- New York state is home to the financial and media capital of the United States.
- Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we found the 30 occupations with the highest average salaries in the Empire State.
- Surgeons were at the top of the list, earning $230,890 a year in May 2019.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
New York is the home state of the financial and media capital of the United States, and its high-flying jobs market prior to the novel coronavirus pandemic matches its reputation.
Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment Statistics program, we found the 30 jobs with the highest average annual salaries in New York state as of May 2019, the most recently available data, among the 746 detailed occupational categories that BLS had annual average salaries reported in the state.
Similarly to our recently published list of the highest-paying jobs in the US, medical occupations loom large. Six of the top 10 highest-paying occupations in the state are various medical and dental specializations.
Here’s the full list, along with the jobs’ average annual salaries and the number of people employed in each job in New York State. Where available, we also included a brief description of what workers in the occupation do, from the Department of Labor’s O*NET Online occupational database.
30. Training and development managers
Average annual salary: $156,910
Number of people employed in New York: 3,050
What they do, according to O*NET: Plan, direct, or coordinate the training and development activities and staff of an organization.
29. Podiatrists
Average annual salary: $157,410
Number of people employed in New York: 1,060
What they do, according to O*NET: Diagnose and treat diseases and deformities of the human foot.
28. Purchasing managers
Average annual salary: $158,560
Number of people employed in New York: 4,310
What they do, according to O*NET: Plan, direct, or coordinate the activities of buyers, purchasing officers, and related workers involved in purchasing materials, products, and services.
27. Human resources managers
Average annual salary: $158,830
Number of people employed in New York: 10,980
What they do, according to O*NET: Plan, direct, or coordinate human resources activities and staff of an organization.
26. Natural sciences managers
Average annual salary: $159,600
Number of people employed in New York: 1,450
What they do, according to O*NET: Plan, direct, and coordinate activities in various scientific fields.
25. Architectural and engineering managers
Average annual salary: $164,340
Number of people employed in New York: 7,060
What they do, according to O*NET: Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as architecture or engineering.
24. Personal financial advisers
Average annual salary: $166,790
Number of people employed in New York: 26,150
What they do, according to O*NET: Advise clients on financial plans using knowledge of tax and investment strategies, securities, insurance, pension plans, and real estate.
23. General dentists
Average annual salary: $167,090
Number of people employed in New York: 8,780
What they do, according to O*NET: Examine, diagnose, and treat diseases, injuries, and malformations of teeth and gums.
22. Lawyers
Average annual salary: $168,780
Number of people employed in New York: 77,060
What they do, according to O*NET: Represent clients in criminal and civil litigation and other legal proceedings, draw up legal documents, or manage or advise clients on legal transactions.
21. General pediatricians
Average annual salary: $168,800
Number of people employed in New York: N/A
What they do, according to O*NET: Physicians who diagnose, treat, and help prevent children's diseases and injuries.
20. Public relations and fundraising managers
Average annual salary: $174,240
Number of people employed in New York: 6,550
What they do, according to O*NET: Plan, direct, or coordinate activities designed to create or maintain a favorable public image, raise issue awareness, or raise funds for their organization or client.
19. Compensation and benefits managers
Average annual salary: $176,070
Number of people employed in New York: 1,550
What they do, according to O*NET: Plan, direct, or coordinate compensation and benefits for an organization.
18. Physicians, all other, and ophthalmologists
Average annual salary: $179,110
Number of people employed in New York: 38,380
What they do, according to O*NET: This occupational category is a catchall for various medical specializations that are not classified under any other group. Some of the specializations in this category include allergists and immunologists, radiologists, hospitalists, and sports medicine physicians, among others.
17. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
Average annual salary: $184,090
Number of people employed in New York: 3,260
What they do, according to O*NET: Arbitrate, advise, adjudicate, or administer justice in a court of law.
16. Advertising and promotions managers
Average annual salary: $184,920
Number of people employed in New York: 7,840
What they do, according to O*NET: Plan, direct, or coordinate advertising policies and programs.
15. Marketing managers
Average annual salary: $186,350
Number of people employed in New York: 21,550
What they do, according to O*NET: Plan, direct, or coordinate marketing policies and programs.
14. Dentists, all other specialists
Average annual salary: $187,880
Number of people employed in New York: 280
What they do, according to O*NET: This is a catchall category for dentists not covered in other occupational groups.
13. General internists
Average annual salary: $188,370
Number of people employed in New York: N/A
What they do, according to O*NET: Physicians who diagnose and provide non-surgical treatment of diseases and injuries of internal organ systems.
12. Computer and information systems managers
Average annual salary: $190,390
Number of people employed in New York: 28,960
What they do, according to O*NET: Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as electronic data processing, information systems, systems analysis, and computer programming.
11. Family medicine physicians
Average annual salary: $194,070
Number of people employed in New York: N/A
What they do, according to O*NET: Physicians who diagnose, treat, and help prevent diseases and injuries that commonly occur in the general population.
10. Sales managers
Average annual salary: $194,090
Number of people employed in New York: 24,730
What they do, according to O*NET: Plan, direct, or coordinate the actual distribution or movement of a product or service to the customer.
9. Orthodontists
Average annual salary: $194,590
Number of people employed in New York: N/A
What they do, according to O*NET: Examine, diagnose, and treat dental malocclusions and oral cavity anomalies.
8. Nurse anesthetists
Average annual salary: $200,350
Number of people employed in New York: 1,900
What they do, according to O*NET: Administer anesthetics, monitor patient's vital signs, and oversee patient recovery from anesthesia.
7. Financial managers
Average annual salary: $210,240
Number of people employed in New York: 46,100
What they do, according to O*NET: Plan, direct, or coordinate financial activities.
6. Anesthesiologists
Average annual salary: $212,730
Number of people employed in New York: 1,540
What they do, according to O*NET: Physicians who administer anesthetics prior to, during, or after surgery or other medical procedures.
5. Chief executives
Average annual salary: $215,490
Number of people employed in New York: 8,990
What they do, according to O*NET: Determine and formulate policies and provide overall direction of companies or private and public sector organizations within guidelines set up by a board of directors or similar governing body.
4. Psychiatrists
Average annual salary: $216,280
Number of people employed in New York: 3,690
What they do, according to O*NET: Physicians who diagnose, treat, and help prevent disorders of the mind.
3. Obstetricians and gynecologists
Average annual salary: $216,760
Number of people employed in New York: 1,580
What they do, according to O*NET: Physicians who provide medical care related to pregnancy or childbirth and those who diagnose, treat, and help prevent diseases of women.
2. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons
Average annual salary: $230,720
Number of people employed in New York: 360
What they do, according to O*NET: Perform surgery and related procedures on the hard and soft tissues of the oral and maxillofacial regions.
1. Surgeons
Average annual salary: $230,890
Number of people employed in New York: N/A
What they do, according to O*NET: Physicians who treat diseases, injuries, and deformities by invasive, minimally-invasive, or non-invasive surgical methods.