Top 20 Highest Paying Jobs in New York
New York’s GDP per capita has risen steadily over the last several years, and it currently sits at around $75,131.
New York is known as being one of the most expensive places to live in the United States, particularly if you live in the city. The good news, though, is that there are lots of high-paying jobs available in New York for qualified professionals.
Are you currently looking for work in New York? Will you be searching for jobs in the next few years? Either way, this guide can help you plan your future appropriately.
This guide breaks down the highest-paying jobs in New York, the highest-paying industries in New York, and the highest-paying jobs in New York for fresh graduates. You’ll also find a breakdown of the best degrees for students to work toward if they want to qualify for these jobs, too.
What Salary Is Considered Rich in New York?
Before we discuss the best-paid jobs in New York, it’s important to talk about the type of salary you need to earn if you want to live comfortably and be considered “rich” in this part of the United States.
The average New Yorker earns a salary of $95,178 per year. However, the median salary here is just $52,000.
If you want to be one of New York’s highest earners, you’ll need to earn well over $150,000 per year. The closer you can get to $200,000 per year, though, the better off you’ll be, especially if you live or plan to live in New York City.
Remember, the cost of living in New York (particularly in the city) is very high. For a family of 4, monthly expenses (excluding rent) average a little less than $5,000, and a single person spends approximately $1,3500 per month (excluding rent). Speaking of rent, rental prices in New York are 34.51 percent higher than in Los Angeles (another very expensive city in the United States).
Clearly, you need to bring in quite a bit of money per year if you want to keep up with the cost of living here and have plenty of disposable income leftover.
What Is the #1 Highest-Paid Position in New York?
The number one highest-paying career in New York is consultant and sales representative.
If you’re good at selling, you can earn an average salary of $243,938 per year (more than double the average salary for a New York resident). Even entry-level sales representatives can earn a good living in New York (the average salary for these individuals is $206,000 per year).
A career in sales can set you up pretty well in New York, which makes sense when you consider the fact that it’s one of the shopping capitals of the world. If you don’t consider yourself a great salesperson, though, there are lots of other high-paying careers to pursue here.
Listed below are the top 20 highest-paying jobs in New York, ranked from lowest to highest salary.
What Are the Highest Paying Jobs in New York?
20. Internal Medicine Physician: Average Salary $185,919 per year
19. Obstetrics Gynecology Physician: Average Salary $187,971 per year
18. Executive Vice President: Average Salary $188,870 per year
17. Group Marketing Manager: Average Salary $189,440 per year
16. Global Vice President Of Sales: Average Salary $189,478 per year
15. Vice President/Managing Director: Average Salary $189,884 per year
14. Vice President, Product Management: Average Salary $191,341 per year
13. Senior Vice President Of Marketing: Average Salary $192,201 per year
12. Vice President Of National Accounts: Average Salary $192,481 per year
11. Senior Vice President, Sales: Average Salary $192,813 per year
10. Senior Vice President, Engineering: Average Salary $193,993 per year
9. Vice President Worldwide Sales: Average Salary $195,057 per year
8. Pain Management Physician: Average Salary $195,556 per year
7. Revenue Officer: Average Salary $195,689 per year
6. Chief Executive Officer or Chief Technology Officer: Average Salary $196,124 per year
5. Executive Vice President Of Sales: Average Salary $200,659 per year
4. Head Of Security: Average Salary $204,402 per year
3. Vice President, Products Marketing: Average Salary $206,998 per year
2. General Surgeon: Average Salary $222,651 per year
1. Consultant And Sales Representative: Average Salary $243,938 per year
Top 5 Highest-Paying Industries in New York
Understanding the highest-paying industries in New York can help you to further expand your job search and find lucrative positions more easily. Listed below are the top 5 highest-paying industries in New York, complete with the top 3 careers in each field and the job prospects for current job seekers.
