How much do glaziers make in New York in 2026?

The median glazier in New York earns $61,760 a year, or about $29.69 an hour based on a 2,080-hour work year. That's the middle of the pack — half of glaziers in the state earn more, half earn less. If you're just starting out or working for a smaller shop, the 25th percentile sits at $51,500 ($24.76/hr). Get a few years of experience, land a steady commercial account, or move into curtain wall and storefront work, and the 75th percentile is $77,300 ($37.16/hr). That's a $25,800-a-year spread between the bottom quarter and the top quarter of earners — real money worth chasing.

New York is one of the busiest states in the country for glaziers. The New York City metro alone generates a constant stream of commercial construction, gut renovations, and high-rise curtain wall projects that simply don't exist at the same scale anywhere else in the state. Workers on those jobs tend to land at or above the median faster than someone running residential glass in a smaller upstate market. Buffalo, Albany, and Rochester all have active commercial sectors, but the volume and complexity of Manhattan and the outer boroughs typically push wages higher for glaziers who can work there consistently.

The type of work matters as much as location. A glazier hanging mirrors and doing storefronts in a suburban strip mall faces very different pay conditions than one rigging and installing structural glass on a curtain wall system 30 floors up. Specialty skills — structural silicone glazing, blast-resistant assemblies, fire-rated glass systems — are relatively rare and can push a worker's value well above the 75th percentile floor of $77,300. If you can read curtain wall shop drawings, coordinate with iron workers and the general contractor's superintendent, and troubleshoot water infiltration issues, employers will pay for that.

Experience is the most direct path from the 25th to the 75th percentile. An apprentice fresh out of a training program is going to be closer to $24–$25 an hour. A journeyman with five-plus years on commercial and institutional jobs, particularly anyone who has worked on hospitals, schools, or government buildings where specs are tighter and the punch list is brutal, is a strong candidate for the upper tier. Foreman and lead glazier roles add supervisory pay on top of the craft wage.

Overtime is a meaningful income booster for glaziers. Commercial glazing often runs on tight schedules tied to the general contractor's critical path — when the structure is ready for enclosure, the glaziers move fast or the whole project slips. Ten to fifteen hours of overtime a week during a push is not unusual, and at time-and-a-half that can add $10,000–$15,000 or more to annual take-home on top of the base rate. Weather is less of a factor for glaziers than for some trades since a lot of the work is interior or under a crane pick, but exterior work on upper floors can slow down in hard winters.

Some glaziers in New York work under collective bargaining agreements. If you're covered by a union contract, your actual wage rate and benefits are set by that agreement — check your local's current contract directly for the precise figures. Union pay structures also typically include defined benefit contributions, health and welfare, and apprenticeship funding that don't show up in a gross wage number.

The BLS OEWS figures here are from May 2025 and represent wage income only. They don't capture the value of employer-paid health insurance, retirement contributions, paid time off, or tools and vehicle allowances that some employers include. Total compensation can run noticeably higher than the wage line alone, especially at larger commercial glazing contractors.

New York State does not require a statewide glazier license, but New York City requires a glazier license through the NYC Department of Buildings for certain work. That license — and the knowledge that comes with earning it — can be a real differentiator for workers targeting the city's commercial market. Employers hiring for NYC projects actively look for licensed glaziers because it simplifies their compliance picture.