The Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metropolitan statistical area, as BLS defines it.
Pay data · metro area
Average Salary in Buffalo, NY (2026)
The average salary in the Buffalo metro area is $66,480 a year and the median is $50,790: the same as the US median and 15% below New York's (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices the median is worth $52,990, 110th of 387 metro areas.
- Average (mean) salary
- $66,480US $69,770
- Median salary
- $50,790US $50,980
- Median hourly
- $24.42BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 95.8US = 100 · BEA 2024
The spread
What workers in Buffalo earn
| Percentile | Buffalo area | New York | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $33,990 | $35,760 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $37,680 | $41,160 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $50,790 | $59,670 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $78,530 | $98,810 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $112,150 | $157,500 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $66,480 | $82,460 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in Buffalo
BEA Regional Price Parities put the Buffalo area at 95.8 against a US average of 100. Matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $95,840 here. Compare with another city.
US = 100
- All items95.8
- Housing (rents)81
- Goods99.7
- Utilities129.5
- Other services97.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 95.8 |
| Housing (rents) | 81 |
| Goods | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 129.5 |
| Other services | 97.8 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Common jobs
What common jobs pay in Buffalo
Mean annual wage in the Buffalo area against the national mean for the same occupation (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Occupation | Buffalo area | US mean | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $98,570 | $101,420 | -3% |
| Software Developer | $128,590 | $148,100 | -13% |
| Elementary School Teacher | $76,590 | $72,650 | +5% |
| Accountant | $91,190 | $94,750 | -4% |
| Electrician | $75,440 | $71,490 | +6% |
| Truck Driver | $61,980 | $59,710 | +4% |
| Customer Service Representative | $48,190 | $46,590 | +3% |
| Retail Salesperson | $39,370 | $37,310 | +6% |
| Nursing Assistant | $41,700 | $42,700 | -2% |
| General and Operations Manager | $130,830 | $134,940 | -3% |
| Maintenance and Repair Worker, General | $54,200 | $53,780 | +1% |
| Cook, Restaurant | $40,620 | $38,730 | +5% |
The jobs
Best-paying jobs in Buffalo
BLS publishes estimates for 563 occupations in this metro. Highest mean pay, and the large occupations this area pays furthest above their national average.
Highest-paying jobs
Mean annual wage
- 1Pediatrician, General$234,670
- 2General Internal Medicine Physician$220,790
- 3Dentist$192,210
- 4Judge$184,560
- 5Physicist$181,310
- 6Financial Manager$180,480
- 7IT Manager$178,730
- 8Sales Manager$176,430
- 9Advertising and Promotions Manager$173,330
- 10Architectural and Engineering Manager$166,900
Jobs Buffalo pays above the national average
Occupations with 100,000+ US workers
- 1Real Estate Agent$109,760 · +58%
- 2Server$54,310 · +36%
- 3Bartender$53,980 · +32%
- 4Psychiatric Technician$59,530 · +28%
- 5Teaching Assistant, Postsecondary$60,320 · +27%
- 6Surgical Technologist$85,200 · +24%
- 7Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator$78,000 · +18%
- 8Middle School Teacher$83,920 · +17%
- 9Host and Hostess, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop$38,000 · +16%
- 10First-Line Supervisor of Non-Retail Sales Workers$115,290 · +16%
Compare
Other metro areas in New York
Method
About these numbers
- All-occupations wages for the metro are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 estimates (api.bls.gov). Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed.
- Pay by occupation is the OEWS May 2025 mean for that occupation in this metro, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 prevailing-wage file. Only figures BLS estimated for this metro itself are used, never state or national fallbacks.
- Price levels are BEA Regional Price Parities for 2024. Price-adjusted pay is a NueCareer calculation (wage ÷ RPP/100).
Questions
Average salary in Buffalo: FAQ
What is the average salary in Buffalo?
Across all occupations in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metro area, the average (mean) annual wage is $66,480 and the median is $50,790, the same as the US median (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 534,550 wage and salary jobs.
What is a good salary in Buffalo?
Above $50,790 out-earns half of workers in the Buffalo area; the top 25% start at $78,530 and the top 10% at $112,150. Prices run 4% below the national average (BEA, 2024), so matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $95,840 here.
Is Buffalo expensive to live in?
BEA's price level for the Buffalo metro is 95.8 (US = 100, 2024). Housing rents are 81.0, goods 99.7, utilities 129.5. At local prices the median wage is worth $52,990, 110th of 387 metros.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Buffalo?
By mean annual wage: Pediatrician, General ($234,670), General Internal Medicine Physician ($220,790), Dentist ($192,210), Judge ($184,560), Physicist ($181,310) (BLS OEWS May 2025, via the DOL wage file).