Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Rochester, NY

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

Cost of living: prices in Rochester, NY run 3.0% below the national average (2024), so a Rochester, NY salary is worth about 1.03× 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 Rochester, NY

OccupationMedian, Rochester, NY · vs. national

1Real Estate Sales Agents$88,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,760 – $198,270+67.2%
2Firefighters$89,120
Postsecondary nondegree award
$57,280 – $93,810+50.3%
3Telemarketers$47,840
No formal educational credential
$32,240 – $58,240+35.0%
4Bartenders$45,920
No formal educational credential
$32,240 – $77,490+33.7%
5Education Administrators, Postsecondary$139,640
Master's degree
$85,390 – $269,780+33.5%
6Opticians, Dispensing$62,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,210 – $78,680+31.7%
7Emergency Medicine Physicians$440,340
Doctoral or professional degree
$67,720 – $502,050+31.2%
8Correctional Officers and Jailers$76,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,600 – $85,070+30.3%
9Interpreters and Translators$77,770
Bachelor's degree
$52,820 – $115,340+29.3%
10Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$81,290
Bachelor's degree
$46,330 – $99,860+29.2%
11Waiters and Waitresses$45,310
No formal educational credential
$32,240 – $80,400+28.6%
12Insurance Sales Agents$79,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,550 – $168,100+27.1%
13First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers$98,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$78,830 – $114,240+26.4%
14Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists$82,010
Bachelor's degree
$63,080 – $96,160+23.8%
15Electricians$77,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,410 – $107,910+22.3%
16Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$92,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,140 – $101,430+21.9%
17Demonstrators and Product Promoters$47,540
No formal educational credential
$36,130 – $57,630+20.9%
18Brickmasons and Blockmasons$73,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,440 – $94,350+18.9%
19Public Safety Telecommunicators$63,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,610 – $69,670+18.8%
20Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$76,160
Bachelor's degree
$48,300 – $94,460+18.3%
21First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers$66,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,630 – $89,750+18.2%
22Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$55,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,310 – $57,600+18.1%
23Fundraising Managers$147,680
Bachelor's degree
$97,270 – $241,520+17.7%
24Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other$66,580
Bachelor's degree
$48,570 – $86,510+17.4%
25Construction Managers$134,940
Bachelor's degree
$88,050 – $216,390+17.3%
26Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$99,050
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,370 – $211,980+17.1%
27Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$56,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,670 – $81,690+16.4%
28Food Batchmakers$49,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,050 – $62,440+16.3%
29Highway Maintenance Workers$58,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,810 – $70,200+16.3%
30Insurance Underwriters$94,310
Bachelor's degree
$65,330 – $159,450+15.9%
31Orderlies$44,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,970 – $44,260+15.6%
32Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$58,530
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,840 – $78,400+15.6%
33Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$73,870
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,740 – $100,340+15.6%
34Driver/Sales Workers$44,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,240 – $58,470+15.5%
35Credit Analysts$96,390
Bachelor's degree
$58,930 – $137,140+15.4%
36Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$73,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,570 – $100,140+15.3%
37Facilities Managers$122,980
Bachelor's degree
$76,070 – $203,610+15.3%
38Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians$45,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,460 – $48,200+15.1%
39Detectives and Criminal Investigators$107,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,140 – $128,050+14.8%
40First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$107,340
Postsecondary nondegree award
$98,660 – $127,930+14.8%
41Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$68,880
Master's degree
$40,030 – $89,970+14.3%
42Music Directors and Composers$84,130
Bachelor's degree
$43,040 – $161,710+14.1%
43First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$99,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,210 – $169,050+13.9%
44Social Workers, All Other$81,890
Bachelor's degree
$52,790 – $96,780+13.9%
45Butchers and Meat Cutters$45,450
No formal educational credential
$35,210 – $59,790+13.2%
46Massage Therapists$66,110
Postsecondary nondegree award
$32,240 – $92,000+13.1%
47Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$56,080
No formal educational credential
$36,830 – $74,410+12.9%
48Security Guards$42,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,980 – $60,790+12.7%
49Counter and Rental Clerks$46,480
No formal educational credential
$33,800 – $72,070+12.5%
50Helpers--Production Workers$43,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,070 – $59,660+12.2%

