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News Release Information

17-972-NEW
Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (617) 565-4141

Occupational Employment and Wages for Four Therapist Occupations in Selected Metropolitan Areas in New York – May 2016

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
AreaPhysical therapistsOccupational therapistsSpeech-language pathologistsRespiratory therapists

United States

$87,220$83,730$78,210$60,640

New York

85,73086,94088,510*71,100*

Albany-Schenectady-Troy

73,680*70,170*68,350*59,290*

Binghamton

77,820*62,660*75,60071,310*

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls

73,940*68,300*77,28060,430

Kingston

86,37096,540*84,70073,930*

New York-Newark-Jersey City

92,900*95,230*94,360*75,470*

Dutchess County-Putnam County

79,450*77,910*73,33080,580*

Nassau County-Suffolk County

86,47085,87095,880*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*72,12056,870*

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
AreaPhysical therapistsOccupational therapistsSpeech-language pathologistsRespiratory therapists

United States

216,920118,070135,980126,770

New York

16,3908,13011,3605,840

Albany-Schenectady-Troy

840440690310

Binghamton

170100110(1)

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls

1,0206001,170470

Kingston

140809050

New York-Newark-Jersey City

16,1107,98011,1105,870

Dutchess County-Putnam County

32013018090

Nassau County-Suffolk County

3,3801,2802,000900

New York-Jersey City-White Plains

10,5205,4207,6304,100

Rochester

980620700390

Syracuse

590320330220

Utica-Rome

26019015090

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.

Note

 

A value that is statistically different from another does not necessarily mean that the difference has economic or practical significance. Statistical significance is concerned with the ability to make confident statements about a universe based on a sample. It is entirely possible that a large difference between two values is not significantly different statistically, while a small difference is, since both the size and heterogeneity of the sample affect the relative error of the data being tested.


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.

Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service: (800) 877-8339.

 

Last Modified Date: Tuesday, July 11, 2017