Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Corpus Christi, TX

Each occupation's median wage in Corpus Christi, 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 Corpus Christi, TX pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Corpus Christi, TX run 7.3% below the national average (2024), so a Corpus Christi, TX salary is worth about 1.08× 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 Corpus Christi, TX

OccupationMedian, Corpus Christi, TX · vs. national

1Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$91,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,190 – $100,150+57.8%
2Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders$81,920
No formal educational credential
$52,610 – $86,600+39.2%
3Machinists$71,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,790 – $100,140+21.9%
4Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$53,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,870 – $80,270+21.5%
5Industrial Engineers$122,470
Bachelor's degree
$72,860 – $161,920+19.6%
6Mechanical Engineers$124,340
Bachelor's degree
$77,320 – $160,490+19.4%
7Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$76,040
Bachelor's degree
$50,600 – $99,150+19.1%
8Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$85,470
Postsecondary nondegree award
$52,410 – $102,040+15.4%
9Calibration Technologists and Technicians$77,380
Associate's degree
$43,680 – $98,800+14.1%
10Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$66,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,020 – $88,070+11.6%
11Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$82,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,620 – $98,730+11.4%
12Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$59,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,380 – $76,120+10.6%
13Butchers and Meat Cutters$44,000
No formal educational credential
$24,000 – $59,200+9.6%
14Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary$47,030
Bachelor's degree
$25,500 – $57,450+9.6%
15Crane and Tower Operators$74,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,730 – $76,780+9.0%
16Physical Therapist Assistants$73,920
Associate's degree
$50,860 – $97,980+8.1%
17Petroleum Engineers$155,870
Bachelor's degree
$99,700 – $278,800+7.6%
18Chief Executives$229,340
Bachelor's degree
$119,190 – $420,730+7.2%
19Postal Service Clerks$66,460
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $76,360+7.0%
20Dentists, General$180,630
Doctoral or professional degree
$88,410 – $282,100+5.7%
21Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors$120,790
Bachelor's degree
$93,700 – $198,210+4.9%
22Industrial Production Managers$131,180
Bachelor's degree
$73,720 – $200,870+4.1%
23Occupational Therapists$104,150
Master's degree
$71,910 – $131,400+3.8%
24Electrical Engineers$124,800
Bachelor's degree
$79,700 – $162,120+3.5%
25Production Workers, All Other$41,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$26,170 – $76,790+3.4%
26Helpers, Construction Trades, All Other$44,060
No formal educational credential
$34,110 – $46,580+3.3%
27Helpers--Electricians$44,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,770 – $47,980+3.2%
28Physical Therapists$106,080
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,370 – $130,260+3.2%
29Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$47,880
No formal educational credential
$33,950 – $59,730+3.1%
30Occupational Therapy Assistants$74,430
Associate's degree
$49,600 – $81,190+2.9%
31First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$76,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,870 – $141,440+2.8%
32Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$80,120
Associate's degree
$46,000 – $108,160+2.5%
33Postal Service Mail Carriers$62,070
No formal educational credential
$43,120 – $81,040+2.5%
34Chemists$93,410
Bachelor's degree
$61,000 – $132,650+2.4%
35Administrative Services Managers$116,280
Bachelor's degree
$62,560 – $173,990+1.9%
36Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators$59,490
No formal educational credential
$48,880 – $75,280+1.7%
37Chemical Engineers$126,690
Bachelor's degree
$91,710 – $191,050+1.3%
38Nurse Practitioners$133,810
Master's degree
$103,590 – $169,420+1.1%
39Optometrists$138,120
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,340 – $162,890+1.1%
40Cost Estimators$79,550
Bachelor's degree
$49,390 – $136,860+1.0%
41Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$80,270
Postsecondary nondegree award
$65,100 – $93,430+0.5%
42Chemical Technicians$60,530
Associate's degree
$39,670 – $99,480+0.2%
43Pharmacy Technicians$45,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,480 – $56,070-0.3%
44Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$48,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,860 – $101,920-0.7%
45Healthcare Social Workers$67,260
Master's degree
$38,370 – $92,800-0.9%
46Pharmacy Aides$37,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,090 – $46,220-1.1%
47Physician Assistants$134,360
Master's degree
$103,720 – $158,600-1.1%
48Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$48,940
No formal educational credential
$20,410 – $57,220-1.5%
49Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$77,070
Associate's degree
$44,840 – $109,820-1.6%
50Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$63,220
Master's degree
$37,870 – $96,100-1.7%

