Among eight selected metropolitan areas in New York, six areas had annual wages that were significantly below the national average for both physical therapists and occupational therapists, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Three areas had below-average wages for speech-language pathologists, and three areas had below-average wages for respiratory therapists. Chief Regional Economist Martin Kohli noted that New York-Newark-Jersey City was the only metropolitan area to have an average annual wage significantly above the U.S. average for all four of the selected therapist occupations. Nationwide, the average (mean) annual wage for physical therapists was $87,220; for occupational therapists, $83,730; for speech-language pathologists, $78,210; and for respiratory therapists, $60,640. (See table A. For comprehensive definitions of the New York metropolitan areas examined in this release, please see Technical Note.).

Table A. Average (mean) annual wages for selected therapist occupations in the United States, New York, and selected metropolitan areas in New York, May 2016

Area	Physical therapists	Occupational therapists	Speech-language pathologists	Respiratory therapists
United States	$87,220	$83,730	$78,210	$60,640
New York	85,730	86,940	88,510*	71,100*
Albany-Schenectady-Troy	73,680*	70,170*	68,350*	59,290*
Binghamton	77,820*	62,660*	75,600	71,310*
Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls	73,940*	68,300*	77,280	60,430
Kingston	86,370	96,540*	84,700	73,930*
New York-Newark-Jersey City	92,900*	95,230*	94,360*	75,470*
Dutchess County-Putnam County	79,450*	77,910*	73,330	80,580*
Nassau County-Suffolk County	86,470	85,870	95,880*	77,320*
New York-Jersey City-White Plains	94,370*	98,840*	96,410*	75,540*
Rochester	77,430*	74,890*	65,630*	55,080*
Syracuse	76,350*	70,480*	72,120	56,870*
Utica-Rome	78,650*	73,590*	69,460*	67,580*
Note: An asterisk indicates that the mean annual wage for this area is significantly different from the national average of all areas at the 90-percent confidence level.

Of the eight selected metropolitan areas located entirely or partially in the state, the New York-Newark-Jersey City area had the largest numbers of physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and respiratory therapists, with a combined employment of 41,070 in the four occupations. Over two-thirds (27,670) of those jobs were located in one of the area’s four divisions, New York-Jersey City-White Plains. Another division, Nassau County-Suffolk County, had 7,560 jobs in the selected occupations. Employment in these four occupations combined was less than 3,300 in each of the remaining selected metropolitan areas in New York for which data were available. (See table B. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area’s Newark Metropolitan Division contains no counties in New York, and its data have not been presented in this release.)

Table B. Employment of selected therapist occupations in the United States, New York, and selected metropolitan areas in New York, May 2016

Area	Physical therapists	Occupational therapists	Speech-language pathologists	Respiratory therapists
United States	216,920	118,070	135,980	126,770
New York	16,390	8,130	11,360	5,840
Albany-Schenectady-Troy	840	440	690	310
Binghamton	170	100	110	(1)
Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls	1,020	600	1,170	470
Kingston	140	80	90	50
New York-Newark-Jersey City	16,110	7,980	11,110	5,870
Dutchess County-Putnam County	320	130	180	90
Nassau County-Suffolk County	3,380	1,280	2,000	900
New York-Jersey City-White Plains	10,520	5,420	7,630	4,100
Rochester	980	620	700	390
Syracuse	590	320	330	220
Utica-Rome	260	190	150	90
Footnotes: (1) Data not available.

Wages for physical therapists in selected metropolitan areas in New York

Physical therapists in the New York-Newark-Jersey City metropolitan area earned $92,900 per year, measurably above the U.S. average of $87,220. Wages were significantly below the national average for this occupation in 6 of the 8 eight selected metropolitan areas in New York, with averages ranging from $73,680 in Albany-Schenectady-Troy to $78,650 in Utica-Rome. Wages for physical therapists in Kingston were not measurably different from the national average.

Wages for occupational therapists in selected metropolitan areas in New York

The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had a mean annual wage of $95,230 for occupational therapists, significantly above the U.S. average of $83,730. Kingston ($96,540) was the only other of the selected New York metropolitan areas with a mean wage significantly above the U.S. average. The remaining six selected metropolitan areas in the state had wages significantly below the national average for occupational therapists, with averages ranging from $62,660 in Binghamton to $74,890 in Rochester.

