Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2025 reference period
Albany, NY Average Salary 2026
Cost of living, occupation-by-occupation pay, and percentile ranges from official BLS data.
The average salary in Albany, NY, New York is $107,838 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (2025 reference period) covering 64 occupations and roughly 90,900 workers. Adjusted for Albany, NY's cost-of-living index of 100.7, that nominal average translates to $107,088 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro. The highest-paying tracked occupation is Obstetrician/Gynecologist at $253,580; the lowest is Automotive Technician at $55,500.
Albany, NY, NY sits near the national cost-of-living baseline (index 100.7). 64 occupations are reported here with median wages averaging $107,838.
Highest-paying role in Albany, NY on BLS data is Obstetrician/Gynecologist at $253,580 median. Top-paying roles in any U.S. city skew toward physicians, executives, tech specialists, and licensed professionals; the specific ranking varies with the local industry mix. Cities at the national cost-of-living baseline are useful reference points for cross-region comparisons — the gross wage and adjusted wage are roughly equivalent, so headline comparisons work.
Salaries by Occupation in Albany, NY
| Role | Category | Median | Range (10th–90th) | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Obstetrician/Gynecologist | Healthcare | $253,580 | $75,710 – $431,620 | 90 |
| Family Medicine Physician | Healthcare | $236,090 | $75,530 – $418,550 | 220 |
| Dentist | Healthcare | $193,780 | $127,060 – $422,040 | 320 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analyst | Technology | $181,990 | $122,250 – $280,710 | 200 |
| Optometrist | Healthcare | $164,020 | $65,960 – $193,610 | 130 |
| Sales Manager | Management | $163,510 | $81,380 – $307,590 | 940 |
| Computer and Information Systems Manager | Technology | $158,250 | $118,780 – $251,710 | 2,180 |
| Marketing Manager | Management | $153,580 | $80,590 – $266,610 | 1,050 |
| Financial Manager | Finance | $150,590 | $89,630 – $278,480 | 2,680 |
| Physician Assistant | Healthcare | $137,850 | $116,990 – $161,720 | 770 |
| Pharmacist | Healthcare | $136,720 | $97,340 – $164,330 | 1,050 |
| Nurse Practitioner | Healthcare | $134,590 | $108,680 – $163,900 | 910 |
| Veterinarian | Healthcare | $131,680 | $97,550 – $233,310 | 280 |
| Lawyer | Legal | $131,310 | $82,090 – $263,130 | 3,180 |
| Engineers (Other) | Engineering | $130,810 | $81,590 – $175,780 | 580 |
| Software Developer | Technology | $127,910 | $80,800 – $178,120 | 3,280 |
| Personal Financial Advisor | Finance | $124,610 | $57,330 – $360,640 | 680 |
| Human Resources Manager | Management | $124,540 | $80,270 – $213,570 | 920 |
| Medical and Health Services Manager | Healthcare | $121,470 | $77,210 – $212,020 | 1,880 |
| Computer Network Architect | Technology | $121,000 | $77,840 – $168,370 | 430 |
| General and Operations Manager | Management | $111,130 | $60,220 – $235,180 | 8,890 |
| Mechanical Engineer | Engineering | $108,310 | $76,270 – $165,360 | 930 |
| Pediatrician | Healthcare | $107,700 | $75,490 – $272,090 | 110 |
| Electrical Engineer | Engineering | $105,910 | $70,890 – $170,020 | 720 |
| Industrial Engineer | Engineering | $104,170 | $82,410 – $160,710 | 1,570 |
| Information Security Analyst | Technology | $103,890 | $67,220 – $165,750 | 470 |
| Civil Engineer | Engineering | $102,470 | $75,990 – $149,520 | 1,470 |
| Database Architect | Technology | $102,160 | $58,940 – $130,880 | 400 |
| Software Quality Assurance Tester | Technology | $100,690 | $64,140 – $136,490 | 430 |
| Registered Nurse | Healthcare | $99,970 | $77,150 – $130,970 | 10,230 |
| Web Developer | Technology | $99,210 | $51,990 – $164,290 | 310 |
| Data Scientist | Technology | $98,940 | $64,450 – $160,460 | 830 |
| Architect | Engineering | $98,350 | $66,450 – $163,100 | 340 |
| Dental Hygienist | Healthcare | $98,030 | $79,920 – $103,990 | 730 |
| Audiologist | Healthcare | $97,100 | $80,770 – $119,510 | 50 |
| Computer Occupations (Other) | Technology | $95,920 | $56,350 – $160,100 | 620 |
| Network Architect | Technology | $95,140 | $65,060 – $127,420 | 1,060 |
| Physical Therapist | Healthcare | $94,020 | $71,130 – $108,510 | 790 |
| Financial Analyst | Finance | $91,270 | $58,530 – $160,330 | 1,190 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | Technology | $86,890 | $64,990 – $117,860 | 3,290 |
| Occupational Therapist | Healthcare | $85,990 | $61,880 – $107,930 | 550 |
| Web Designer | Technology | $85,070 | $32,240 – $120,470 | 140 |
| Business Professor (Postsecondary) | Education | $84,980 | $40,470 – $135,030 | 430 |
| Accountant | Finance | $84,660 | $59,530 – $133,670 | 4,680 |
| Computer Programmer | Technology | $84,140 | $64,990 – $113,100 | 1,430 |
| Operations Research Analyst | Technology | $84,140 | $54,210 – $126,420 | 430 |
| Management Analyst | Management | $83,690 | $60,010 – $129,370 | 3,560 |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | Healthcare | $82,160 | $62,610 – $121,050 | 690 |
| Financial Examiner | Finance | $80,640 | $52,270 – $128,100 | 320 |
| Secondary School Teacher | Education | $80,620 | $57,560 – $104,120 | 3,500 |
| Clinical Laboratory Technologist | Healthcare | $80,000 | $40,920 – $104,060 | 830 |
| Loan Officer | Finance | $79,710 | $47,860 – $167,120 | 560 |
| Elementary School Teacher | Education | $79,240 | $51,510 – $104,390 | 3,550 |
