Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2025 reference period
Rochester, NY Average Salary 2026
Cost of living, occupation-by-occupation pay, and percentile ranges from official BLS data.
The average salary in Rochester, NY, New York is $105,564 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (2025 reference period) covering 65 occupations and roughly 93,440 workers. Adjusted for Rochester, NY's cost-of-living index of 92.9, that nominal average translates to $113,632 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro. The highest-paying tracked occupation is Family Medicine Physician at $215,340; the lowest is Welder at $57,130.
Rochester, NY, NY has below-baseline cost-of-living (index 92.9), which means the $105,564 average median wage translates to higher real purchasing power than the same number would in higher-COL markets.
Highest-paying role in Rochester, NY on BLS data is Family Medicine Physician at $215,340 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. Lower-COL cities like Rochester, NY often outperform higher-COL ones on cost-adjusted real income for the same role, especially for workers in mid-paying occupations whose gross wages do not vary as much by city.
Salaries by Occupation in Rochester, NY
| Role | Category | Median | Range (10th–90th) | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family Medicine Physician | Healthcare | $215,340 | $111,330 – $428,790 | 190 |
| Obstetrician/Gynecologist | Healthcare | $210,250 | $74,030 – $375,680 | 170 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analyst | Technology | $204,340 | $135,520 – $214,550 | 50 |
| Computer and Information Systems Manager | Technology | $170,000 | $115,720 – $266,600 | 1,790 |
| Financial Manager | Finance | $167,800 | $99,990 – $295,890 | 2,190 |
| Dentist | Healthcare | $167,480 | $66,840 – $230,380 | 430 |
| Sales Manager | Management | $165,140 | $84,690 – $299,840 | 1,220 |
| Optometrist | Healthcare | $159,380 | $99,030 – $187,690 | 120 |
| Marketing Manager | Management | $149,440 | $83,990 – $265,570 | 1,470 |
| Lawyer | Legal | $148,150 | $82,190 – $325,280 | 1,710 |
| Human Resources Manager | Management | $146,990 | $92,050 – $247,310 | 680 |
| Pharmacist | Healthcare | $136,310 | $123,610 – $156,770 | 1,070 |
| Statistician | Technology | $131,140 | $67,310 – $167,780 | 40 |
| Physician Assistant | Healthcare | $130,430 | $109,130 – $155,390 | 1,230 |
| Nurse Practitioner | Healthcare | $128,110 | $105,340 – $154,610 | 1,890 |
| Veterinarian | Healthcare | $127,580 | $93,010 – $200,440 | 200 |
| Pediatrician | Healthcare | $124,990 | $67,690 – $214,130 | 190 |
| Medical and Health Services Manager | Healthcare | $124,260 | $77,930 – $275,330 | 1,510 |
| Software Developer | Technology | $122,770 | $79,580 – $170,170 | 4,650 |
| Electrical Engineer | Engineering | $108,160 | $78,860 – $163,650 | 1,000 |
| Computer Network Architect | Technology | $107,200 | $78,610 – $165,520 | 510 |
| Information Security Analyst | Technology | $105,860 | $67,540 – $166,830 | 410 |
| General and Operations Manager | Management | $103,690 | $54,090 – $234,220 | 9,230 |
| Business Professor (Postsecondary) | Education | $102,320 | $56,170 – $215,320 | 410 |
| Personal Financial Advisor | Finance | $101,150 | $61,190 – $286,310 | 820 |
| Mechanical Engineer | Engineering | $100,160 | $69,810 – $135,730 | 1,040 |
| Industrial Engineer | Engineering | $100,150 | $75,140 – $136,050 | 1,920 |
| Engineers (Other) | Engineering | $100,080 | $59,690 – $157,300 | 670 |
| Civil Engineer | Engineering | $99,460 | $68,830 – $149,270 | 890 |
| Software Quality Assurance Tester | Technology | $97,840 | $64,200 – $132,460 | 490 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | Technology | $97,240 | $64,990 – $146,100 | 910 |
| Management Analyst | Management | $97,070 | $61,740 – $162,030 | 1,810 |
| Computer Occupations (Other) | Technology | $96,750 | $54,630 – $170,870 | 440 |
| Architect | Engineering | $95,480 | $66,140 – $152,000 | 230 |
| Financial Analyst | Finance | $94,940 | $62,150 – $153,180 | 1,160 |
| Audiologist | Healthcare | $94,270 | $77,620 – $104,330 | 70 |
| Network Architect | Technology | $94,130 | $64,400 – $132,450 | 1,130 |
| Dental Hygienist | Healthcare | $93,650 | $80,290 – $95,160 | 940 |
| Data Scientist | Technology | $92,800 | $49,070 – $155,200 | 1,190 |
| Web Developer | Technology | $91,540 | $56,240 – $165,120 | 400 |
| Registered Nurse | Healthcare | $86,570 | $79,340 – $106,350 | 12,340 |
| Operations Research Analyst | Technology | $84,980 | $60,800 – $159,950 | 170 |
| Computer Programmer | Technology | $83,420 | $56,680 – $132,260 | 290 |
