Albany Hourly Wage & Salary 2026
Albany, NY: $28.10/hr median hourly wage, $58,460 median annual salary, cost of living index 95, and $16.50/hr minimum wage. Calculate take-home pay with federal and New York taxes.
Albany Hourly Wage Quick Answer
The median hourly wage in Albany, NY is $28.10/hr,and the median annual wage is $58,460. Entry-level pay estimates around $17.42/hr, senior-level pay estimates around $39.90/hr, and the local minimum wage is $16.50/hr.
Median figures: BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY metropolitan statistical area (449,410 jobs). BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city, so Albany shares this figure with the rest of its metro. Entry and senior levels are Salario estimates.
Median Salary
$58,460
$28.10/hr
Cost of Living
95
US avg = 100
Minimum Wage
$16.50
per hour
Unemployment
3.5%
rate
Albany, NY Overview
Population
99,224
Median Salary
$58,460
Average Salary
$71,830
Avg Commute
22 min
Median Home Price
$215,000
Median Rent
$1,150/mo
Job Growth
+1.2%
Sales Tax
8%
Albany is located in New York with a population of 99,224. The median annual wage across all occupations is $58,460 ($28.10/hour, BLS OEWS May 2025, Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY metro), which is $7,480 above the national median of $50,980. The national median is the BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations median annual wage. The average commute time is 22 minutes, and the city has a job growth rate of +1.2%.
Albany Salary by Experience Level (2026)
Wage distribution in Albany, NY built around the $58,460 median salary (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY metro). Entry-level represents 10th–25th percentile; mid-level is the median; senior-level represents 75th–90th percentile. The non-median rows are Salario estimates.
| Experience Level | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage | Years Exp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level | $36,245 | $17.42/hr | 0–2 years |
| Mid-Level (Median) | $58,460 | $28.10/hr | 3–7 years |
| Senior-Level | $83,013 | $39.90/hr | 8–15 years |
| Top 10% (90th Percentile) | $104,059 | $50.02/hr | 15+ years / leadership |
Percentile multipliers (62%, 100%, 142%, 178%) are Salario approximations of the typical all-occupations wage spread in BLS OEWS metro tables; only the median row is a published BLS value. Specific roles vary; see jobs by city for role-specific data.
Albany Paycheck Calculator
Enter your annual salary to see your estimated take-home pay in Albany, NY, after federal, state, and local taxes.
Estimated Annual Take-Home Pay
$46,593
$3,882.73/month · $1,792.03/biweekly · Effective Rate: 20.3%
Biweekly paycheck estimate: this salary equals about $1,792.03 take-home per paycheck after estimated New York and federal taxes. For the 26-paycheck formula, three-paycheck months, and withholding examples, see the Biweekly Paycheck Calculator.
Gross Pay
$58,460
Federal Tax
-$4,835
State Tax
-$2,560
Local Tax
$0
FICA
-$4,472
Net Pay
$46,593
Pay Breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $4,871.67 | $58,460.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$402.93 | -$4,835.20 |
| New York State Tax (4.38% eff.) | -$213.32 | -$2,559.84 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$302.04 | -$3,624.52 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$70.64 | -$847.67 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $3,882.73 | $46,592.77 |
Salary Comparison: Albany vs Other Cities
See how Albany's median salary and cost of living compare to the national average and similar cities.
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adj. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albany, NY | $58,460 | 95 | $61,537 |
| National Average | $50,980 | 100 | $50,980 |
| Schenectady, NY | $58,460 | 88 | $66,432 |
| Troy, NY | $58,460 | 129.5 | $45,143 |
| Saratoga Springs, NY | $58,460 | 137.2 | $42,609 |
| Vallejo, CA | $58,620 | 125.3 | $46,784 |
Adjusted salary reflects purchasing power when cost of living is factored in. A higher adjusted salary means your money goes further.
Cost of Living in Albany
Albany's cost of living index is 95 (national average = 100). Living in Albany is 5% less expensive than the national average.
Median Home Price
$215,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,150
Annual Rent Cost
$13,800
Your Salary's Purchasing Power
Your $46,593 annual take-home pay in Albany has the purchasing power of approximately $49,045 in an average-cost US area. Your $58,460 salary stretches further here than in most US cities.