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

#	Occupation	MedianRochester, NY	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$88,310	$45,760 – $198,270	+67.2%
2	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$89,120	$57,280 – $93,810	+50.3%
3	TelemarketersNo formal educational credential	$47,840	$32,240 – $58,240	+35.0%
4	BartendersNo formal educational credential	$45,920	$32,240 – $77,490	+33.7%
5	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$139,640	$85,390 – $269,780	+33.5%
6	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,230	$45,210 – $78,680	+31.7%
7	Emergency Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$440,340	$67,720 – $502,050	+31.2%
8	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,820	$60,600 – $85,070	+30.3%
9	Interpreters and TranslatorsBachelor's degree	$77,770	$52,820 – $115,340	+29.3%
10	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$81,290	$46,330 – $99,860	+29.2%
11	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$45,310	$32,240 – $80,400	+28.6%
12	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,150	$42,550 – $168,100	+27.1%
13	First-Line Supervisors of Correctional OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$98,580	$78,830 – $114,240	+26.4%
14	Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$82,010	$63,080 – $96,160	+23.8%
15	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,310	$45,410 – $107,910	+22.3%
16	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$92,920	$57,140 – $101,430	+21.9%
17	Demonstrators and Product PromotersNo formal educational credential	$47,540	$36,130 – $57,630	+20.9%
18	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,860	$50,440 – $94,350	+18.9%
19	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,030	$49,610 – $69,670	+18.8%
20	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$76,160	$48,300 – $94,460	+18.3%
21	First-Line Supervisors of Security WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,140	$42,630 – $89,750	+18.2%
22	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,700	$37,310 – $57,600	+18.1%
23	Fundraising ManagersBachelor's degree	$147,680	$97,270 – $241,520	+17.7%
24	Community and Social Service Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$66,580	$48,570 – $86,510	+17.4%
25	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$134,940	$88,050 – $216,390	+17.3%
26	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$99,050	$60,370 – $211,980	+17.1%
27	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,680	$39,670 – $81,690	+16.4%
28	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,180	$34,050 – $62,440	+16.3%
29	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,470	$45,810 – $70,200	+16.3%
30	Insurance UnderwritersBachelor's degree	$94,310	$65,330 – $159,450	+15.9%
31	OrderliesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,260	$34,970 – $44,260	+15.6%
32	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$58,530	$36,840 – $78,400	+15.6%
33	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$73,870	$47,740 – $100,340	+15.6%
34	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,760	$32,240 – $58,470	+15.5%
35	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$96,390	$58,930 – $137,140	+15.4%
36	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,580	$43,570 – $100,140	+15.3%
37	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$122,980	$76,070 – $203,610	+15.3%
38	Ophthalmic Laboratory TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,420	$39,460 – $48,200	+15.1%
39	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$107,660	$62,140 – $128,050	+14.8%
40	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$107,340	$98,660 – $127,930	+14.8%
41	Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social WorkersMaster's degree	$68,880	$40,030 – $89,970	+14.3%
42	Music Directors and ComposersBachelor's degree	$84,130	$43,040 – $161,710	+14.1%
43	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$99,660	$62,210 – $169,050	+13.9%
44	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$81,890	$52,790 – $96,780	+13.9%
45	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$45,450	$35,210 – $59,790	+13.2%
46	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$66,110	$32,240 – $92,000	+13.1%
47	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$56,080	$36,830 – $74,410	+12.9%
48	Security GuardsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,860	$34,980 – $60,790	+12.7%
49	Counter and Rental ClerksNo formal educational credential	$46,480	$33,800 – $72,070	+12.5%
50	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,820	$36,070 – $59,660	+12.2%

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

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Rochester, NY

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