Wages by Occupation in Elmira, NY

Pay and jobs by occupation in the Elmira, NY metropolitan area (BLS, May 2025). BLS counts about 33,600 jobs across all occupations here, with a median annual wage of $47,850 for all occupations combined. 176 occupations have a published median wage in this area.

Education and earnings of residents

Who lives in the Elmira, NY area and what they earn, by education, from federal survey data (not a measure of any one employer or college).

27.2% of adults 25 and over in this area have a bachelor’s degree or higher (±1.4), compared with 35.7% nationally.

Prices of goods and services here run at 94.4 when the whole U.S. is 100 (housing 76.4; U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024; estimates are revised). A higher number means prices are higher on average, not that the area is better or worse.

About 3,861 residents (4.9% of those 3 and older; U.S. 6.6%) are enrolled in college or graduate school, at any school (±446; ACS 2020-2024, Table B14001).

The unemployment rate in this area averaged 3.9% in 2025, with a labor force of about 35,068 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted annual average; estimates are model-based and revised).

33.4% of adults 25 to 34 have a bachelor’s degree or higher (±3.7), compared with 39.6% nationally (Table B15001).

Median yearly earnings by education, adults 25 and over who have earnings

Education	This area	United States
Less than high school	—	$32,485
High school graduate	$39,219	$40,153
Some college or associate's degree	$44,264	$47,260
Bachelor's degree	$66,701	$70,044
Graduate or professional degree	$69,658	$90,720

Poverty rate by education, adults 25 and over

Education	This area	United States
Less than high school	32.7% (±5.0)	24.2%
High school graduate	18.2% (±2.1)	14.4%
Some college or associate's degree	13.2% (±2.1)	9.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	4.8% (±1.3)	4.5%

What residents with a bachelor’s degree studied

Field of first major	This area	United States
Science and engineering	30.8%	36.1%
Science and engineering related fields	10.6%	10.0%
Business	16.2%	20.1%
Education	19.2%	10.9%
Arts, humanities and other	23.2%	23.0%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, Tables B15003, B20004 (earnings shown only when the margin of error is at most 20% of the value), B23006 (unemployment shown only when every margin is at most 3 points), B17003 (margins of error at the 90% level; poverty shown only when every margin is at most 8 points) and C15010 (the Census Bureau’s own field groups, in a fixed order, not ranked). Describes residents of the area, not a prediction for any person; the Census Bureau has not endorsed this presentation. MajorPays does not provide advice.

