Average Salaries in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY
Explore salaries across 593 occupations in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $74.6K, +13.5% vs the national average. See the highest-paying roles, where the jobs are, and how local wages compare to the rest of the country.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates. Coverage: 593 occupations and 524,840 total jobs in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY.
How the metro compares
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY pays modestly above the national average. Most occupations here earn more than their national equivalents, but the gap is smaller than in top-tier markets.
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY is a mid-sized metro labor market.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Anesthesiologists. Drill into any occupation below to see its local pay distribution, employment, and how it compares to the national market.
Top-paying and largest occupations in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY
Two different lenses on the local labor market: which occupations pay the most, and which employ the most workers. The highest-paid list tends to favor specialized professional and technical roles. The largest list reflects where the everyday jobs actually are.
Highest-paid occupations in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Anesthesiologists | $512.6K | N/A |
| Cardiologists | $451.8K | 130 |
| Neurologists | $451.5K | 80 |
| Surgeons, All Other | $411.4K | 150 |
| Radiologists | $318.3K | 120 |
| Physicians, Pathologists | $305.6K | 40 |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | $303.2K | 210 |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | $269.7K | N/A |
| Obstetricians And Gynecologists | $258.8K | N/A |
| Nurse Anesthetists | $248K | 50 |
Largest occupations in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 18,090 | $36.6K |
| Retail Salespersons | 15,160 | $34.9K |
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 14,170 | $34.6K |
| Registered Nurses | 13,830 | $99.1K |
| General And Operations Managers | 11,100 | $103.3K |
| Cashiers | 10,590 | $33.9K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 9,990 | $38K |
| Customer Service Representatives | 9,850 | $45.5K |
| Janitors And Cleaners, Except Maids And Housekeeping Cleaners | 9,290 | $37.4K |
| Waiters And Waitresses | 7,990 | $46.6K |
What Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY specializes in
The location quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is here compared to the national average. A value above 1.00 means the occupation is more common in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY than in the country as a whole, which signals what this metro is known for.
Most concentrated occupations in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Word Processors And Typists | 10.79 | $47K |
| Industrial Engineering Technologists And Technicians | 4.83 | $78.1K |
| School Bus Monitors | 4.80 | $34.5K |
| Bill And Account Collectors | 4.64 | $40.3K |
| Correspondence Clerks | 4.31 | $48.4K |
| Credit Authorizers, Checkers, And Clerks | 3.97 | $48.8K |
| Music Directors And Composers | 3.40 | N/A |
| Historians | 3.23 | $68K |
| Stationary Engineers And Boiler Operators | 3.07 | $69.3K |
| Clergy | 3.04 | $55.1K |
Comparable metros
| Metro | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $98.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $95.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $92.6K | Cardiologists |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $87.1K | Cardiologists |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $83.8K | Radiologists |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $82.7K | Radiologists |
| Boulder, CO | $82.3K | Surgeons, All Other |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $82.3K | Radiologists |
Common salary questions for Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY
What does "average median" mean? +
It is the average of all occupation-level medians in this area. It gives a rough sense of the overall wage level here compared to other states or metros, but it is not the same as a household income figure or a single blended salary.
What is a location quotient? +
A location quotient (LQ) compares how concentrated an occupation is in this area versus the national average. An LQ of 2.0 means the occupation is twice as concentrated here as it is nationally. High-LQ occupations are what this area specializes in.
How are comparable areas selected? +
Peer areas are other metros with a similar overall wage level and employment size. They give you a quick sense of how this area ranks among places with a comparable labor market.