| Writer/Author | Creative | $78,050 | $48,010 – $131,810 | 90 |
| Plumber | Trades | $77,460 | $47,050 – $116,550 | 1,470 |
| Market Research Analyst | Management | $76,140 | $43,580 – $135,990 | 2,160 |
| Electrician | Trades | $74,890 | $46,130 – $106,520 | 1,820 |
| Computer Network Support Specialist | Technology | $73,160 | $51,270 – $105,390 | 430 |
| Public Relations Specialist | Creative | $68,240 | $44,050 – $115,680 | 1,580 |
| Graphic Designer | Creative | $63,200 | $44,340 – $100,460 | 450 |
| Carpenter | Trades | $60,720 | $48,260 – $91,470 | 2,000 |
| Paralegal | Legal | $60,680 | $47,250 – $81,320 | 1,340 |
| Welder | Trades | $59,390 | $45,730 – $77,580 | 550 |
| Automotive Technician | Trades | $55,500 | $37,400 – $76,570 | 2,140 |
What These Numbers Tell You
The single highest-paying occupation tracked in Albany, NY is Obstetrician/Gynecologist, with a median of $253,580 and a 90th-percentile reading of $431,620. That $355,910 spread between the 10th and 90th percentiles is typical for a role of this seniority — entry-level workers cluster near the bottom of the band, while senior specialists and managers earn at the top.
Across all 64 BLS-tracked occupations in Albany, NY, the average median salary is $107,838. The top five roles average $205,892 — about 1.9× the citywide average — which is the expected shape for a U.S. metro economy: a small concentration of high-skill, high-credential occupations sits well above the broader middle.
Albany, NY sits close to the U.S. average on cost of living (index 100.7). Headline salary numbers translate roughly one-for-one into purchasing power — useful as a national benchmark city when comparing offers across markets.
Salary Negotiation in Albany, NY
For salary negotiation in Albany, NY, the practical input is the percentile band for your role and city, not the citywide average. The OEWS publishes 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile wages for every metro and occupation; you can find your role's exact percentile in the table above and use the SalaryTruth percentile calculator to anchor your offer. Cost-of-living index 100.7 should also factor in any cross-metro comparison.
For city-vs-city moves, the right benchmark is COL-adjusted pay rather than nominal pay. Our COL-adjusted salaries guide shows the exact math; the negotiation playbook covers how to use BLS percentile bands to anchor offers.
How Albany, NY Salary Data Is Built
Wages on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program — a federal survey of more than 1.2 million U.S. establishments, published once per year by Metropolitan Statistical Area and Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code. We pull the BLS data file for Albany, NY, match each occupation against our role catalog, and surface percentile wages alongside employment counts. The cost-of-living index (100.7) is a composite of housing, food, transportation, and utility data from public sources, calibrated to a U.S. national average of 100. Read the full methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average salary in Albany, NY in 2026?
The average salary in Albany, NY is $107,838 as of 2026, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' OEWS 2025 release covering 64 occupations. The mean (employment-weighted average) gives slightly more weight to large occupations; the median across roles is also close to $107,838. The top-paying role is Obstetrician/Gynecologist at $253,580.
Is $100,000 a good salary in Albany, NY?
In Albany, NY, $100,000 has the purchasing power of $99,305 in an average-cost U.S. metro (COL index 100.7). That is roughly in line with what $100K buys in a typical U.S. city. Compared to the city's average median of $107,838, $100K is below the typical worker.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Albany, NY?
The top-paying tracked occupations in Albany, NY are Obstetrician/Gynecologist ($253,580), Family Medicine Physician ($236,090), Dentist ($193,780), and Software Quality Assurance Analyst ($181,990). Across the top 10, median salaries range from $137,850 to $253,580. See the full ranking at /ranking/highest-paying-jobs/albany.
How does Albany, NY's cost of living affect salaries?
Albany, NY has a cost-of-living index of 100.7, 1% above the U.S. national average. A nominal salary of $107,838 in this metro has the equivalent purchasing power of $107,088 in an average-cost U.S. city. Housing is the dominant driver of this gap; in higher-COL markets, mortgage or rent typically eats 5–15 percentage points more of pre-tax pay than in average-cost metros.
How many people are employed in Albany, NY?
Across the 64 BLS-tracked occupations on this page, total employment in the Albany, NY metro is approximately 90,900. BLS OEWS sample-based estimates cover all major occupational categories but exclude very small or volatile fields where the sample is too thin to publish.
Where does this Albany, NY salary data come from?
Every wage figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program at bls.gov/oes — public domain federal survey data covering about 1.2 million U.S. employers. The same data is used by the U.S. Department of Labor for prevailing wage determinations.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Albany, NY MSA, 2026 release. Public domain. See bls.gov/oes. Cite as: "SalaryTruth, BLS OEWS 2026."
Last refreshed 2026-05-21 · 64 occupations · COL Index 100.7.