Jobs, pay and daily life in Schenectady, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Schenectady is a city in New York with 68,847 residents. The median household earns $58,399 a year and the median rent is $1,145 a month, which is 23.5% of the median household income. It is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY metropolitan area, where BLS counts 449,410 jobs.
How Schenectady compares. Among the 120 largest places in New York, Schenectady is #10 by population, #102 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #101 for household income (#1 = highest), #101 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Schenectady County, is #7 of 62 counties for average pay ($73,794).
Schenectady has 68,847 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of New York. It covers 11 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 6,370 people per square mile. The median age is 36.1, 9% younger than the state median (36.1 against 39.8).
The median gross rent is $1,145 a month (rent plus utilities), 29% below the state median ($1,145 against $1,621). Over a year that is 23.5% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $168,800, which is 2.9 times the median household income ($58,399); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 45.6% of households own their home, 16% below the state average (45.6% against 54.4%).
The Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY metropolitan area has 449,410 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $58,460 a year, 15% above the national median ($58,460 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (58,090 jobs, median $48,720); business and financial operations (35,720 jobs, median $82,330); sales and related (35,370 jobs, median $38,020). The area is most specialised in life, physical, and social science (2.0 times) and legal (1.4 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($127,460) and legal ($103,450). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Schenectady County was 4.0%. 60.6% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Schenectady County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 67.3% drive alone, 6.5% use public transit, 4.7% walk, 10.9% work from home. 7.6% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 72% below the state average (7.6% against 27.4%).
25.4% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 37% below the state share (25.4% against 40.2%). 14.6% of residents were born outside the United States, 36% below the state share (14.6% against 22.8%). The poverty rate is 23.8%, 70% above the state rate (23.8% against 14.0%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 71°F (21.4°C), and the coolest is Jan at 21°F (-6.3°C). About 1,142 mm (45 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (120 mm) and Feb the driest (68 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Niskayuna (2 miles, rent 39% higher); Rotterdam (2 miles, rent 12% higher); Cohoes (11 miles, rent 9% higher); Albany (11 miles, rent 6% higher). Rent differences are against Schenectady; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in New York (1,186) →State guide: New YorkCountry guideSchenectady CountyNew York rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 1,186 federal postings open in New York (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in New York →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 13,180 | 1.06 | $37,590 | $33,540 | $62,070 | +5% |
| Retail Salespersons | 11,930 | 1.06 | $35,420 | $32,240 | $50,070 | +0% |
| Registered Nurses | 10,230 | 1.05 | $99,970 | $77,150 | $130,970 | +2% |
| General and Operations Managers | 8,890 | 0.88 | $111,130 | $60,220 | $235,180 | +5% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 8,880 | 1.39 | $37,810 | $32,360 | $51,370 | +3% |
| Cashiers | 8,570 | 0.96 | $34,290 | $32,240 | $38,280 | +4% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 8,290 | 1.10 | $45,350 | $35,930 | $63,570 | +1% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 8,240 | 1.01 | $38,220 | $32,370 | $57,720 | +2% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 7,690 | 1.56 | $49,330 | $37,540 | $63,570 | +4% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 7,270 | 0.85 | $43,640 | $35,360 | $60,160 | +8% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 7,190 | 0.65 | $34,060 | $32,240 | $39,690 | +9% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 7,170 | 1.75 | $38,110 | $32,240 | $48,010 | +4% |
| Office Clerks, General | 6,860 | 0.96 | $46,010 | $34,510 | $64,530 | +2% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 6,310 | 0.96 | $48,980 | $32,240 | $80,500 | +39% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 4,970 | 1.12 | $49,490 | $37,310 | $75,840 | -0% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 4,830 | 0.81 | $60,720 | $46,960 | $80,130 | +4% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 4,680 | 1.12 | $84,660 | $59,530 | $133,670 | +1% |
| Nursing Assistants | 4,200 | 1.00 | $40,160 | $36,090 | $47,580 | -5% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 4,170 | 1.05 | $53,540 | $38,890 | $71,920 | +6% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 4,050 | 0.98 | $73,360 | $49,020 | $106,440 | +6% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | 660 | 0.67 | $314,460 | $125,230 | $398,730 | +18% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 700 | 1.09 | $181,000 | $132,520 | $230,200 | +6% |
| Chief Executives | 660 | 1.12 | $180,240 | $118,560 | $329,990 | -16% |
| Sales Managers | 940 | 0.51 | $163,510 | $81,380 | $307,590 | +10% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 2,180 | 1.12 | $158,250 | $118,780 | $251,710 | -10% |
