Tellers Salary
In New York, tellers earn $44,400 at the median, or about $21.35 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $55K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.21), that's roughly $45,209 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,917/month, about 62.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across New York. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $44K get you in New York?
About tellers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in New York
Tellers pay in New York tracks closely to the national median, $44K locally vs. $43K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,917/month, which is 64.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.21) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New York
Entry-level tellers (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $55K or more, a $17K spread from bottom to top.
Tellers salary by metro in New York
13 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $47K | +6% | 15,820 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh | $45K | +1% | 550 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $44K | -1% | 830 |
| Kingston | $44K | -2% | 180 |
| Rochester | $44K | -2% | 820 |
| Utica-Rome | $43K | -3% | 340 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $43K | -3% | 880 |
| Ithaca | $40K | -10% | 120 |
| Syracuse | $40K | -11% | 580 |
| Binghamton | $39K | -11% | 210 |
| Watertown-Fort Drum | $39K | -12% | 110 |
| Glens Falls | $39K | -12% | 150 |
| Elmira | $39K | -13% | 80 |
Showing 1–10 of 13 metros
Compare to other states
Track tellers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when New York numbers change.
Related careers in Office & Admin
Frequently asked questions
Can a teller afford a 2BR apartment alone in New York?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 64.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,917/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for tellers in New York?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tellers typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,277/month. At HUD’s $1,917/month FMR, rent would take 84% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is teller a high-paying job in New York?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $44K locally vs. $43K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does New York compare to the national average for tellers?
New York pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $43K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $45K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do tellers make in New York?
The median is $44,400 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,950, and experienced tellers can clear $55,420. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in New York?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,990/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,917/month, which eats 64.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a tellers salary go in New York?
New York has a Regional Price Parity of 98.21 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median tellers salary is worth about $45,209 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do tellers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.