| Financial Examiner | Finance | $83,400 | $47,210 – $152,330 | 110 |
| Physical Therapist | Healthcare | $83,070 | $66,070 – $112,740 | 1,140 |
| Loan Officer | Finance | $82,280 | $52,180 – $215,160 | 470 |
| Occupational Therapist | Healthcare | $81,750 | $57,940 – $109,810 | 740 |
| Database Architect | Technology | $81,490 | $49,570 – $138,070 | 130 |
| Clinical Laboratory Technologist | Healthcare | $81,290 | $46,330 – $99,860 | 1,140 |
| Accountant | Finance | $80,890 | $58,030 – $130,690 | 4,370 |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | Healthcare | $80,220 | $55,500 – $120,490 | 950 |
| Web Designer | Technology | $79,930 | $50,670 – $132,370 | 140 |
| Electrician | Trades | $77,310 | $45,410 – $107,910 | 2,540 |
| Market Research Analyst | Management | $77,170 | $46,030 – $127,620 | 2,550 |
| Secondary School Teacher | Education | $76,190 | $50,590 – $94,680 | 4,430 |
| Plumber | Trades | $73,580 | $43,570 – $100,140 | 1,460 |
| Public Relations Specialist | Creative | $71,740 | $43,640 – $115,280 | 880 |
| Writer/Author | Creative | $68,600 | $43,040 – $148,290 | 110 |
| Computer Network Support Specialist | Technology | $65,180 | $49,050 – $98,320 | 650 |
| Graphic Designer | Creative | $63,530 | $42,090 – $103,440 | 650 |
| Elementary School Teacher | Education | $62,840 | $48,110 – $92,670 | 5,100 |
| Carpenter | Trades | $59,490 | $44,360 – $82,670 | 2,350 |
| Automotive Technician | Trades | $58,530 | $36,840 – $78,400 | 2,310 |
| Paralegal | Legal | $57,250 | $43,100 – $81,830 | 1,300 |
| Welder | Trades | $57,130 | $38,800 – $70,520 | 650 |
What These Numbers Tell You
The single highest-paying occupation tracked in Rochester, NY is Family Medicine Physician, with a median of $215,340 and a 90th-percentile reading of $428,790. That $317,460 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 65 BLS-tracked occupations in Rochester, NY, the average median salary is $105,564. The top five roles average $193,546 — about 1.8× 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.
Rochester, NY runs below the U.S. average on cost of living (index 92.9, about 7% below the national mean). Lower nominal salaries here often translate to comparable or better purchasing power than higher headline numbers in coastal hubs.
Salary Negotiation in Rochester, NY
For salary negotiation in Rochester, 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 92.9 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 Rochester, 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 Rochester, NY, match each occupation against our role catalog, and surface percentile wages alongside employment counts. The cost-of-living index (92.9) 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 Rochester, NY in 2026?
The average salary in Rochester, NY is $105,564 as of 2026, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' OEWS 2025 release covering 65 occupations. The mean (employment-weighted average) gives slightly more weight to large occupations; the median across roles is also close to $105,564. The top-paying role is Family Medicine Physician at $215,340.
Is $100,000 a good salary in Rochester, NY?
In Rochester, NY, $100,000 has the purchasing power of $107,643 in an average-cost U.S. metro (COL index 92.9). That is above $100K of buying power — a $100K salary stretches further in Rochester, NY than in most U.S. metros. Compared to the city's average median of $105,564, $100K is below the typical worker.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Rochester, NY?
The top-paying tracked occupations in Rochester, NY are Family Medicine Physician ($215,340), Obstetrician/Gynecologist ($210,250), Software Quality Assurance Analyst ($204,340), and Computer and Information Systems Manager ($170,000). Across the top 10, median salaries range from $148,150 to $215,340. See the full ranking at /ranking/highest-paying-jobs/rochester.
How does Rochester, NY's cost of living affect salaries?
Rochester, NY has a cost-of-living index of 92.9, 7% below the U.S. national average. A nominal salary of $105,564 in this metro has the equivalent purchasing power of $113,632 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 Rochester, NY?
Across the 65 BLS-tracked occupations on this page, total employment in the Rochester, NY metro is approximately 93,440. 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 Rochester, 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, Rochester, NY MSA, 2026 release. Public domain. See bls.gov/oes. Cite as: "SalaryTruth, BLS OEWS 2026."
Last refreshed 2026-05-21 · 65 occupations · COL Index 92.9.