| Marketing Managers | 1,050 | 0.92 | $153,580 | $80,590 | $266,610 | -8% |
| Financial Managers | 2,680 | 1.10 | $150,590 | $89,630 | $278,480 | -10% |
| Industrial Production Managers | 560 | 0.78 | $141,300 | $91,590 | $221,530 | +12% |
| Physician Assistants | 770 | 1.64 | $137,850 | $116,990 | $161,720 | +1% |
| Pharmacists | 1,050 | 1.13 | $136,720 | $97,340 | $164,330 | -3% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 910 | 0.97 | $134,590 | $108,680 | $163,900 | +2% |
| Lawyers | 3,180 | 1.46 | $131,310 | $82,090 | $263,130 | -18% |
| Construction Managers | 570 | 0.52 | $130,980 | $79,020 | $219,090 | +14% |
| Engineers, All Other | 580 | 1.31 | $130,810 | $81,590 | $175,780 | +6% |
| Software Developers | 3,280 | 0.67 | $127,910 | $80,800 | $178,120 | -6% |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | 770 | 0.81 | $125,480 | $82,340 | $164,570 | +19% |
| Human Resources Managers | 920 | 1.44 | $124,540 | $80,270 | $213,570 | -17% |
| Administrative Services Managers | 670 | 0.87 | $122,340 | $65,070 | $191,420 | +7% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 1,880 | 1.09 | $121,470 | $77,210 | $212,020 | -2% |
| Managers, All Other | 1,100 | 0.61 | $118,470 | $80,300 | $194,220 | -17% |
These figures are for the whole Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $58,460 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.7% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 27.9% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 12.8% |
| Retail trade | 12.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 8.2% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 7.0% |
| Public administration | 6.4% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 6.2% |
| Manufacturing | 5.5% |
| Other services | 4.4% |
| Construction | 4.2% |
| Information | 2.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.9% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.6% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Schenectady lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schenectady County | 160,369 | $12,310 million | $76,763 | 58,509 | 3,562 | $73,794 | +1.5% | 4.0% | 79,641 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 8,863 | 18.8% | $57,241 | 1.06 |
| Retail trade | 6,987 | 14.8% | $47,502 | 1.20 |
| Professional and technical services | 6,138 | 13.0% | $145,625 | 1.51 |
| Manufacturing | 4,837 | 10.2% | $98,750 | 1.01 |
| Accommodation and food services | 4,678 | 9.9% | $34,898 | 0.88 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 2,646 | 5.6% | $53,600 | 1.07 |
| Construction | 2,400 | 5.1% | $73,525 | 0.78 |
| Finance and insurance | 2,210 | 4.7% | $108,022 | 0.93 |
| Educational services | 2,013 | 4.3% | $45,143 | 1.66 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,637 | 3.5% | $50,994 | 0.48 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,582 | 3.3% | $38,798 | 0.90 |
| Information | 1,009 | 2.1% | $67,246 | 0.92 |
| Management of companies | 829 | 1.8% | $130,935 | 0.84 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 719 | 1.5% | $28,844 | 0.73 |
| Real estate and rental | 572 | 1.2% | $57,899 | 0.63 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 79 | 0.2% | $74,124 | 0.36 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 30 | 0.1% | $18,097 | 0.06 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 67.3% |
| Public transit | 6.5% |
| Walk | 4.7% |
| Work from home | 10.9% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 7.6% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $58,399 |
| Income per person | $34,175 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,145 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 23.5% |
| Median home value | $168,800 |
| Homeowners | 45.6% |
| Poverty rate | 23.8% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 99.6 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $58,460 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 10.90%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 36.1 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 85.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 25.4% |
| Born abroad | 14.6% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 60.6% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -6.3 | 21 | 69 |
| Feb | -5.2 | 23 | 68 |
| Mar | -0.1 | 32 | 80 |
| Apr | 7.0 | 45 | 88 |
| May | 14.0 | 57 | 99 |
| Jun | 18.7 | 66 | 120 |
| Jul | 21.4 | 71 | 115 |
| Aug | 20.7 | 69 | 110 |
| Sep | 16.9 | 62 | 99 |
| Oct | 9.8 | 50 | 116 |
| Nov | 3.3 | 38 | 80 |
| Dec | -2.7 | 27 | 98 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Niskayuna | NY | 2 mi | 21,227 | $134,052 | $1,589 |
| Rotterdam | NY | 2 mi | 22,695 | $85,887 | $1,278 |
| Cohoes | NY | 11 mi | 18,159 | $61,145 | $1,251 |
| Albany | NY | 11 mi | 100,492 | $61,986 | $1,216 |
| Troy | NY | 14 mi | 51,033 | $58,477 | $1,175 |
| Amsterdam | NY | 16 mi | 18,166 | $56,178 | $1,006 |
| Saratoga Springs | NY | 20 mi | 28,631 | $105,944 | $1,470 |
| Kingston | NY | 60 mi | 23,911 | $68,186 | $1,469 |
| Utica | NY | 69 mi | 64,217 | $52,484 | $951 |
| Poughkeepsie | NY | 77 mi | 31,958 | $60,741 | $1,400 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
68,847 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,145 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 23.5% of the median household income.
$58,399 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.0% (BLS county, Schenectady County (latest month 2026M09)).
New York. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.