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Average Salary in Texas
This page shows what jobs actually pay in Texas, occupation by occupation, from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey for May 2024. BLS publishes wage estimates for 775 occupations in Texas. For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage in May 2024 was $67,920, the median wage was $23.80 an hour, and total U.S. employment covered by the survey was 154,187,380 jobs. Use the tables below to see Texas's highest-paying occupations, its largest occupations, and which Texas jobs pay more — or less — than the same job nationally.
Highest-paying occupations in Texas
The highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Texas is dermatologists, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ — 378.1% higher than the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920 — and a median wage of $172,510 across 740 jobs. Compared with the same occupation nationally (mean $239,200+), Texas pays 6.6% lower for this work. Next on the list are athletes and sports competitors at a mean of $239,200+ and neurologists at $239,200+. These top-paying fields are small: together the top three employ 2,620 people in Texas, so they describe the top of the Texas wage ladder rather than the typical worker's experience.
| Occupation | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dermatologists | 740 | $82.94 | $172,510 | $239,200+ |
| Athletes and Sports Competitors | 1,380 | — | $94,660 | $239,200+ |
| Neurologists | 500 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Cardiologists | 1,530 | $81.14 | $168,780 | $239,200+ |
| Physicians, Pathologists | 1,100 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Radiologists | 2,160 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | 2,930 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 6,510 | $109.89 | $228,560 | $239,200+ |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | 940 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | 10,050 | — | $214,670 | $239,200+ |
| Physicians, All Other | 32,740 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Anesthesiologists | 3,740 | $97.81 | $203,450 | $239,200+ |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 3,660 | $109.41 | $227,580 | $239,200+ |
| Psychiatrists | 1,030 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $226,020 |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | 750 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $221,250 |
Largest occupations in Texas
The occupation with the most jobs in Texas is general and operations managers, employing an estimated 454,720 people at a median annual wage of $100,290 and a mean of $129,620. Nationally the same occupation pays a median of $102,950, so Texas's typical pay for this work runs 2.6% lower. The next-largest occupations are fast food and counter workers (410,760 jobs, median $27,000) and customer service representatives (330,540 jobs, median $39,100). Because these occupations are so large, their wages move the overall picture of Texas pay far more than the small, highly paid fields above.
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | 454,720 | $100,290 | $129,620 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 410,760 | $27,000 | $26,850 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 330,540 | $39,100 | $42,050 |
| Retail Salespersons | 329,520 | $30,130 | $33,580 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 314,610 | $23,470 | $25,350 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 283,120 | $36,120 | $37,480 |
| Cashiers | 266,210 | $28,310 | $28,750 |
| Registered Nurses in Texas | 261,050 | $90,010 | $91,690 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 224,960 | $37,010 | $38,190 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in Texas | 212,700 | $53,070 | $56,470 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 210,170 | $27,930 | $31,730 |
| Office Clerks, General | 200,960 | $37,500 | $40,340 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 181,520 | $31,230 | $32,340 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 172,150 | $64,320 | $70,600 |
| Software Developers in Texas | 151,460 | $130,500 | $133,280 |
Where Texas pays a premium — and where it lags
Comparing each occupation's Texas median with its own national median shows where Texas's labor market is strong. Among occupations with at least 1,000 Texas jobs, the largest premium is for geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers: a median of $155,330 in Texas versus $99,240 nationally, 56.5% higher. The largest discount is for editors, at $28,860 in Texas versus $75,260 nationally, 61.7% lower. In total, 124 of the 612 occupations with 1,000 or more Texas jobs pay a median above their national median. Separately, 251 of the 775 occupations published for Texas have a median annual wage above the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920, which underlines how much of Texas's job base sits in lower-wage service work even in a state with high-paying headline jobs.
| Occupation | Texas median | U.S. median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers | $155,330 | $99,240 | +56.5% |
| Athletes and Sports Competitors | $94,660 | $62,360 | +51.8% |
| Airfield Operations Specialists | $77,460 | $56,750 | +36.5% |
| Chemical Plant and System Operators | $99,250 | $73,540 | +35.0% |
| Commercial Pilots | $162,930 | $122,670 | +32.8% |
| Psychologists, All Other | $81,830 | $117,580 | -30.4% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $23,470 | $34,900 | -32.8% |
| Teachers and Instructors, All Other | $41,040 | $64,690 | -36.6% |
| Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators | $34,600 | $60,560 | -42.9% |
| Editors | $28,860 | $75,260 | -61.7% |
Detailed Texas occupation guides
- Accountant salary in Texas
- Software Developer salary in Texas
- Elementary School Teacher salary in Texas
- Registered Nurse salary in Texas
- Nurse Practitioner salary in Texas
- Electrician salary in Texas
- Truck Driver salary in Texas
Texas salary FAQ
What is the highest-paying job in Texas?
By average pay, dermatologists is the highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Texas, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ and a median of $172,510 in May 2024.
What is the average salary in Texas?
For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage was $67,920 in May 2024. In Texas, the largest occupation, general and operations managers, paid a median of $100,290 across 454,720 jobs, and the tables on this page show mean and median pay for all 775 published occupations.
How many jobs does the largest occupation in Texas have?
General and Operations Managers is the largest occupation published for Texas, with an estimated 454,720 jobs in May 2024 and a mean annual wage of $129,620.
Which occupations pay more in Texas than in the U.S. overall?
Among occupations with at least 1,000 Texas jobs, geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers shows the largest premium: a median of $155,330 in Texas versus $99,240 nationally, 56.5% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Figures checked October 2026.