New York · 2026 pay
How much do Buffalo employees make?
$85,675typical pay for full-year employees in 2026
$56,831 – $116,188what most people earned
Counting everyone paid during 2026, including part-year and seasonal workers, typical pay was $73,834.
Open Data Buffalo publishes pay by position without employee names, so there is no name search here.
Common jobs: Police OfficerFirefighter207a Retiree
✓ Official data from Open Data BuffaloMatches the agency's latest releasebuffalony.gov ↗
How is pay spread across workers?
A year of pay for a lower-paid, typical and higher-paid worker (counting everyone paid), and the top earner, split into regular pay, overtime and extra pay.
$46,475
$73,696
$109,209
$289,507
Lower-paid workerearns more than 1 in 4 coworkers
Typical workerright in the middle
Higher-paid workerearns more than 3 in 4 coworkers
Highest paidone person
Regular payOvertimeExtra pay
Is pay going up?
Yes. Typical pay for full-year employees went from $80,042 in 2023 to $85,675 in 2026 (+7%).
What changed since 2025
- +2.7%Typical pay for full-year employees went up from $83,452 to $85,675.
- +2.1%Typical raise for the 3,199 people paid in both 2025 and 2026. About 25% got a raise of 10% or more.
- 202 new202 people were paid for the first time in 2026, and 281 people paid in 2025 were no longer on the payroll.
- +7%Since 2023, typical pay for full-year employees has gone from $80,042 to $85,675, while the number of people paid went down from 3,760 to 3,401.
The agency updates it every pay period.
Pay slip · 2026
A typical worker's year
Buffalo
official data
2023–2026
| Regular pay | $46,713 |
|---|---|
| Overtime | $9,743 |
| Extra pay | $17,239 |
| Total for the year | $73,696 |
Average of the 170 workers in the middle of the pay range. Does not include benefits.
Matches the agency's latest release
Worth knowing about pay at Buffalo
What stands out in the payroll data, checked against the rest of our data before it is shown.
- 17¢
Of every dollar Buffalo paid in 2026, about 17 cents was overtime.
Usual among the 16 other cities in New York in our data: about 3 cents. 2nd highest of 17.
The data shows what was paid, not why. Overtime is pay for hours beyond the regular schedule.
- +2.1%
People paid by Buffalo in both 2025 and 2026 saw their pay change by a typical +2.1%.
Usual among the 17 other cities in New York in our data: +3.5%.
Compares the same people in both years, so new hires and leavers do not move it. Overtime and hours worked count too.
- +3%
Since 2023, total pay at Buffalo went up 3% while the number of people paid went down 10%.
Counts everyone paid during each year. Not adjusted for inflation.
Pay by job
Jobs held by 5 or more people in 2026. "Full-year" is typical pay for people employed all year (shown when 5 or more); "Everyone" includes part-year and seasonal workers.
| Job | People | Full-year | Everyone | Most earn | Since 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Police Officer | 512 | $109,442 | $107,690 | $94k – $123k | ▲ 0.9% |
| Firefighter | 464 | $86,533 | $86,478 | $67k – $101k | ▲ 7.2% |
| 207a Retiree | 195 | $50,208 | $46,751 | $40k – $55k | ▼ 5.0% |
| Detective | 120 | $148,726 | $148,193 | $127k – $178k | ▲ 9.1% |
| Fire Lieutenant | 117 | $132,903 | $132,453 | $114k – $156k | ▼ 0.9% |
| Civilian School Crossing Guard | 116 | $14,368 | $14,336 | $14k – $14k | ▲ 3.5% |
| Police Lieutenant | 102 | $147,249 | $144,122 | $124k – $169k | ▲ 4.7% |
| Laborer II | 102 | $49,833 | $49,384 | $40k – $60k | ▲ 1.3% |
| Report Technician | 87 | $58,687 | $56,074 | $50k – $73k | ▲ 3.9% |
| Laborer II Seasonal | 87 | $37,080 | $32,669 | $18k – $38k | ▲ 49.0% |
| Street Worker | 81 | $61,377 | $60,119 | $48k – $77k | ▲ 3.8% |
| Truck Driver Streets | 67 | $64,426 | $59,556 | $41k – $70k | ▲ 14.4% |
| Lifeguard | 64 | $36,166 | $6,068 | $5k – $8k | ▼ 6.7% |
| Account Clerk-Typist | 41 | $46,858 | $43,329 | $22k – $48k | ▼ 2.7% |