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

#	Occupation	MedianCorpus Christi, TX	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$91,560	$44,190 – $100,150	+57.8%
2	Tank Car, Truck, and Ship LoadersNo formal educational credential	$81,920	$52,610 – $86,600	+39.2%
3	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,590	$42,790 – $100,140	+21.9%
4	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,890	$33,870 – $80,270	+21.5%
5	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$122,470	$72,860 – $161,920	+19.6%
6	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$124,340	$77,320 – $160,490	+19.4%
7	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$76,040	$50,600 – $99,150	+19.1%
8	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$85,470	$52,410 – $102,040	+15.4%
9	Calibration Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$77,380	$43,680 – $98,800	+14.1%
10	Production, Planning, and Expediting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,540	$42,020 – $88,070	+11.6%
11	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,810	$48,620 – $98,730	+11.4%
12	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,450	$38,380 – $76,120	+10.6%
13	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$44,000	$24,000 – $59,200	+9.6%
14	Teaching Assistants, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$47,030	$25,500 – $57,450	+9.6%
15	Crane and Tower OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,200	$51,730 – $76,780	+9.0%
16	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$73,920	$50,860 – $97,980	+8.1%
17	Petroleum EngineersBachelor's degree	$155,870	$99,700 – $278,800	+7.6%
18	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$229,340	$119,190 – $420,730	+7.2%
19	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$66,460	$42,600 – $76,360	+7.0%
20	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$180,630	$88,410 – $282,100	+5.7%
21	Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and InspectorsBachelor's degree	$120,790	$93,700 – $198,210	+4.9%
22	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$131,180	$73,720 – $200,870	+4.1%
23	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$104,150	$71,910 – $131,400	+3.8%
24	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$124,800	$79,700 – $162,120	+3.5%
25	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,490	$26,170 – $76,790	+3.4%
26	Helpers, Construction Trades, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$44,060	$34,110 – $46,580	+3.3%
27	Helpers--ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,040	$31,770 – $47,980	+3.2%
28	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$106,080	$74,370 – $130,260	+3.2%
29	Industrial Truck and Tractor OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$47,880	$33,950 – $59,730	+3.1%
30	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$74,430	$49,600 – $81,190	+2.9%
31	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,560	$41,870 – $141,440	+2.8%
32	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$80,120	$46,000 – $108,160	+2.5%
33	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$62,070	$43,120 – $81,040	+2.5%
34	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$93,410	$61,000 – $132,650	+2.4%
35	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$116,280	$62,560 – $173,990	+1.9%
36	Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$59,490	$48,880 – $75,280	+1.7%
37	Chemical EngineersBachelor's degree	$126,690	$91,710 – $191,050	+1.3%
38	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$133,810	$103,590 – $169,420	+1.1%
39	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$138,120	$65,340 – $162,890	+1.1%
40	Cost EstimatorsBachelor's degree	$79,550	$49,390 – $136,860	+1.0%
41	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$80,270	$65,100 – $93,430	+0.5%
42	Chemical TechniciansAssociate's degree	$60,530	$39,670 – $99,480	+0.2%
43	Pharmacy TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,610	$34,480 – $56,070	-0.3%
44	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,210	$33,860 – $101,920	-0.7%
45	Healthcare Social WorkersMaster's degree	$67,260	$38,370 – $92,800	-0.9%
46	Pharmacy AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,280	$34,090 – $46,220	-1.1%
47	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$134,360	$103,720 – $158,600	-1.1%
48	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$48,940	$20,410 – $57,220	-1.5%
49	Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$77,070	$44,840 – $109,820	-1.6%
50	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$63,220	$37,870 – $96,100	-1.7%

More for Corpus Christi, TX

By field in Corpus Christi, TX

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Corpus Christi, TX to rank honestly.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Corpus Christi, TX

More for Corpus Christi, TX

Other metro areas in TX

By field in Corpus Christi, TX

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state