Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Amarillo, TX

Each occupation's median wage in Amarillo, TX compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Amarillo, TX pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Amarillo, TX run 8.2% below the national average (2024), so a Amarillo, TX salary is worth about 1.09× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Amarillo, TX

OccupationMedian, Amarillo, TX · vs. national

1Hazardous Materials Removal Workers$77,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,990 – $120,950+56.9%
2Physicians, All Other$364,420
Doctoral or professional degree
$123,730 – $510,060+37.0%
3Business Teachers, Postsecondary$129,210
Doctoral or professional degree
$38,530 – $164,660+30.4%
4Tax Preparers$70,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,300 – $89,690+29.2%
5Helpers--Production Workers$48,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,630 – $62,480+23.8%
6Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$59,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,900 – $73,850+16.5%
7Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary$127,010
Doctoral or professional degree
$51,180 – $127,010+16.2%
8Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$55,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,780 – $70,050+14.2%
9Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$67,630
Master's degree
$35,170 – $88,090+14.0%
10Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$53,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,050 – $93,170+11.1%
11Wellhead Pumpers$77,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,660 – $99,050+10.3%
12Social Workers, All Other$78,850
Bachelor's degree
$43,780 – $94,520+9.7%
13Public Safety Telecommunicators$57,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,270 – $63,990+9.3%
14Engineers, All Other$134,380
Bachelor's degree
$58,630 – $199,200+9.3%
15Helpers--Electricians$45,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,590 – $62,580+7.5%
16Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$49,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,210 – $56,820+7.3%
17Physical Therapists$109,800
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,080 – $139,050+6.9%
18Physical Therapist Assistants$72,750
Associate's degree
$48,550 – $91,980+6.4%
19Occupational Therapy Assistants$76,720
Associate's degree
$54,340 – $88,250+6.1%
20Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$83,280
Master's degree
$36,020 – $101,210+5.9%
21Instructional Coordinators$81,950
Master's degree
$50,120 – $103,240+5.8%
22Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$78,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,580 – $94,440+5.2%
23Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$80,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$54,520 – $98,100+3.7%
24Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$78,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,730 – $91,400+3.5%
25Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$55,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,730 – $74,190+3.2%
26First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$76,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,500 – $101,870+3.0%
27Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$80,470
Associate's degree
$49,660 – $104,240+2.9%
28Education Teachers, Postsecondary$77,400
Doctoral or professional degree
$40,340 – $123,320+2.7%
29Machine Feeders and Offbearers$42,140
No formal educational credential
$28,450 – $44,340+2.2%
30Occupational Therapists$102,380
Master's degree
$65,310 – $139,050+2.0%
31Pharmacists$143,520
Doctoral or professional degree
$110,390 – $172,810+1.9%
32Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators$59,490
No formal educational credential
$49,050 – $75,030+1.7%
33Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians$57,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,730 – $78,240+1.5%
34Chiropractors$79,990
Doctoral or professional degree
$36,410 – $207,450+1.0%
35Postal Service Mail Carriers$61,010
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040+0.8%
36Industrial Production Managers$126,530
Bachelor's degree
$77,060 – $187,830+0.4%
37Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$43,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,490 – $45,130-0.3%
38Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$63,660
Master's degree
$38,990 – $95,060-1.0%
39Packers and Packagers, Hand$35,650
No formal educational credential
$20,120 – $55,060-1.7%
40Postal Service Clerks$60,890
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $76,360-2.0%
41Physician Assistants$132,990
Master's degree
$106,580 – $155,490-2.1%
42Dietitians and Nutritionists$74,710
Bachelor's degree
$51,180 – $103,380-2.2%
43Respiratory Therapists$80,470
Associate's degree
$55,170 – $97,680-2.2%
44Couriers and Messengers$38,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,180 – $49,600-2.3%
45English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$76,840
Doctoral or professional degree
$50,490 – $101,540-2.4%
46Maintenance Workers, Machinery$59,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,570 – $72,280-2.4%
47Order Clerks$44,980
Some college, no degree
$34,730 – $59,030-2.6%
48Chief Executives$208,170
Bachelor's degree
$117,350 – $492,160-2.7%
49First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$103,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$73,040 – $120,680-2.8%
50Social and Human Service Assistants$44,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,340 – $55,850-2.9%

