Average Salaries in Abilene, TX
Explore salaries across 291 occupations in Abilene, TX. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $55.1K, -10.4% vs the national average. See the highest-paying roles, where the jobs are, and how local wages compare to the rest of the country.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2024 estimates. Coverage: 291 occupations and 68,190 total jobs in Abilene, TX.
How the metro compares
Abilene, TX pays modestly below the national average. That can be partly offset by a lower cost of living compared with higher-paying markets.
Abilene, TX is a smaller metro labor market. Some occupations may have limited local demand.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Dentists, General. Drill into any occupation below to see its local pay distribution, employment, and how it compares to the national market.
Top-paying and largest occupations in Abilene, TX
Two different lenses on the local labor market: which occupations pay the most, and which employ the most workers. The highest-paid list tends to favor specialized professional and technical roles. The largest list reflects where the everyday jobs actually are.
Top wages
Highest-paid occupations in Abilene, TX
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Dentists, General | $189.0K | 60 |
| Chief Executives | $177.5K | 50 |
| Architectural And Engineering Managers | $147.2K | 40 |
| Pharmacists | $130.5K | 180 |
| Computer And Information Systems Managers | $129.8K | 140 |
| Financial Managers | $126.8K | 280 |
| Nurse Practitioners | $125.4K | 140 |
| Physician Assistants | $124.5K | 80 |
| Managers, All Other | $119.7K | 130 |
| Sales Managers | $118.6K | 310 |
Most jobs
Largest occupations in Abilene, TX
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 2,500 | $23.7K |
| Customer Service Representatives | 2,350 | $36.8K |
| General And Operations Managers | 2,240 | $77.3K |
| Retail Salespersons | 2,110 | $28.3K |
| Registered Nurses | 1,910 | $77.9K |
| Cashiers | 1,840 | $26.2K |
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 1,780 | $22.7K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 1,290 | $35.0K |
| Heavy And Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,200 | $51.7K |
| Waiters And Waitresses | 1,110 | $27.8K |
What Abilene, TX specializes in
The location quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is here compared to the national average. A value above 1.00 means the occupation is more common in Abilene, TX than in the country as a whole, which signals what this metro is known for.
Location quotient
Most concentrated occupations in Abilene, TX
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Wind Turbine Service Technicians | 20.63 | $59.8K |
| Roustabouts, Oil And Gas | 8.98 | $39.2K |
| Derrick Operators, Oil And Gas | 8.03 | $45.9K |
| Rotary Drill Operators, Oil And Gas | 7.57 | $53.2K |
| Wellhead Pumpers | 7.22 | $57.8K |
| Helpers, Construction Trades, All Other | 4.56 | N/A |
| First-Line Supervisors Of Correctional Officers | 4.46 | $56.9K |
| Philosophy And Religion Teachers, Postsecondary | 4.42 | $63.3K |
| Physical Therapist Aides | 4.02 | $46.8K |
| Correctional Officers And Jailers | 3.80 | $49.7K |
Peer markets
Comparable metros
| Metro | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $90.4K | Training And Development Managers |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $89.2K | Natural Sciences Managers |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $81.4K | Nurse Anesthetists |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $80.1K | Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $78.4K | Nurse Anesthetists |
| Vallejo, CA | $77.4K | Lawyers |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $77.2K | Podiatrists |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $77.1K | Neurologists |
Common salary questions for Abilene, TX
What does "average median" mean? +
It is the average of all occupation-level medians in this area. It gives a rough sense of the overall wage level here compared to other states or metros, but it is not the same as a household income figure or a single blended salary.
What is a location quotient? +
A location quotient (LQ) compares how concentrated an occupation is in this area versus the national average. An LQ of 2.0 means the occupation is twice as concentrated here as it is nationally. High-LQ occupations are what this area specializes in.
How are comparable areas selected? +
Peer areas are other metros with a similar overall wage level and employment size. They give you a quick sense of how this area ranks among places with a comparable labor market.