Among eight selected metropolitan areas located entirely or partially in New York, seven had annual wages that were significantly below the national average for physical therapists and five had below-average wages for occupational therapists, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Four areas had below-average wages for speech-language pathologists, and two 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 $90,170; for speech-language pathologists, $82,000; for occupational therapists, $86,210; and for respiratory therapists, $63,950. (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 metropolitan areas in New York, May 2019

Area	Physical therapists	Speech-language pathologists	Occupational therapists	Respiratory therapists
United States	$90,170	$82,000	$86,210	$63,950
New York	90,880	96,770*	89,920	76,990*
Albany-Schenectady-Troy	78,100*	70,240*	73,660*	63,850
Binghamton	83,650*	81,670	84,780	68,120*
Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls	75,820*	71,080*	72,220*	68,430*
Kingston	81,030*	86,100	84,760	79,280*
New York-Newark-Jersey City	97,380*	104,180*	95,990*	79,150*
Rochester	77,300*	72,010*	75,490*	60,940*
Syracuse	76,150*	76,740*	77,210*	59,320*
Utica-Rome	82,410*	87,170	82,180*	64,020
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.

The New York-Newark-Jersey City metropolitan area had a combined employment of 50,110 for the four selected therapist occupations. Employment in these four occupations combined was less than 3,400 in each of the remaining selected metropolitan areas in New York. (See table B.)

Table B. Employment of selected therapist occupations in the United States, New York, and metropolitan areas in New York, May 2019

Area	Physical therapists	Speech-language pathologists	Occupational therapists	Respiratory therapists
United States	233,350	154,360	133,570	132,090
New York	17,710	13,130	12,460	5,860
Albany-Schenectady-Troy	790	600	600	360
Binghamton	180	150	130	90
Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls	1,320	890	740	420
Kingston	140	100	60	50
New York-Newark-Jersey City	17,790	13,240	12,430	6,650
Rochester	1,050	840	740	440
Syracuse	590	510	370	240
Utica-Rome	260	140	200	100

Wages for physical therapists in selected metropolitan areas in New York

Physical therapists in the New York-Newark-Jersey City metropolitan area earned $97,380 per year, significantly higher than the U.S. average of $90,170. Wages were significantly below the national average for this occupation in 7 other selected metropolitan areas in New York, with averages ranging from $75,820 in Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls to $83,650 in the Binghamton area.

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 ($104,180) that was significantly higher than the $82,000 national average. Four metropolitan areas had wages for speech-language pathologists that were measurably lower than the national average: Albany-Schenectady-Troy ($70,240), Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls ($71,080), Rochester ($72,010), and Syracuse ($76,740). The remaining selected metropolitan areas had wages that were not measurably different from the U.S. average for the occupation.

Wages for occupational therapists in selected metropolitan areas in New York

The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had a mean annual wage of $95,990 for occupational therapists, significantly above the U.S. average of $86,210. Five of the selected metropolitan areas had wages significantly below the national average for occupational therapists, with averages ranging from $72,220 in Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls to $82,180 in Utica-Rome. Wages in the remaining two areas, Binghamton and Kingston, were not significantly different from the national average.

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 $63,950 national average: Kingston ($79,280), New York-Newark-Jersey City ($79,150), Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls ($68,430), and Binghamton ($68,120). Two areas had wages for respiratory therapists that were measurably lower than the national average: Syracuse ($59,320) and Rochester ($60,940). Wages for respiratory therapists in the Albany-Schenectady-Troy and Utica-Rome areas 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 cross-industry occupational employment and wage estimates for the nation; over 580 areas, including states and the District of Columbia, metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), nonmetropolitan areas, and territories; national industry-specific estimates at the NAICS sector, 3-digit, most 4-digit, 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.

The OES survey is a cooperative effort between BLS and the State Workforce Agencies (SWAs). BLS funds the survey and provides the procedures and technical support, while the State Workforce Agencies collect most of the data. OES estimates are constructed from a sample of about 1.1 million establishments. Each year, two semiannual panels of approximately 180,000 to 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 2019 estimates are based on responses from six semiannual panels collected over a 3-year period: May 2019, November 2018, May 2018, November 2017, May 2017, and November 2016. The unweighted sampled employment of 83 million across all six semiannual panels represents approximately 57 percent of total national employment. The overall national response rate for the six panels, based on the 50 states and the District of Columbia, is 71 percent based on establishments and 68 percent based on weighted sampled employment.

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.

The May 2019 OES estimates are the first set of OES estimates to be based in part on survey data collected using the 2018 SOC. These estimates use a hybrid of the 2010 and 2018 SOC systems. More information on the hybrid classification system is available at www.bls.gov/oes/soc_2018.htm.

The May 2019 OES estimates are based on the 2017 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). More information about the 2017 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, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) includes Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, and Schoharie Counties in New York.

• Binghamton, NY MSA includes Broome and Tioga Counties in New York.

• Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY MSA includes Erie and Niagara Counties in New York.

• Kingston, NY MSA includes Ulster County in New York.

• New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA MSA includes Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, and Union Counties in New Jersey; Bronx, Dutchess, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland Suffolk, and Westchester Counties in New York; and Pike County in Pennsylvania.

• Rochester, NY MSA includes Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, Wayne, and Yates Counties in New York.

• Syracuse, NY MSA includes Madison, Onondaga, and Oswego Counties in New York.

• Utica-Rome, NY 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.