Salaries in Syracuse, NY

Here’s a secret about Syracuse that most people miss: the city’s "median household income" of $47,525 looks painfully low until you notice the median one-bedroom rent is just $916 a month. It’s one of the few places left where a single earner on a modest salary isn’t automatically priced out of a decent apartment. The cost of living index sits at 95.2, meaning your dollar stretches about 5% further than the national average—a real edge if you can land a solid job.

That purchasing power is the whole story. While the average salary across all roles is $68,108, the COL-adjusted average jumps to $71,542. You’re not getting rich quick, but you’re not getting squeezed dry either. A software developer making $125,427 here has the same buying power as someone earning over $131,000 in an average-cost city. It’s a quiet bargain, especially if you’re coming from a coastal metro.

Who actually thrives here? The economy is anchored by education (Syracuse University), healthcare (Upstate Medical is a massive employer), and a surprising tech and manufacturing corridor. The top-paying jobs reflect that: marketing managers ($155k), pharmacists ($134k), and software developers ($125k) lead the pack. Construction and project managers also do well, likely tied to ongoing infrastructure and university projects. It’s not a boomtown, but it’s stable.

The catch? Wages aren’t keeping pace with the slow creep in costs. The unemployment rate is a healthy 4.3%, but with only 31.6% of residents holding a bachelor’s degree or higher, competition for those top-tier roles is real. This city works best for skilled professionals who can command a higher salary or for remote workers leveraging a coastal paycheck in a low-cost market. It’s less ideal if you’re starting out in a low-wage field.

Below, we’ll break down the specific numbers for each occupation to show you exactly where Syracuse’s salary landscape stands in 2026.