Average Salaries in Abilene, TX
Explore salaries across 289 occupations in Abilene, TX. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $57.7K, -12.3% 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 2025 estimates. Coverage: 289 occupations and 68,610 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 Family Medicine Physicians. 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.
Highest-paid occupations in Abilene, TX
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Family Medicine Physicians | $220.4K | 40 |
| Chief Executives | $165.8K | 40 |
| Architectural And Engineering Managers | $156.9K | 40 |
| Dentists, General | $156K | 50 |
| Computer And Information Systems Managers | $135.7K | 120 |
| Financial Managers | $134.9K | 310 |
| Pharmacists | $133.7K | 150 |
| Nurse Practitioners | $129.1K | 110 |
| Physician Assistants | $127.6K | 60 |
| Veterinarians | $122.8K | 40 |
Largest occupations in Abilene, TX
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 2,930 | $26.3K |
| Customer Service Representatives | 2,550 | $36.8K |
| General And Operations Managers | 2,120 | $86.2K |
| Retail Salespersons | 2,000 | $29.5K |
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 1,820 | $23.7K |
| Cashiers | 1,780 | $27.1K |
| Registered Nurses | 1,680 | $80.2K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 1,380 | $34.2K |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,110 | $37.4K |
| Heavy And Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,090 | $54.7K |
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.
Most concentrated occupations in Abilene, TX
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Rotary Drill Operators, Oil And Gas | 7.55 | $56.5K |
| Philosophy And Religion Teachers, Postsecondary | 7.50 | $61K |
| Derrick Operators, Oil And Gas | 7.49 | $50.7K |
| Roustabouts, Oil And Gas | 7.13 | $45.4K |
| Helpers, Construction Trades, All Other | 5.25 | N/A |
| Control And Valve Installers And Repairers, Except Mechanical Door | 4.73 | $48.1K |
| Education Teachers, Postsecondary | 4.56 | $50.4K |
| Correctional Officers And Jailers | 3.97 | $53.6K |
| Insurance Claims And Policy Processing Clerks | 3.92 | $40.6K |
| First-Line Supervisors Of Correctional Officers | 3.60 | $59.9K |
Comparable metros
| Metro | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $98.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $95.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $92.6K | Cardiologists |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $87.1K | Cardiologists |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $83.8K | Radiologists |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $82.7K | Radiologists |
| Boulder, CO | $82.3K | Surgeons, All Other |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $82.3K | Radiologists |
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.