The number one highest-paid position in New York is Consultant and Sales Representative. With this in mind, it makes sense that the business administration and sales sector would be one of the highest-paying industries in the state.
Top 3 Careers
- Consultant and Sales Representative: Average Salary $243,938 per year
- Vice President, Products Marketing: Average Salary $206,998 per year
- Executive Vice President of Sales: Average Salary $200,659 per year
Job Prospects: In New York, the job prospects for the business administration and sales industries are quite promising. All kinds of businesses operate out of New York, from tiny startups to massive corporations like American Express and CitiGroup. With so many businesses in one place, it’s safe to say that there are lots of job opportunities for people of all backgrounds and skill levels.
As is the case in many parts of the United States, the healthcare industry is another high-paying industry in New York. Considering the amount of time that surgeons, physicians, and other medical professionals put into their education and training, it’s understandable that they are paid as highly as they are.
Top 3 Careers
- General Surgeon: Average Salary $222,651 per year
- Pain Management Physician: Average Salary $195,556 per year
- Obstetrics Gynecology Physician: Average Salary $187,971 per year
Job Prospects: There is a high demand for healthcare workers in New York right now, which means the job prospects look very good for anyone with a medical background who wants to start their career here. Whether you’re a nurse, a surgeon, or anything in between, you’ll likely have an easy time getting hired and getting paid very well in New York.
The information technology industry is a booming industry throughout the United States, and New York is no exception. For those who have a background in computer programming, software development, or other, related fields, there are lots of jobs to be found here.
Top 3 Careers
- Chief Technology Officer: Average Salary $196,124 per year
- Director Of Systems Engineering: Average Salary $185,461 per year
- Director Of Network Engineering: Average Salary $181,289 per year
Job Prospects: Because the information technology industry is growing so rapidly, the job prospects look very good for those who want to find work in this field. Businesses of all kinds of hiring software developers, network engineers, and othe professionals to help them modernize their practices and level up their offerings, so you’ll likely be able to get hired right away.
The information security industry is another highly paid industry in New York. There are plenty of security-related positions here that pay well and provide a lot of opportunities to move up and enjoy management or directorial positions in the future.
Top 3 Careers
- Head of Security: Average Salary $204,402 per year
- Chief Security Officer: Average Salary $171,431 per year
- Security Vice President: Average Salary $165,078 per year
Job Prospects: For those who have a lot of experience in the information security field, particularly when it comes to cybersecurity, the job prospects in New York look quite good. There are lots of companies that need help keeping their data secure and protecting themselves and their clients or customers, and this high demand will likely lead to easier job seeking for you.
The finance industry is a branch of the business sector that is very profitable in New York. There’s a high demand here for finance professionals who can advise businesses and individuals, so it makes sense that those with a high level of expertise would do very well for themselves in New York.
Top 3 Careers
- Revenue Officer: Average Salary $195,689 per year
- Chief Financial Officer: Average Salary $176,664 per year
- Credit Risk Management Director: Average Salary $170,395 per year
Job Prospects: For those with a finance background, there are plenty of job openings in New York at businesses of all sizes. If you’re looking for a career in this industry, you’ll likely get hired very quickly and will be able to earn a high salary right away.
Top 5 Highest-Paying Jobs in New York for Fresh Graduates
Are you a student planning a future in New York? If so, it also helps to know about the highest-paying jobs in New York for fresh graduates.
Many of the jobs in the Top 20 list above come with high salaries, but it also takes a lot of time and effort to start earning those high salaries. After all, the average person doesn’t come straight out of school and land in a Vice President or Director position, right?
If you want to enjoy a generous entry-level salary as soon as you graduate from college, one of these 5 jobs might be a better fit for you:
Consultants and sales representatives are the highest-paid professionals in New York. Even those who are brand new to the field can earn an average entry-level salary of $206,000 per year, so this is definitely one of the highest-paying jobs for fresh graduates to consider.