Wages by occupation

Occupation	Jobs	Median annual wage	Mean annual wage	Jobs per 1,000 jobs here	Concentration vs. U.S.
Accountants and Auditors	190	$79,540	$85,330	5.56	0.60
Administrative Services Managers	40	$113,640	$118,470	1.13	0.67
Animal Caretakers	50	$34,280	$36,060	1.43	0.83
Automotive Body and Related Repairers	40	$46,380	$49,570	1.31	1.37
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics	210	$46,720	$52,680	6.39	1.41
Bakers	40	$34,560	$38,300	1.22	0.80
Bartenders	170	$41,110	$47,710	5.07	1.04
Bill and Account Collectors	40	$40,450	$43,370	1.04	1.02
Billing and Posting Clerks	150	$39,730	$45,760	4.46	1.72
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks	350	$48,330	$51,030	10.49	1.19
Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists	70	$60,450	$61,190	2.04	1.09
Bus Drivers, School	190	$50,370	$56,730	5.78	2.23
Business Operations Specialists, All Other	110	$46,400	$56,350	3.15	0.45
Buyers and Purchasing Agents	110	$67,790	$70,740	3.21	1.02
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School	120	$62,770	$69,760	3.58	4.99
Carpenters	90	$61,190	$65,350	2.73	0.63
Cashiers	860	$32,790	$33,900	25.68	1.29
Chefs and Head Cooks	40	$63,410	$65,960	1.21	0.94
Chief Executives	40	$192,530	$235,250	1.11	0.84
Child, Family, and School Social Workers	170	$58,400	$66,210	5.04	2.00
Childcare Workers	90	$34,170	$35,820	2.80	0.84
Civil Engineers	40	$91,370	$95,020	1.08	0.46
Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment	90	$35,860	$36,890	2.59	1.06
Clergy	40	$62,780	$62,400	1.04	2.83
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists	30	$67,690	$84,420	0.94	1.92
Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	60	$45,960	$47,360	1.64	1.60
Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other	40	$64,690	$65,750	1.26	1.82
Compliance Officers	40	$65,480	$74,770	1.16	0.43
Computer and Information Systems Managers	60	$141,700	$155,390	1.65	0.38
Computer Network Support Specialists	40	$59,940	$57,920	1.09	1.16
Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators	140	$60,260	$54,620	4.12	3.78
Computer User Support Specialists	130	$55,060	$59,840	3.76	0.81
Construction and Building Inspectors	40	$65,790	$72,840	1.15	1.22
Construction Laborers	130	$49,600	$51,920	3.86	0.55
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria	90	$36,990	$40,110	2.64	0.93
Cooks, Restaurant	260	$36,970	$38,280	7.66	0.84
Correctional Officers and Jailers	550	$76,820	$75,050	16.45	6.72
Cost Estimators	50	$77,400	$80,200	1.49	1.04
Counter and Rental Clerks	90	$43,420	$45,390	2.76	1.07
Court, Municipal, and License Clerks	50	$46,980	$53,940	1.60	1.39
Crossing Guards and Flaggers	80	$37,490	$39,340	2.34	3.86
Customer Service Representatives	510	$39,230	$43,580	15.21	0.91
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	70	$44,190	$43,010	1.95	1.77
Dental Assistants	40	$49,450	$48,010	1.15	0.46
Dental Hygienists	40	$73,210	$75,520	1.19	0.83
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers	270	$33,250	$35,220	8.01	2.30
Dishwashers	120	$32,530	$33,890	3.60	1.17
Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance	50	$39,640	$46,330	1.63	1.25
Driver/Sales Workers	110	$46,150	$45,670	3.23	1.23
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary	90	$106,800	$115,430	2.55	1.21
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors	100	$56,060	$58,540	2.96	1.30
Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers	90	$52,460	$49,360	2.72	1.71
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education	450	$61,220	$65,600	13.48	1.51
Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs	50	$44,700	$59,330	1.57	1.58
Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants	150	$74,270	$76,400	4.33	1.46
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors	60	$42,240	$47,050	1.64	0.79
Facilities Managers	30	$113,180	$117,430	0.91	0.90
Fast Food and Counter Workers	880	$32,950	$34,110	26.12	1.05
Financial Managers	110	$150,120	$176,570	3.15	0.58
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers	140	$78,720	$84,900	4.20	0.80
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers	290	$42,720	$44,620	8.59	1.09
First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers	40	$51,500	$55,490	1.07	0.93
First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers	140	$76,600	$80,610	4.06	1.02
First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers	50	$87,670	$99,230	1.45	1.05
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers	280	$64,120	$67,820	8.22	0.89
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives	40	$101,350	$98,730	1.13	1.14
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers	210	$78,350	$78,120	6.23	1.44
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers	260	$48,570	$53,840	7.66	1.06
First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors	110	$60,940	$62,780	3.15	0.79
Food Preparation Workers	160	$34,010	$35,220	4.64	0.81
General and Operations Managers	640	$94,830	$120,760	19.13	0.85
Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	40	$43,620	$46,140	1.13	2.63
Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other	40	$48,040	$61,610	1.19	1.02
Healthcare Social Workers	60	$48,970	$54,630	1.75	1.45
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers	80	$62,400	$66,130	2.42	0.92
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers	390	$57,080	$58,320	11.67	0.88
Helpers--Production Workers	40	$39,270	$40,440	1.12	1.06
Highway Maintenance Workers	80	$62,440	$59,370	2.47	2.48
Home Health and Personal Care Aides	750	$36,900	$38,550	22.46	0.81
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop	80	$34,090	$37,220	2.24	0.81
Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping	50	$48,900	$46,810	1.56	2.69
Human Resources Specialists	130	$72,160	$75,810	4.01	0.68
Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians	40	$63,890	$66,260	1.26	2.60
Industrial Engineers	130	$85,110	$93,370	3.79	1.61
Industrial Machinery Mechanics	120	$64,750	$65,840	3.70	1.31
Industrial Production Managers	70	$108,990	$121,360	2.16	1.36
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators	90	$41,820	$43,540	2.80	0.56
