New York Hydropower jobs: 5,309 employed (2024)
As of the 2025 U.S. Energy & Employment Report, New York employs 5,309 people in the hydropower sector — about 9.1% of the U.S. total. That makes New York the 4th-largest state for hydropower jobs nationwide.
Hydropower Jobs in New York (2024)
National share: 9.14% of all U.S. hydropower jobs.
Typical Median Wage
1. Employment Landscape
New York ranks 4th out of 51 U.S. states in hydropower employment. At 5,309 workers, the state sits above the 25th-ranked New Jersey’s tally by 4,987 jobs, and trails the national leader California by 5,324 hydropower workers.
1.1 New York’s position vs. the top 10 and median states
1.2 Share of U.S. total
The hydropower sector nationwide employs roughly 58,089 workers; New York accounts for 5,309 of them.
1.3 Where New York sits in its own mix
| Sector | Jobs (2024) | National rank |
|---|---|---|
| Energy Efficiency | 135,393 | #3 |
| Solar | 16,152 | #5 |
| Hydropower | 5,309 | #4 |
| Electric Vehicles | 4,513 | #9 |
| Wind | 4,496 | #8 |
| Nuclear | 3,545 | #5 |
| Storage & Grid | 2,670 | #9 |
| Clean Fuels | 863 | #5 |
1.4 Sub-sector breakdown in New York
Every hydropower-related sub-category reported for New York in the USEER workbook, ranked by employment.
2. Pay & Career Roles in New York
New York contributes 9.14% of the nation’s hydropower workforce. Within New York’s own clean-energy economy, hydropower accounts for 3.1% of total clean-energy jobs (5,309 of 172,941 workers).
Cost-of-living in New York is roughly 10.9% higher the U.S. average, so the state-adjusted median wage for hydropower roles in New York is shown alongside the national BLS figure.
| Role | National median | New York-adjusted | Job Zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hydrologic / Civil Engineer | $95,890 | $106,342 | 4 |
| Water Treatment Plant Operator (Hydro) | $54,460 | $60,396 | 3 |
See all 2 hydropower occupations with national wages and skills →
4. Hiring Difficulty & Industry Mix
New York employers rate 16.3% of clean-energy hires as “very difficult” (plus 33.0% as “somewhat difficult”) — easier than the ~22% national baseline. Combined, 49.3% of New York’s clean-energy roles see some level of hiring friction.
4.1 Employer hiring difficulty
4.2 Jobs by NAICS industry group
| Industry (NAICS group) | Jobs (2024) |
|---|---|
| Professional Services | 100,410 |
| Construction | 71,757 |
| Other Services | 57,301 |
| Utilities | 39,014 |
| Trade | 32,983 |
| Manufacturing | 28,744 |
| Pipeline Transport & Commodity Flows | 2,357 |
| Mining and Extraction | 587 |
| Agriculture and Forestry | 452 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Data source: U.S. Department of Energy — 2025 U.S. Energy & Employment Report (reflecting 2024 employment); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics; O*NET Occupation Database 29.1.
Last updated: April 2026.