SOC 41-9012 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Models — New York
New York · 2 metro areas compared
At $107,280 a year, the median wage for Models in New York sits 121.3% above the national figure of $48,470.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to decline
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- -0.5%
- Openings per year
- 1,200
- Typical entry-level education
- No formal educational credential
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
16.3% of people in this occupation work for themselves.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for New York.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
At $107,280 a year, the median wage for Models in New York sits 121.3% above the national figure of $48,470. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $91,620 and $160,920. The lowest tenth earn under $44,720, while the highest tenth earn more than $213,740.
New York ranks number 2nd out of 16 states by median pay for this occupation. Within the state, Rochester records the highest median at $208,000. Of the 776 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 131st.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $44,720 | −7.7% |
| 25th | $91,620 | +89.0% |
| Median (50th) | $107,280 | +121.3% |
| 75th | $160,920 | +232.0% |
| 90th | $213,740 | +341.0% |
| Mean | $116,450 | +140.3% |
Highest-paying metro areas in New York
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in New York run 7.9% above the national average, so the median of $107,280 buys what $99,425 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 105.1% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$107,280as reported by BLSLocal price level
107.9US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$99,425US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $107,280 a year, 121.3% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $44,720 to $213,740 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- It ranks 2nd of 16 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Rochester, at $208,000.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Models in New York?
The median annual wage is $107,280, or $51.58 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $48,470, so pay in New York is 121.3% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in New York earns more than $213,740 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $44,720 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Rochester, at $208,000 per year.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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