Since 2000, health care and social assistance and other service-providing industry sectors, such as accommodation and food services and educational services, have increased their share of total employment in New York state (including New York City), while the number of jobs in goods-producing sectors continued a long-term decline, according to a report released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

“Service-providing industry sectors have powered job growth across New York state and have helped shape the 21st century economic landscape,” said DiNapoli.  “The strengthening of these service industries has been widespread, although there are still notable regional differences in the mixture of sectors.  This report provides industry-level job and wage data and workforce trends to help policymakers as they continue their work to ensure quality employment opportunities for all New Yorkers.”

Over 85% of the almost 9.7 million jobs statewide, including New York City, were in service-providing industry sectors in 2024, with jobs in the health care and social assistance sector accounting for over 20% of total employment, followed by educational services (9.9%) and retail trade (8.6%).  The average annual pay across all jobs statewide (including New York City) was $95,152, nearly 26% higher than the average annual pay ($75,590) for all jobs in the United States.  The finance and insurance sector was responsible for almost half of the difference in average annual pay for all jobs between the state and the nation.  Outside of New York City, average annual pay varied significantly by region, from a low of $57,772 in the Mohawk Valley to a high of $78,013 on Long Island.  Statewide findings include:

• In 2024, health care and social assistance, the largest industry sector in the state for decades, had over 1.9 million jobs, more than the next two largest sectors – educational services and retail trade – combined (1.8 million).
• Retail trade, while still the third-largest sector in 2024 with close to 836,000 jobs, has experienced an overall decline in employment since 2000.
• The sectors that experienced statewide job growth greater than 30% between 2000 and 2024 include:
  • Health care and social assistance (63.3%),
  • Accommodation and food services (45.8%),
  • Professional, scientific and technical services (31.1%), and
  • Transportation and warehousing (30.1%).

On a regional basis, each of the state’s nine regions outside of New York City share three of the five largest industry sectors – health care and social assistance, retail trade, and educational services.  Accommodation and food services was also one of the largest sectors in every region except the Mohawk Valley.

Other regional findings include:

• The manufacturing sector remains one of the five largest in just over half of regions in 2024, including Central New York and the Finger Lakes, Mohawk Valley, Southern Tier, and Western New York.
• Public administration, which includes legislative and judicial jobs at every level of government, was one of the largest sectors in three regions (Capital District, Mohawk Valley, and North Country) in 2024, though the sector’s share of total employment has dropped in most regions since 2000.
• Retail trade has experienced an overall decline in employment in every region since 2000, ranging from 1.5% in the North Country to 18.2% in the Southern Tier.
• Average annual pay is significantly higher on Long Island and in the Mid-Hudson and the Capital District compared to other regions, excluding New York City.

The New York State Department of Labor projects that manufacturing employment statewide will decrease by 12% from 2022 to 2032, while health care and social assistance is projected to see the strongest growth of any sector (27.8%), with an estimated increase of over half a million jobs statewide.  Accommodation and food services and educational services are expected to see job growth of 21% and 18.6%, respectively.

Report
Regional Composition of Industries in New York State

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