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 by Steven Koczak, PhD, Research Specialist
In a sense, pizza is little more than seasoned bread, a concept found across many cultures. The version we’re most familiar with in the U.S. — a thin bread topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, spices and potentially other toppings — is most closely associated with Italian Americans. This is fitting because various forms of pizza have been present on the Italian peninsula since antiquity.
When Italians came to the U.S. in greater numbers, they brought pizza with them. Early pizzerias like Lombardi’s (1905) opened in New York City before moving outward from there. Pizzerias proliferated when non-Italian U.S. troops stationed in Italy during World War II took a liking to it and wanted more. Chain pizzerias, and the distinctly American “Chicago” and “California” pizza styles, weren’t far behind. The earlier styles of American pizza, essentially the Neapolitan “Pizza Margherita” modified for American ovens and living conditions and with additional toppings sometimes added, came to be known as “New York Pizza.”
New York Pizza
“New York Pizza” (NYP) usually features a round, thin crust cut into slices. “Sicilian Pizza” is a similar product with a thicker crust and is more likely to be square instead of round. NYP is delivered to the home or purchased at a pizzeria and consumed as a kind of fast food, usually held in the hand and eaten slice by slice, folding the triangular slices in half along the crust edge to make it easier to handle and more portable. Most commentators seem to emphasize its portable nature being a critical factor in NYP’s enduring popularity and global presence. Despite the existence of pizzeria chains, NYP remains most clearly associated with independent pizzerias.
Pizza by the Numbers
According to a January 2026 Wall Street Journal article titled “America Is Falling Out of Love with Pizza,” the popularity of pizza has slipped in recent years. Once the second-most common type of restaurant in the U.S., pizzerias have been eclipsed by coffee shops and Mexican food outlets. In fact, the number of pizzerias peaked nationwide around 2019.
Some of this slippage appears to stem from pizza being a victim of its own success. Pizza isn’t a novelty anywhere in the U.S. It’s available at convenience stores, pizzeria chains and many independent shops.
Despite a potentially declining market share, pizza has remained big business. The Wall Street Journal stated that pizza chain restaurants generated $31 billion in sales in 2024. Estimates suggested there were 70,000 pizzerias nationwide in 2012; Statista.com cited a similar figure for 2019 and provided corresponding state numbers.
Keeping in mind that Illinois wasn’t included in Statista’s data, California had the most pizzerias (7,281), followed by New York (5,719) and Texas (5,200). Gosnappy.io claimed that New York City had 1,813 pizza places in 2025. If both figures are accurate, that would mean about one-third of New York State’s pizzerias operated in New York City, with over half of the city’s pizzerias being in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
As expected, the number of pizzerias in a state typically correlates positively with its population. Of the top three states for raw number of pizzerias, New York had the highest ratio of pizzerias per thousand people (0.29), with California (0.19) and Texas (0.16) a distant second and third, respectively.
Four cities in the Empire State — Rochester, Buffalo, New York City and Albany — made Clever Real Estate’s list of the top 10 “pizza cities” in the U.S. Clever used various metrics to develop their list.
Pizza and the Labor Market
Pizzerias are part of NAICS Industry 7225 — titled “Restaurants and Other Eating Places.” Drilling down further, most of these establishments are found in Industry 722513 — titled “Limited-Service Restaurants” — while a far smaller number are in Industry 722511 (Full-Service Restaurants).
Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages data show that in 2024 there were 17,625 establishments in New York State classified as “Limited-Service Restaurants,” of which 8,469, or 48%, were in New York City. Those establishments employed 188,511 — up from 2023’s level of 188,387 — of which 75,852 were in New York City. Since 2011, the number of statewide jobs at Limited-Service Restaurants peaked at 189,202 in 2019.
Applying Statista’s number of 5,719 pizzerias in New York State in 2019 (about 33% of Limited-Service Restaurants that year), allowing for the Wall Street Journal to be correct that the number of pizzerias has declined since 2019 and then applying the same percentage to employees and rounding down, it seems fair to estimate that pizzerias were responsible for 50,000-60,000 jobs in New York State in 2024.
According to Staffing Patterns data for NAICS Industry 7225, the most common job titles found in pizza-related industries include:
- Fast Food and Counter Workers (statewide median wage of $36,124)
- Waiters and Waitresses ($45,575)
- Cooks ($39,825)
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers ($46,521)
- Food Preparation Workers ($36,760)
Conclusion
Pizza began as an Italian staple and, over time, became an American staple. It would’ve been unrealistic to expect pizza to maintain its exalted place as more American culinary staples emerged. Having said that, pizzerias appear to have employed 50,000-60,000 in New York State in 2024. Nationwide, pizza chains — to say nothing of independent pizzerias — brought in $31 billion in sales that year! Pizza hasn’t gone anywhere; it’s just made room.