| Fire Captain | 39 | $166,446 | $161,686 | $132k – $185k | ▲ 6.2% |
| Building Inspector | 37 | $84,816 | $81,300 | $62k – $86k | ▲ 5.1% |
| Cell Block Attendant | 35 | $79,198 | $76,887 | $64k – $98k | ▼ 5.5% |
| Equipment Operator | 30 | $76,868 | $74,061 | $57k – $92k | ▲ 5.0% |
| Fire Pension Bi-Weekly | 28 | $22,543 | $35,037 | $28k – $45k | ▲ 0.3% |
| Battalion Chief | 24 | $195,988 | $195,737 | $177k – $199k | ▲ 9.5% |
| Police Captain | 22 | $173,279 | $173,022 | $149k – $200k | ▲ 6.2% |
| Motor Equipment Mechanic | 20 | $80,465 | $69,959 | $32k – $84k | ▲ 11.4% |
| Senior 1st Class Statistical Eng-8320 | 20 | $24,564 | $22,004 | $10k – $30k | ▲ 30.7% |
| Firefighter 207-a Only | 18 | $86,830 | $82,495 | $77k – $91k | ▼ 7.3% |
| Caulker | 18 | $74,773 | $73,265 | $62k – $82k | ▲ 9.0% |
| Detective Sergeant | 15 | $161,246 | $161,246 | $137k – $195k | ▲ 6.9% |
| Public Safety Dispatcher | 15 | $97,978 | $73,783 | $6k – $106k | ▲ 7.5% |
| Admin Assistant | 15 | $60,526 | $58,624 | $54k – $63k | ▼ 5.7% |
| Supervisor Street Sanitation 1 | 14 | $93,059 | $89,422 | $71k – $109k | ▼ 6.4% |
| Dispatcher | 14 | $77,694 | $67,588 | $57k – $106k | ▼ 8.8% |
| Park Utility Worker | 14 | $58,409 | $43,159 | $15k – $59k | ▲ 67.7% |
| Senior First Class Stationary Eng | 13 | $105,252 | $92,488 | $37k – $107k | ▼ 9.7% |
| Senior Legislative Assistant IV | 12 | $79,854 | $78,616 | $70k – $81k | ▲ 6.4% |
| Recreation Instructor | 12 | $60,244 | $53,277 | $46k – $65k | ▼ 6.6% |
| Parking Enforcement Officer | 12 | $40,566 | $39,926 | $28k – $45k | ▼ 1.6% |
| Intern III | 12 | $21,650 | $21,225 | $13k – $29k | ▲ 95.2% |
| Supervising Lifeguard | 12 | $44,517 | $9,333 | $8k – $31k | ▼ 50.9% |
| Emergency Services Fire Dispatcher | 11 | $75,148 | $74,807 | $68k – $79k | ▲ 3.8% |
| Heavy Equipment Operator | 11 | $68,954 | $66,706 | $58k – $73k | ▲ 3.9% |
| Assist Corporation Counsel II | 10 | $107,045 | $99,672 | $13k – $108k | ▲ 3.8% |
| Councilmember | 9 | $95,633 | $95,633 | $95k – $99k | ▲ 0.2% |
| Assessor | 9 | $73,786 | $73,786 | $72k – $76k | ▲ 1.9% |
| Senior Leg Assist II | 9 | – | $53,345 | $24k – $65k | ▼ 4.7% |
| Associate Account Clerk | 8 | $49,865 | $49,372 | $47k – $50k | ▲ 2.3% |
| Water Service Worker | 8 | $36,606 | $35,371 | $35k – $38k | ▲ 4.6% |
| Building Inspector Rentalreg | 7 | $65,233 | $65,233 | $59k – $86k | ▲ 29.3% |
| Legislative Assistant Councilmember | 7 | $56,653 | $54,527 | $49k – $57k | ▼ 2.2% |
| Senior Account Clerk Typist | 7 | $46,963 | $45,680 | $43k – $49k | ▲ 4.4% |
| Maintenance Assistant Water11 | 7 | – | $44,512 | $43k – $51k | ▲ 25.6% |
| Police Surv. Camera Monitor | 7 | $44,028 | $42,644 | $42k – $46k | ▲ 7.8% |
| Clerk | 7 | – | $34,546 | $15k – $42k | ▼ 14.1% |
| Division Fire Chief | 6 | $228,243 | $228,243 | $216k – $257k | ▼ 8.4% |
| Chief | 6 | $153,853 | $153,853 | $150k – $172k | ▲ 0.7% |
| Senior Engineer | 6 | $88,440 | $88,297 | $76k – $94k | ▲ 0.0% |
| Meter Reader | 6 | – | $55,571 | $40k – $60k | new |
| Legislative Aide | 6 | $49,959 | $49,959 | $49k – $51k | ▲ 3.5% |
| Teller | 6 | $48,014 | $48,014 | $45k – $51k | ▲ 1.0% |
| Complaint Clerk | 6 | – | $37,563 | $34k – $41k | ▼ 7.0% |
| Hearing Examiner | 6 | $17,600 | $16,200 | $8k – $38k | ▼ 19.0% |
| Board of Assessment - Member | 6 | $6,850 | $6,850 | $6k – $8k | ▼ 8.8% |
| Assist Corporation Counsel IV | 5 | – | $112,793 | $58k – $124k | ▼ 7.7% |
| Mem Supervisor I | 5 | $112,007 | $112,007 | $83k – $128k | ▲ 23.8% |
| Crime Scene Technician | 5 | $108,094 | $108,094 | $98k – $111k | ▲ 5.4% |
| Fire Lieutenant 207a Only | 5 | $105,563 | $105,563 | $104k – $106k | ▼ 10.5% |
| Chief Building Inspector | 5 | $95,254 | $95,254 | $94k – $96k | ▲ 3.0% |
| Senior Legislative Assistant V | 5 | $88,901 | $88,901 | $86k – $93k | ▲ 9.3% |
| Deputy Mayor | 5 | – | $84,291 | $84k – $84k | new |
| Systems Administrator | 5 | $83,329 | $83,329 | $83k – $94k | ▼ 0.9% |