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianAmarillo, TX	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Hazardous Materials Removal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,580	$38,990 – $120,950	+56.9%
2	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$364,420	$123,730 – $510,060	+37.0%
3	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$129,210	$38,530 – $164,660	+30.4%
4	Tax PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,980	$35,300 – $89,690	+29.2%
5	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,370	$32,630 – $62,480	+23.8%
6	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,070	$38,900 – $73,850	+16.5%
7	Engineering Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$127,010	$51,180 – $127,010	+16.2%
8	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,970	$37,780 – $70,050	+14.2%
9	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$67,630	$35,170 – $88,090	+14.0%
10	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,970	$38,050 – $93,170	+11.1%
11	Wellhead PumpersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,150	$36,660 – $99,050	+10.3%
12	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$78,850	$43,780 – $94,520	+9.7%
13	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,970	$46,270 – $63,990	+9.3%
14	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$134,380	$58,630 – $199,200	+9.3%
15	Helpers--ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,870	$34,590 – $62,580	+7.5%
16	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,690	$31,210 – $56,820	+7.3%
17	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$109,800	$74,080 – $139,050	+6.9%
18	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$72,750	$48,550 – $91,980	+6.4%
19	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$76,720	$54,340 – $88,250	+6.1%
20	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$83,280	$36,020 – $101,210	+5.9%
21	Instructional CoordinatorsMaster's degree	$81,950	$50,120 – $103,240	+5.8%
22	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,230	$38,580 – $94,440	+5.2%
23	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,850	$54,520 – $98,100	+3.7%
24	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,900	$57,730 – $91,400	+3.5%
25	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,460	$36,730 – $74,190	+3.2%
26	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,700	$46,500 – $101,870	+3.0%
27	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$80,470	$49,660 – $104,240	+2.9%
28	Education Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$77,400	$40,340 – $123,320	+2.7%
29	Machine Feeders and OffbearersNo formal educational credential	$42,140	$28,450 – $44,340	+2.2%
30	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$102,380	$65,310 – $139,050	+2.0%
31	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$143,520	$110,390 – $172,810	+1.9%
32	Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$59,490	$49,050 – $75,030	+1.7%
33	Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,400	$46,730 – $78,240	+1.5%
34	ChiropractorsDoctoral or professional degree	$79,990	$36,410 – $207,450	+1.0%
35	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$61,010	$42,390 – $81,040	+0.8%
36	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$126,530	$77,060 – $187,830	+0.4%
37	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,110	$33,490 – $45,130	-0.3%
38	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$63,660	$38,990 – $95,060	-1.0%
39	Packers and Packagers, HandNo formal educational credential	$35,650	$20,120 – $55,060	-1.7%
40	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$60,890	$42,600 – $76,360	-2.0%
41	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$132,990	$106,580 – $155,490	-2.1%
42	Dietitians and NutritionistsBachelor's degree	$74,710	$51,180 – $103,380	-2.2%
43	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$80,470	$55,170 – $97,680	-2.2%
44	Couriers and MessengersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,280	$27,180 – $49,600	-2.3%
45	English Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$76,840	$50,490 – $101,540	-2.4%
46	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,410	$38,570 – $72,280	-2.4%
47	Order ClerksSome college, no degree	$44,980	$34,730 – $59,030	-2.6%
48	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$208,170	$117,350 – $492,160	-2.7%
49	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$103,020	$73,040 – $120,680	-2.8%
50	Social and Human Service AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,600	$31,340 – $55,850	-2.9%

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