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“The Educational Services sector plays many important roles in the WNY regional economy.”
by Timothy Glass, Labor Market Analyst, Western New York region
The Western New York (WNY) regional economy continues its long-term rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic. Between October 2020-September 2021 and October 2024-September 2025, total employment in WNY grew by more than 41,600 jobs, or 7.2%, to 622,330, per the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW). A key contributor to this overall job growth was the region’s Educational Services sector, which expanded by 4,400, or 7.4%, to 63,840 over the same four-year timeframe.
Important Employer
The Educational Services sector (NAICS 61) accounted for 10.3% of total employment in WNY in October 2024-September 2025, per the QCEW. Over this 12-month period, the Educational Services sector paid average annual wages of $65,620 and total wages of more than $4.2 billion.
Western New York is home to a diverse education system ranging from Ph.D.-granting research universities to innovative K-12 programs. The Educational Services sector provides instruction, training and support services across public and private institutions. One economic advantage associated with the Educational Services sector is relatively stable employment levels. This stems from sector employment being driven more by changing demographics rather than fluctuations in the business cycle.
The Educational Services sector plays many important roles in WNY, including driving the region's knowledge-based economy, educating the next generation of workers, and supporting community vitality. It is fair to say that one way or another, all economic activity in the region traces its way back to Educational Services.
Education by the Numbers
The Educational Services sector in Western New York has four important component industries (at the four-digit NAICS level):
- Elementary & Secondary Schools (NAICS 6111)
- Colleges & Universities (NAICS 6113)
- Business, Computer & Management Training (NAICS 6114)
- Technical & Trade Schools (NAICS 6115)
Of these four industries, the largest is Elementary & Secondary Schools, with almost 43,000 employees. Average annual wages were $63,280 for the 12-month period ending September 2025. As of the third quarter of 2025, Western New York had 483 “establishments” (schools) in this industry — 115 private and 368 public.
Colleges & Universities ranked second with over 14,000 employees over the same period. At $81,330, Colleges and Universities had the highest wage of any industry in Educational Services.
The Technical & Trade Schools and Business, Computer & Management Training industries were considerably smaller, with 300 and 140 workers in WNY, respectively. Technical & Trade Schools paid the sector’s lowest average wage at $43,800 but arguably plays a central role in training workers for high-paying jobs in other sectors.
Recent Developments
Canisius University in Buffalo (Erie County) plans to spend $8.5 million to renovate three buildings, enhance classrooms and create an academic advisory center. Slated for completion by May 2028, the capital projects will modernize buildings on its Main Street Campus as part of a long-term plan to enhance the physical space and improve student-centered areas and technology. The projects are being funded with proceeds from a $55 million tax-exempt bond issuance.
Niagara University in Lewiston (Niagara County) officially opened the $2 million Bieler Institute of Business Ethics in October 2025. The project transformed the first floor of Bisgrove Hall into a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to advancing ethical leadership and innovation. It will create new programming and provide integration for coursework like food industry management, artificial intelligence and financial services.
St. Bonaventure University in Cattaraugus County opened the Cyber Operations Center in January 2026, a high-tech training hub for students preparing to enter the Cybersecurity field. The Cyber Operations Center in Walsh Science Center provides training using tools and scenarios typically available only in major government facilities or elite private sector labs.
Daemen University, Villa Maria College and Buffalo Rehab Group, all based in Erie County, collaborated to launch the $3 million Daemen University Institute for Mobility Innovation & Technology in May 2025. The facility highlights the impact robotics is having on physical therapy treatment. The physical therapy clinic is devoted to robotic-assisted gait training, patient education and research.
Looking Ahead
Long-term industry projections prepared by the New York State Department of Labor expect the job count in the region’s Educational Services sector to continue to grow. Employment in the sector is expected to increase by 12,290, or 18.3%, in 2022-32, more than double the projected regional rate of overall job growth. Clearly, the Educational Services sector has a bright future in Western New York.
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 In March 2026, New York State’s seasonally adjusted private sector job count decreased over the month by 1,900, or less than 0.1%, to 8,458,400. In addition, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady at 4.6% in March 2026, while New York’s seasonally adjusted labor force participation rate remained unchanged at 61.8%.