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers	240	$55,380	$52,870	7.28	1.89
Instructional Coordinators	40	$79,450	$78,300	1.26	0.86
Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks	60	$45,210	$45,690	1.79	1.30
Insurance Sales Agents	70	$60,270	$67,540	2.14	0.70
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners	540	$35,970	$37,410	16.13	1.14
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education	40	$62,150	$66,910	1.14	1.62
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand	370	$37,280	$40,940	11.14	0.59
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers	190	$35,080	$38,070	5.59	0.91
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers	40	$32,330	$34,880	1.30	1.02
Lawyers	80	$126,900	$148,210	2.36	0.49
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists	30	$73,850	$73,210	0.99	1.16
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses	350	$63,390	$60,090	10.55	2.53
Light Truck Drivers	300	$42,220	$43,070	8.97	1.42
Loan Interviewers and Clerks	30	$48,160	$48,280	0.91	0.85
Loan Officers	40	$95,050	$129,370	1.07	0.61
Machinists	180	$59,330	$56,090	5.36	2.90
Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners	110	$32,350	$33,890	3.32	0.60
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General	440	$49,560	$52,760	13.22	1.34
Management Analysts	60	$90,190	$96,530	1.80	0.31
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists	120	$58,410	$69,220	3.54	0.61
Marketing Managers	40	$141,720	$146,020	1.28	0.50
Mechanical Engineers	50	$83,220	$94,160	1.53	0.80
Medical and Health Services Managers	80	$124,810	$138,700	2.46	0.64
Medical Assistants	190	$40,010	$41,790	5.66	1.08
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants	220	$41,000	$42,550	6.69	1.08
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers	50	$79,410	$77,420	1.36	1.60
Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers	90	$48,770	$47,310	2.64	2.48
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators	530	$44,050	$46,150	15.68	1.74
Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines	30	$65,390	$64,440	0.94	0.83
Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	250	$51,170	$52,410	7.34	9.16
Network and Computer Systems Administrators	70	$97,950	$99,370	2.07	1.03
New Accounts Clerks	30	$48,690	$50,380	1.02	4.32
Nurse Practitioners	130	$138,700	$138,270	3.89	1.87
Nursing Assistants	440	$37,960	$39,090	13.23	1.42
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists	40	$89,180	$92,040	1.14	1.26
Occupational Therapists	40	$83,190	$92,060	1.17	1.12
Office Clerks, General	470	$40,930	$43,360	13.97	0.88
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators	70	$65,760	$73,070	2.17	0.70
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders	100	$45,590	$45,630	3.05	1.25
Packers and Packagers, Hand	220	$38,060	$38,630	6.59	1.83
Painters, Construction and Maintenance	90	$59,490	$62,410	2.55	1.76
Paralegals and Legal Assistants	50	$56,230	$58,960	1.42	0.56
Parts Salespersons	70	$37,280	$41,410	2.07	1.19
Pharmacists	70	$142,640	$135,870	1.94	0.94
Pharmacy Technicians	90	$39,630	$40,580	2.66	0.88
Physical Therapists	60	$86,680	$95,890	1.84	1.07
Physician Assistants	60	$137,550	$133,490	1.92	1.84
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters	140	$64,680	$73,740	4.06	1.35
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers	170	$65,180	$67,690	4.92	1.14
Postal Service Mail Carriers	130	$57,470	$62,080	3.75	1.77
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education	60	$46,320	$52,540	1.84	0.60
Printing Press Operators	30	$39,460	$43,040	1.01	1.09
Production Workers, All Other	60	$56,810	$54,140	1.85	1.14
Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks	120	$59,010	$61,400	3.66	1.46
Project Management Specialists	150	$96,250	$103,160	4.37	0.64
Public Relations Specialists	40	$72,630	$80,230	1.10	0.60
Receptionists and Information Clerks	200	$37,380	$39,190	5.81	0.99
Recreation Workers	100	$34,560	$37,800	3.08	1.45
Registered Nurses	730	$82,820	$85,040	21.70	1.00
Rehabilitation Counselors	40	$37,140	$44,880	1.18	1.94
Retail Salespersons	1,180	$34,140	$38,570	35.07	1.40
Roofers	120	$58,730	$56,070	3.67	4.21
Sales Managers	60	$130,660	$144,520	1.79	0.44
Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel	110	$59,760	$68,470	3.25	0.40
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products	250	$65,230	$80,120	7.33	0.92
School Bus Monitors	50	$33,700	$39,170	1.36	2.70
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	220	$71,640	$68,680	6.45	0.94
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive	530	$44,450	$45,120	15.81	1.44
Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents	50	$116,910	$126,030	1.47	0.47
Security Guards	90	$40,130	$46,400	2.71	0.33
Self-Enrichment Teachers	60	$35,470	$42,540	1.90	0.89
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks	240	$44,670	$44,870	7.03	1.34
Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs	40	$32,970	$35,600	1.31	0.82
Social and Community Service Managers	70	$77,870	$82,810	1.95	1.45
Social and Human Service Assistants	180	$47,850	$45,490	5.34	1.90
Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School	70	$63,370	$69,160	2.20	1.31
Special Education Teachers, Secondary School	60	$78,170	$74,900	1.72	1.63
Stockers and Order Fillers	820	$37,520	$39,160	24.36	1.34
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors	90	$49,210	$54,930	2.73	0.86
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term	190	$37,810	$42,370	5.53	1.64
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary	630	$36,250	$38,380	18.80	2.06
Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers	60	$72,390	$80,950	1.67	2.66
Tellers	80	$38,840	$40,570	2.47	1.17
Training and Development Specialists	70	$71,990	$69,140	2.23	0.76
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers	30	$109,980	$110,830	1.01	0.71
Waiters and Waitresses	480	$46,160	$49,940	14.24	0.98
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators	40	$61,050	$61,840	1.29	1.56
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers	90	$48,820	$52,780	2.76	1.03
Word Processors and Typists	70	$39,200	$42,420	1.95	8.66