Wages for speech-language pathologists in selected metropolitan areas in New York

One metropolitan area, New York-Newark-Jersey City, had a mean annual wage for speech-language pathologists ($94,360) that was significantly higher than the $78,210 national average. Three metropolitan areas had wages for speech-language pathologists that were measurably lower than the national average: Rochester ($65,630), Albany-Schenectady-Troy ($68,350), and Utica-Rome ($69,460). The remaining selected metropolitan areas had wages that were not measurably different from the U.S. average for the occupation.

Wages for respiratory therapists in selected metropolitan areas in New York

Four metropolitan areas had average wages for respiratory therapists that were significantly higher than the $60,640 national average: New York-Newark-Jersey City ($75,470), Kingston ($73,930), Binghamton ($71,310), and Utica-Rome ($67,580). Three areas had wages for respiratory therapists that were measurably lower than the national average: Rochester ($55,080), Syracuse ($56,870), and Albany-Schenectady-Troy ($59,290). Wages for respiratory therapists in Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls were not measurably different from the U.S. average.

These statistics are from the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey, a federal-state cooperative program between BLS and State Workforce Agencies, in this case, the New York State Department of Labor and the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

Technical Note

The Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey is a semiannual survey measuring occupational employment and wage rates for wage and salary workers in nonfarm establishments in the United States. The OES data available from BLS include include cross-industry occupational employment and wage estimates for the nation; over 650 areas, including states and the District of Columbia, metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), metropolitan divisions, nonmetropolitan areas, and territories; national industry-specific estimates at the NAICS sector, 3-, 4-, and selected 5- and 6-digit industry levels; and national estimates by ownership across all industries and for schools and hospitals. OES data are available at www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm.

OES estimates are constructed from a sample of about 1.2 million establishments. Each year, two semiannual panels of approximately 200,000 sampled establishments are contacted, one panel in May and the other in November. Responses are obtained by mail, Internet or other electronic means, email, telephone, or personal visit. The May 2016 estimates are based on responses from six semiannual panels collected over a 3-year period: May 2016, November 2015, May 2015, November 2014, May 2014, and November 2013. The overall national response rate for the six panels, based on the 50 states and the District of Columbia, is 73 percent based on establishments and 69 percent based on weighted sampled employment. The unweighted employment of sampled establishments across all six semiannual panels represents approximately 58 percent of total national employment. For more information about OES concepts and methodology, go to www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_tec.htm.

The May 2016 OES estimates are based on the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system and the 2012 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Information about the 2010 SOC is available on the BLS website at www.bls.gov/soc and information about the 2012 NAICS is available at www.bls.gov/bls/naics.htm.

 

Metropolitan area definitions

The substate area data published in this release reflect the standards and definitions established by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.

• Albany-Schenectady-Troy, N.Y. Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) includes Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, and Schoharie Counties in New York.
• Binghamton, N.Y. MSA includes Broome and Tioga Counties in New York.
• Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, N.Y. MSA includes Erie and Niagara Counties in New York.
• Kingston, N.Y. MSA includes Ulster County in New York.
• New York-Newark-Jersey City, N.Y.-N.J.-Pa. MSA includes the following:
  • Dutchess County-Putnam County, N.Y. Metropolitan Division (MD) includes Dutchess and Putnam Counties in New York.
  • Nassau County-Suffolk County, N.Y. MD includes Nassau and Suffolk Counties in New York.
  • New York-Jersey City-White Plains, N.Y.-N.J. MD includes Bergen, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Passaic Counties in New Jersey; and Bronx, Kings, New York, Orange, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, and Westchester Counties in New York.
  • Newark, N.J.-Pa. MD includes Essex, Hunterdon, Morris, Somerset, Sussex, and Union Counties in New Jersey; and Pike County in Pennsylvania.
• Rochester, N.Y. MSA includes Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, Wayne, and Yates Counties in New York.
• Syracuse, N.Y. MSA includes Madison, Onondaga, and Oswego Counties in New York.
• Utica-Rome, N.Y. MSA includes Herkimer and Oneida Counties in New York.

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