Capital
Over the past year, private sector jobs in the Capital Region rose by 1,600, or 0.4%, to 434,600 in March 2026. Employment gains occurred in the following sectors:
- education and health services (+3,700)
- professional and business services (+1,200)
- financial activities (+300)
- leisure and hospitality (+300)
Over-the-year job losses were largest in the following sectors:
- trade, transportation and utilities (-1,700)
- manufacturing (-700)
- information (-600)
- natural resources, mining and construction (-600)
Central NY
The number of private sector jobs in the Syracuse metro area increased over the past year by 2,000, or 0.8%, to 256,100 in March 2026. Job gains were largest in these sectors:
- education and health services (+3,100)
- professional and business services (+1,300)
- leisure and hospitality (+1,100)
The largest employment losses occurred in the following sectors:
- trade, transportation and utilities (-2,200)
- financial activities (-700)
- manufacturing (-300)
Finger Lakes
From March 2025 to March 2026, the private sector job count in the Rochester metro area decreased by 1,600, or 0.4%, to 436,200. Job gains occurred in the following sectors:
- education and health services (+2,600)
- natural resources, mining and construction (+1,300)
- leisure and hospitality (+300)
The region’s over-the-year job losses were greatest in the following sectors:
- professional and business services (-2,100)
- manufacturing (-2,000)
- financial activities (-600)
- trade, transportation and utilities (-600)
Hudson Valley
Over the past year, private sector employment in the Hudson Valley grew by 5,800, or 0.7%, to 841,300 in March 2026. Job gains occurred in the following sectors:
- education and health services (+10,400)
- professional and business services (+500)
- financial activities (+300)
Job losses were largest in the following sectors:
- trade, transportation and utilities (-3,000)
- leisure and hospitality (-1,300)
- natural resources, mining and construction (-700)
Long Island
Long Island private sector jobs increased by 4,600, or 0.4%, to 1,166,400 from March 2025 to March 2026. Employment gains were focused in the following sector:
- education and health services (+19,300)
The region’s over-the-year job losses were greatest in the following sectors:
- natural resources, mining and construction (-3,900)
- trade, transportation and utilities (-2,300)
- leisure and hospitality (-2,200)
- professional and business services (-1,900)
- manufacturing (-1,500)
- other services (-1,400)
- financial activities (-1,100)
Mohawk Valley
For the 12-month period ending March 2026, the number of private sector jobs in the Mohawk Valley region increased by 900, or 0.6%, to 140,800. The following sectors had the largest over-the-year employment gains:
- education and health services (+2,000)
- financial activities (+200)
- natural resources, mining and construction (+200)
Over-the-year job losses were centered in the following sectors:
- manufacturing (-500)
- professional and business services (-400)
- trade, transportation and utilities (-400)
- leisure and hospitality (-300)
New York City
New York City’s private sector job count decreased over the past year by 57,300, or 1.3%, to 4,193,700 in March 2026. Employment gains were focused in the following sectors:
- financial activities (+1,900)
- information (+900)
The following sectors experienced the largest over-the-year job losses:
- education and health services (-18,500)
- leisure and hospitality (-14,500)
- trade, transportation and utilities (-8,300)
- professional and business services (-5,800)
- natural resources, mining and construction (-5,400)
North Country
The number of private sector jobs in the North Country region increased over the past year by 2,000, or 1.9%, to 106,400 in March 2026. Employment gains were largest in the following sectors:
- education and health services (+1,600)
- leisure and hospitality (+200)
Southern Tier
For the 12-month period ending March 2026, the number of private sector jobs in the Southern Tier region increased by 3,000, or 1.5%, to 206,200. Over-the-year employment gains were largest in the following sectors:
- education and health services (+3,400)
- natural resources, mining and construction (+500)
- leisure and hospitality (+300)
Over-the-year job losses were largest in the following sectors:
- other services (-500)
- professional and business services (-300)
- trade, transportation and utilities (-300)
Western NY
Over the past 12 months, the number of private sector jobs in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area rose by 4,800, or 1.0%, to 465,400 in March 2026. Over-the-year job gains occurred in the following sectors:
- education and health services (+6,900)
- natural resources, mining and construction (+500)
- leisure and hospitality (+200)
- other services (+200)
These sectors experienced the largest employment losses:
- manufacturing (-1,600)
- professional and business services (-600)
- trade, transportation and utilities (-600)
- information (-200)
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