Top Industries in Albany
Albany's economy is driven by these key industries. Workers in top industries often earn significantly above the median salary of $58,460.
Salary Tips for Albany Workers
- Maximize pre-tax deductions. With a top 10.9% state income tax rate, maximizing 401(k) contributions (up to $24,500 in 2026) and HSA contributions can significantly reduce both your federal and state tax burden.
- Research top industries. Albany's top industries include Government, Education, Healthcare. Targeting roles in these sectors can help you earn above the $58,460 median salary.
- Review your W-4 withholding. If you regularly receive large tax refunds, adjust your W-4 to increase your per-paycheck take-home pay instead of giving the government an interest-free loan.
Methodology & Local Economy Data Sources
How we calculate Albany salary data: The median annual wage, median hourly wage and mean wage are the official BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations values for the Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY metropolitan statistical area, retrieved from the BLS Public Data API on September 17, 2026. BLS does not publish city-level wages, so every city inside that metro shows the same figure. The entry/senior/top-10% rows, the paycheck estimate and the purchasing-power conversion are Salario calculations built on that median. Cost-of-living adjustments use the C2ER Cost of Living Index baseline of 100 (national average), with Albany indexed at 95.
- Median salary: $58,460 annual, $28.10 hourly, BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA (449,410 jobs surveyed). Mean wage $71,830 (BLS). Salario's previous modeled median for Albany was $60,000.
- Tax burden reflects New York 2026 state income tax brackets and standard deduction (top rate 10.9%) (no local income tax), sales tax (8%), and federal taxes per IRS 2026 brackets.
- Unemployment rate for Albany: 3.5%, sourced from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
- Top industries: Government, Education, Healthcare, based on QCEW employment concentration data.
- Job growth: 1.2% projected through 2034, derived from BLS Employment Projections program for New York.
- Housing context: median home price $215,000, median rent $1,150/mo, sourced from Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Authoritative US data sources for Albany, NY:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), metropolitan area salary data
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Albany unemployment rate
- U.S. Census Bureau, Albany QuickFacts, population, housing, demographics
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), county-level industry employment
- BLS Economy at a Glance, New York, state economic indicators
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), local GDP and personal income data
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), regional inflation tracking
Disclaimer: Salary and cost data are estimates for general guidance. Individual compensation varies by employer, experience, education, negotiation, and skills. Albany's rapidly changing economy can shift these baselines, always verify with current job listings, employer offers, and recent New York labor market reports for the most current figures.
Reviewed by Harlan Voss · Last updated September 17, 2026 · Wage figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 release (published May 2026) · Census data current as of latest releases
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hourly wage in Albany, NY?
The median hourly wage in Albany, NY is $28.10 per hour, the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for all occupations in the Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY metropolitan area, and the BLS median annual wage is $58,460. Entry-level workers are estimated around $17.42/hr, while senior-level workers are estimated around $39.90/hr before overtime, bonuses, or benefits (Salario estimates, not BLS percentiles).
What is the median salary in Albany, NY?
The median salary in Albany, NY is $58,460 per year, or $28.10 per hour (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY metro area). The BLS mean salary is $71,830. This is $7,480 above the BLS national median of $50,980.
What is the cost of living in Albany, NY?
Albany's cost of living index is 95 (national average = 100), meaning it is 5% less expensive compared to the national average. The median home price is $215,000 and the median monthly rent is $1,150.
What are the best industries in Albany?
The top industries in Albany, NY include Government, Education, Healthcare. The city has a job growth rate of 1.2% and an unemployment rate of 3.5%. Workers in these industries often earn above the city's median salary of $58,460.
How does Albany's salary compare to other cities?
Albany's median salary of $58,460 is 14.7% above the national median of $50,980. However, when adjusted for cost of living (index: 95), the real purchasing power is approximately $61,537.
What is the minimum wage in Albany, NY?
The minimum wage in Albany, NY is $16.50 per hour. This equals approximately $34,320 per year for a full-time worker (40 hours/week). This is $9.25 above the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour.