Average Salaries in Texas
Explore salaries across 801 occupations in Texas. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $68.7K, +4.5% 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: 801 occupations and 14,047,440 total jobs in Texas.
How the state compares
Wages in Texas track close to the national average. Pay for most occupations here is similar to what workers earn nationally.
Texas has one of the largest labor markets in the country, with a deep pool of employers and workers across virtually every occupation.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Cardiologists. 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 Texas
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 Texas
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Cardiologists | $410.2K | 2,050 |
| Neurologists | $360.6K | 660 |
| Physicians, Pathologists | $345.8K | 1,530 |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | $323K | N/A |
| Radiologists | $319.3K | 2,330 |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | $316.8K | 780 |
| Dentists, All Other Specialists | $286.5K | 730 |
| Obstetricians And Gynecologists | $272K | 1,460 |
| Physicians, All Other | $269.8K | 30,720 |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | $269.1K | 3,850 |
Largest occupations in Texas
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 460,530 | $27.7K |
| General And Operations Managers | 431,310 | $103.2K |
| Retail Salespersons | 341,640 | $30.8K |
| Customer Service Representatives | 337,170 | $40.4K |
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 329,590 | $24.2K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 322,710 | $36.8K |
| Registered Nurses | 271,380 | $96K |
| Cashiers | 245,730 | $29.2K |
| Office Clerks, General | 218,470 | $39K |
| Laborers And Freight, Stock, And Material Movers, Hand | 216,970 | $37.5K |
What Texas 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 Texas than in the country as a whole, which signals what this state is known for.
Most concentrated occupations in Texas
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Wellhead Pumpers | 6.30 | $75.9K |
| Derrick Operators, Oil And Gas | 6.06 | $56.1K |
| Roustabouts, Oil And Gas | 6.00 | $46K |
| Petroleum Engineers | 5.60 | $164.9K |
| Rotary Drill Operators, Oil And Gas | 5.25 | $77.8K |
| Service Unit Operators, Oil And Gas | 4.31 | $49.8K |
| Wind Turbine Service Technicians | 4.30 | $62K |
| Gas Compressor And Gas Pumping Station Operators | 4.26 | $82.1K |
| Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, And Gaugers | 3.50 | $84.1K |
| Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians | 3.47 | $46.8K |
Comparable states
| State | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $89.7K | Neurologists |
| Washington | $86.5K | Cardiologists |
| New York | $83.2K | Cardiologists |
| California | $83.2K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| Massachusetts | $81.2K | Radiologists |
| New Jersey | $80.4K | Radiologists |
| Minnesota | $79.9K | Radiologists |
| Alaska | $79.6K | Emergency Medicine Physicians |
Metros inside Texas
Salaries can vary a lot within a single state. Urban metro areas typically pay more than rural regions, and specific industries cluster in particular cities. Drill into any metro below for its own full salary breakdown.
Major metros in Texas
| Metro | Average median | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $73.5K | 4,029,120 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $69.3K | 3,249,150 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $71.8K | 1,266,690 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $68.9K | 1,114,220 |
| El Paso, TX | $57.8K | 332,000 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $55.4K | 289,590 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $61.5K | 184,140 |
| Lubbock, TX | $57.4K | 159,450 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $64.5K | 155,940 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $55.3K | 149,970 |
Common salary questions for Texas
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 states 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.