The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metropolitan statistical area, as BLS defines it.
Pay data · metro area
Average Salary in New York, NY-NJ (2026)
The average salary in the New York metro area is $86,310 a year and the median is $61,430: 20% above the US median and 3% above New York's (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices the median is worth $54,570, 73rd of 387 metro areas.
- Average (mean) salary
- $86,310US $69,770
- Median salary
- $61,430US $50,980
- Median hourly
- $29.53BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 112.6US = 100 · BEA 2024
The spread
What workers in New York earn
| Percentile | New York area | New York | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $36,130 | $35,760 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $42,560 | $41,160 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $61,430 | $59,670 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $103,500 | $98,810 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $166,080 | $157,500 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $86,310 | $82,460 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in New York
BEA Regional Price Parities put the New York area at 112.6 against a US average of 100. Matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $112,560 here. Compare with another city.
US = 100
- All items112.6
- Housing (rents)148.6
- Goods110.3
- Utilities127
- Other services105.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 112.6 |
| Housing (rents) | 148.6 |
| Goods | 110.3 |
| Utilities | 127 |
| Other services | 105.8 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Common jobs
What common jobs pay in New York
Mean annual wage in the New York area against the national mean for the same occupation (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Occupation | New York area | US mean | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $119,600 | $101,420 | +18% |
| Software Developer | $165,880 | $148,100 | +12% |
| Elementary School Teacher | $96,400 | $72,650 | +33% |
| Accountant | $119,290 | $94,750 | +26% |
| Electrician | $88,670 | $71,490 | +24% |
| Truck Driver | $69,010 | $59,710 | +16% |
| Customer Service Representative | $54,410 | $46,590 | +17% |
| Retail Salesperson | $43,950 | $37,310 | +18% |
| Nursing Assistant | $50,810 | $42,700 | +19% |
| General and Operations Manager | $189,200 | $134,940 | +40% |
| Maintenance and Repair Worker, General | $60,860 | $53,780 | +13% |
| Cook, Restaurant | $43,200 | $38,730 | +12% |
The jobs
Best-paying jobs in New York
BLS publishes estimates for 723 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
- 1Family Medicine Physician$236,520
- 2Sales Manager$233,770
- 3Broadcast Announcer and Radio Disc Jockey$230,150
- 4IT Manager$224,990
- 5Lawyer$224,850
- 6Financial Advisor$217,170
- 7Public Relations Manager$208,810
- 8Marketing Manager$207,770
- 9Human Resources Manager$204,800
- 10Commercial Pilot$204,770
Jobs New York pays above the national average
Occupations with 100,000+ US workers
- 1Security, Commodity, and Financial Services Sales Agent$182,580 · +67%
- 2Flight Attendant$127,220 · +64%
- 3Aircraft Mechanic$138,490 · +63%
- 4Real Estate Agent$113,510 · +63%
- 5Bartender$63,630 · +56%
- 6Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator$100,710 · +52%
- 7Financial Quantitative Analyst$138,610 · +48%
- 8Firefighter$92,410 · +45%
- 9Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager$120,390 · +44%
- 10Sales Manager$233,770 · +42%
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 New York: FAQ
What is the average salary in New York?
Across all occupations in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area, the average (mean) annual wage is $86,310 and the median is $61,430, 20% above the US median (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 9,492,000 wage and salary jobs.
What is a good salary in New York?
Above $61,430 out-earns half of workers in the New York area; the top 25% start at $103,500 and the top 10% at $166,080. Prices run 13% above the national average (BEA, 2024), so matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $112,560 here.
Is New York expensive to live in?
BEA's price level for the New York metro is 112.6 (US = 100, 2024). Housing rents are 148.6, goods 110.3, utilities 127.0. At local prices the median wage is worth $54,570, 73rd of 387 metros.
What are the highest-paying jobs in New York?
By mean annual wage: Family Medicine Physician ($236,520), Sales Manager ($233,770), Broadcast Announcer and Radio Disc Jockey ($230,150), IT Manager ($224,990), Lawyer ($224,850) (BLS OEWS May 2025, via the DOL wage file).