrators, Postsecondary$139,640
Master's degree
$87,240 – $278,010+33.5%
37First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers$103,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$79,770 – $126,510+32.5%
38Medical and Health Services Managers$164,120
Bachelor's degree
$95,660 – $340,990+32.5%
39Financial Specialists, All Other$107,490
Bachelor's degree
$55,370 – $230,770+32.5%
40Financial Managers$219,880
Bachelor's degree
$124,670 – $370,780+32.0%
41Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$92,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,750 – $174,820+31.7%
42Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$79,380
Master's degree
$54,650 – $122,340+31.7%
43Baggage Porters and Bellhops$48,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,680 – $61,820+31.1%
44Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$138,830
Master's degree
$87,100 – $200,380+31.1%
45Respiratory Therapists$107,810
Associate's degree
$81,270 – $131,500+31.0%
46Tax Preparers$71,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,010 – $125,070+30.8%
47Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$64,950
No formal educational credential
$42,740 – $86,720+30.7%
48Correctional Officers and Jailers$76,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,940 – $93,220+30.3%
49Lawyers$207,860
Doctoral or professional degree
$85,200 – $391,420+30.2%
50Editors$101,480
Bachelor's degree
$57,910 – $179,370+30.2%

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

#	Occupation	MedianNew York	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales AgentsBachelor's degree	$168,340	$59,960 – $329,460	+114.0%
2	Flight AttendantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$126,650	$52,430 – $163,750	+99.2%
3	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$102,990	$48,350 – $178,710	+94.9%
4	BartendersNo formal educational credential	$61,210	$33,640 – $93,530	+78.2%
5	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$100,960	$56,390 – $106,440	+70.3%
6	Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and DaycareBachelor's degree	$96,810	$57,770 – $156,440	+63.3%
7	News Analysts, Reporters, and JournalistsBachelor's degree	$100,770	$49,500 – $327,640	+62.0%
8	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$133,270	$76,730 – $241,220	+59.6%
9	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$166,400	$76,190 – $427,700	+58.4%
10	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$97,280	$50,060 – $132,530	+54.6%
11	Advertising Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$98,360	$49,560 – $178,600	+51.7%
12	Hazardous Materials Removal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,090	$47,600 – $99,320	+47.8%
13	ConciergesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,570	$38,820 – $63,880	+47.8%
14	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$94,840	$60,040 – $137,370	+47.3%
15	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$217,640	$107,670 – $378,910	+46.8%
16	Bus Drivers, Transit and IntercityHigh school diploma or equivalent	$84,480	$57,610 – $84,700	+43.1%
17	Property, Real Estate, and Community Association ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$99,390	$57,510 – $208,740	+42.0%
18	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$132,520	$87,670 – $158,510	+41.7%
19	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$93,820	$59,720 – $132,490	+40.4%
20	Interpreters and TranslatorsBachelor's degree	$84,090	$48,930 – $127,350	+39.8%
21	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$121,780	$64,490 – $198,130	+39.1%
22	Film and Video EditorsBachelor's degree	$103,440	$55,990 – $172,280	+37.2%
23	BailiffsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,540	$56,400 – $96,770	+37.0%
24	Financial ExaminersBachelor's degree	$128,920	$70,710 – $216,090	+36.9%
25	Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical DoorHigh school diploma or equivalent	$101,150	$58,490 – $128,240	+36.1%
26	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$84,410	$60,470 – $127,980	+35.9%
27	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$100,960	$50,470 – $120,090	+35.8%
28	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,980	$50,190 – $144,920	+35.3%
29	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,880	$43,060 – $81,200	+35.2%
30	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$155,360	$86,250 – $244,590	+35.1%
31	Fundraising ManagersBachelor's degree	$169,510	$102,040 – $304,970	+35.1%
32	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$97,070	$60,070 – $136,450	+34.7%
33	PhotographersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,050	$37,890 – $109,470	+34.5%
34	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$85,760	$56,760 – $136,260	+34.1%
35	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$47,020	$33,540 – $83,210	+33.5%
36	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$139,640	$87,240 – $278,010	+33.5%
37	First-Line Supervisors of Correctional OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$103,320	$79,770 – $126,510	+32.5%
38	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$164,120	$95,660 – $340,990	+32.5%
39	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$107,490	$55,370 – $230,770	+32.5%
40	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$219,880	$124,670 – $370,780	+32.0%
41	Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and TravelHigh school diploma or equivalent	$92,190	$45,750 – $174,820	+31.7%
42	Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social WorkersMaster's degree	$79,380	$54,650 – $122,340	+31.7%
43	Baggage Porters and BellhopsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,610	$37,680 – $61,820	+31.1%
44	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$138,830	$87,100 – $200,380	+31.1%
45	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$107,810	$81,270 – $131,500	+31.0%
46	Tax PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,850	$39,010 – $125,070	+30.8%
47	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$64,950	$42,740 – $86,720	+30.7%
48	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,820	$58,940 – $93,220	+30.3%
49	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$207,860	$85,200 – $391,420	+30.2%
50	EditorsBachelor's degree	$101,480	$57,910 – $179,370	+30.2%

More for New York

Metro areas in New York

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in New York

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 to rank honestly.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in New York

More for New York

Metro areas in New York

By field in New York

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state