To become a consultant or sales representative, you will typically need a bachelor’s degree in Business Management, Marketing, or another related field. This is good news for those who want to earn a high salary in New York but don’t want to spend several years in school before they can start working.
Some sales representatives do go on to earn an MBA to gain more experience and increase their earning potential, but it’s not necessary.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, if you don’t mind spending a long time (over 12 years, in fact) in school before you start working, you may want to consider a career as a general surgeon.
General surgeons evaluate and treat a wide range of health conditions, including those that affect the intestinal tract. To become a general surgeon, you must complete a 4-year bachelor’s degree, 4 years of medical school, and at least 5 years of residency.
It’s not an easy path, but it pays off in the long run. Once you finish studying, you’ll be able to earn one of the highest salaries in New York right away.
The entry-level salary for a general surgeon is $169,000 per year, and after a few years, you’ll be able to earn over $222,000 per year.
Revenue officers are responsible for collecting delinquent taxes and securing overdue tax returns from taxpayers. The entry-level salary for a revenue officer is $156,000 per year, making it one of the best careers for fresh graduates to pursue.
To become a revenue officer, you will need a bachelor’s degree in a field like economics, accounting, mathematics, or statistics. You will need to understand topics like international affairs, politics, and domestic economics, too.
For those who are good with numbers and want to start working without spending over 10 years in school, a career as a revenue officer is an excellent and rewarding choice.
Many healthcare-related careers offer high entry-level salaries, so they’re good options for those who want to earn a lot of money as soon as they graduate from school. A career as a pain management physician, for example, can provide you with an entry-level salary of $135,000, which is well above-average for New York.
To become a pain management physician, you’ll need to complete the requisite 8 years of school to become a physician. Then, you’ll obtain at least 4 years of hands-on training in a field like physical medicine and rehabilitation, neurology, or anesthesiology.
As is the case with other medical professions, it’s not an easy path, but it pays handsomely once you’ve completed it.
A career as an internal medicine physician is another one of the best-paid jobs in New York for fresh graduates. Internal medicine physicians specialize in internal disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of internal diseases.
The average entry-level salary for this position is $128,000 per year. Over time, though, you can work your way up to a salary of at least $185,000 per year.
The path to becoming an internal medicine physician is a bit shorter than some of the other medical positions included on this list. However, you will still need to complete a 4-year bachelor’s degree, 4 years of medical school, and a residency program that lasts about 3 years.
What Degree Pays the Most in New York?
To qualify for one of the best-paid jobs in New York, you will need a college degree.
College degree holders typically enjoy higher earning potential than those who don’t have degrees, and New York is no exception. However, to maximize your earnings, make sure you’re working toward the right kind of degree.
The table below breaks down some of the top degree types for New Yorkers, as well as the potential salaries that come with them.
Degree Type | Potential Salary |
Business Management | $243,938 per year |
Medical | $222,651 per year |
Marketing | $206,998 per year |
Computer Science | $196,124 per year |
Finance/Accounting | $195,689 per year |
You may not be able to guarantee that you’ll earn one of the salaries mentioned in the table above after receiving a particular degree. These are just estimated numbers to point you in the right direction, after all.
However, your chances of bringing in that amount of money do go up if you earn one of those degrees. Experts have found that they are some of the most versatile and valuable degrees for New Yorkers.
Apply for One of the Highest-Paying Jobs in New York Today
Once you know about the highest-paying jobs in New York, it’s a lot easier to decide what you want to do, whether you’re making a mid-career change or are a student trying to choose a major. Either way, the information in this guide is very valuable and can help you plan for the future.
When you’re ready to start applying for high-paying jobs in New York, don’t forget to check out GrabJobs, too.
GrabJobs features a free, easy-to-use search tool that helps you narrow down your job options based on lots of factors, including salary and experience requirements. Our Career Resources section also provides lots of guides to help with resume writing, interview preparation, and more.