Colleges in this area

3 colleges in the federal directory have a campus in this area, listed alphabetically; MajorPays does not rank colleges. Each name links to the college’s profile.

College	Type	Level	Students, fall 2024
Arnot Ogden Medical Center	Private nonprofit	2-year	52
Elmira College	Private nonprofit	4-year or above	786
Schuyler Steuben Chemung Tioga Allegany BOCES	Public	Less than 2-year	166

Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS directory (HD 2024, core-based statistical area of the campus) and Fall Enrollment 2024 (total headcount). A count of students is the size of the college, not its quality; the Department has not endorsed this presentation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, metropolitan area estimates (cross-industry, all ownerships). Wages are pay for all workers in an occupation in this area, not any one person or employer; a dash means BLS does not publish the figure (often to protect privacy or because the estimate is unreliable), and “or more” marks a wage at or above BLS’s top reporting limit. Concentration is the BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of jobs in this area divided by its share nationally (1.00 = the same share as the U.S.; above 1.00 = a larger share); it says nothing about pay or openings. Jobs per 1,000 is the occupation's jobs per 1,000 jobs of all kinds in this area. Occupations that BLS reports only as hourly wages are not listed, and BLS shows some wages above its top limit as plain numbers while others read “or more”. Occupations are listed alphabetically; click a heading to sort. MajorPays does not rank places or occupations. MajorPays selected and reorganized these figures; the Bureau of Labor Statistics has not approved or endorsed this presentation. MajorPays does not provide advice. See Data sources.

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