| Assistant Admin of Treasury and Coll | 5 | – | $82,237 | $79k – $89k | ▼ 4.7% |
| Caulker Supervisor I | 5 | $78,684 | $78,684 | $72k – $82k | ▲ 1.2% |
| Dog Control Officer | 5 | $73,633 | $73,633 | $65k – $97k | ▼ 2.9% |
| Engineering Inspector | 5 | $68,555 | $68,555 | $67k – $71k | ▼ 0.2% |
| Senior Auditor | 5 | – | $66,224 | $64k – $67k | ▲ 24.1% |
| Parks Supervisor I | 5 | $62,596 | $62,596 | $62k – $79k | ▲ 5.0% |
| Bridge Operating Engineer | 5 | – | $58,571 | $55k – $71k | ▲ 4.4% |
| General Mechanic | 5 | $58,277 | $58,277 | $57k – $58k | ▲ 11.8% |
| Community Recreation Aide | 5 | $58,181 | $58,181 | $58k – $59k | ▲ 19.9% |
| Senior Data Processing Equipment Operator | 5 | – | $55,428 | $52k – $57k | ▼ 3.2% |
| Comp. and Benefits Specialist | 5 | – | $53,281 | $52k – $63k | ▼ 14.7% |
| Tire Mechanic | 5 | – | $38,351 | $16k – $75k | ▼ 20.7% |
| Personnel Assistant Civil Ser | 5 | – | $35,750 | $31k – $39k | new |
No jobs match.
How many people earn what
- Under $10k176
- $10k – $30k321
- $30k – $50k460
- $50k – $70k658
- $70k – $90k474
- $90k – $110k482
- $110k – $150k543
- $150k or more287
Includes part-time and seasonal workers, which is why many earn under $10k.
Pay by department
| Department | People | Typical pay |
|---|---|---|
| Fire Retired 207a | 223 | $46,071 |
| Police B District | 129 | $109,264 |
| Police E District | 113 | $110,223 |
| Police D District | 109 | $108,143 |
| Police C District | 106 | $113,648 |
| Park Pools I - Lifeguards | 97 | $7,125 |
| Police a District | 92 | $109,982 |
| Pub Wks, Pks & St - Labor Pool | 77 | $60,119 |
| Economic Dev - Permit& Inspect | 70 | $82,310 |
| Police City Court Booking | 67 | $74,726 |
| Pub Wks, Pks & St - Truck Driv | 67 | $59,556 |
| Mayor | 49 | $51,224 |
Highest paid at Buffalo in 2026
- 1William DrabikDetective$289,507▲ $20,095 vs 2025
- 2Jason WhitenightPolice Captain$279,647▲ $73,368 vs 2025
- 3Daniel BossiDivision Fire Chief$267,960▲ $3,747 vs 2025
- 4Eric AugustynPolice Officer$264,284▲ $32,504 vs 2025
- 5Joseph AcquinoDetective$261,205▲ $25,442 vs 2025
- 6Anthony D LiberatoreFire Captain$259,593▲ $26,836 vs 2025
- 7Mark MorgantiDivision Fire Chief$257,451▲ $8,372 vs 2025
- 8Anthony FanaraDetective Sergeant$257,096▲ $40,219 vs 2025
- 9Ernest GilliamFire Lieutenant$254,891▲ $19,323 vs 2025
- 10Jeremy ConnollyPolice Captain$254,342▲ $19,195 vs 2025
Common questions
How much does a Buffalo employee make?
Full-year employees were typically paid $85,675 in 2026; most earned between $56,831 and $116,188. Counting all 3,401 people paid during the year, typical pay was $73,834.
Why do so many people earn very little?
The list includes everyone who got a paycheck during the year: part-time, seasonal and short-term workers, and people who joined or left partway through. 176 people (5.2%) were paid under $10,000.
Who counts as a full-year employee?
"Employed all year" means the city's payroll shows a service start date on or before July 1 and no service end date before June 30 of the fiscal year.
Does this include benefits like health insurance or pension?
No. It is the pay people received: regular salary or wages (59.6% of all pay), overtime (16.8%) and extra pay such as allowances, longevity and severance (23.6%).
Where does this data come from, and when is it updated?
From City of Buffalo (Comptroller / Open Data Buffalo) (buffalony.gov). Our figures match the agency's latest release; the agency updates it every pay period.
"Typical pay" is the median: half earn more, half earn less. "Most earn" is the middle half of workers. "Employed all year" means the city's payroll shows a service start date on or before July 1 and no service end date before June 30 of the fiscal year. Hire and end dates are used only to work this out; we don't store or publish them. Figures are calculated by PublicPayData from the official dataset; 3 records with $0 or negative pay are left out. How we calculate this · Corrections & removals