Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX

Each occupation's median wage in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, 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 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX run 3.1% above the national average (2024), so a Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX salary is worth about 0.97× 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 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX

OccupationMedian, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX · vs. national

1Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$80,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,190 – $80,110+69.8%
2Chief Executives$320,060
Bachelor's degree
$134,660 – $589,770+49.6%
3Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers$86,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,130 – $100,450+32.3%
4Commercial Pilots$160,160
Postsecondary nondegree award
$80,660 – $266,620+30.0%
5Surgical Technologists$79,990
Postsecondary nondegree award
$44,300 – $96,410+23.7%
6Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$92,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,700 – $104,100+21.9%
7Skincare Specialists$54,290
Postsecondary nondegree award
$28,440 – $106,760+19.8%
8Operations Research Analysts$106,380
Bachelor's degree
$61,740 – $201,080+19.6%
9Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$94,920
Postsecondary nondegree award
$52,130 – $123,180+18.8%
10Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$76,380
Master's degree
$46,340 – $105,190+18.7%
11Physical Therapist Assistants$80,370
Associate's degree
$37,890 – $104,890+17.5%
12Database Administrators$122,390
Bachelor's degree
$65,300 – $163,320+17.0%
13Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks$57,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,100 – $81,490+16.5%
14Mechanical Drafters$83,200
Associate's degree
$56,440 – $94,260+16.3%
15Computer Systems Analysts$122,520
Bachelor's degree
$75,850 – $170,020+15.7%
16First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$122,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$84,660 – $146,960+15.2%
17Driver/Sales Workers$44,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$19,030 – $64,560+14.6%
18Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping$52,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,840 – $59,780+13.0%
19Healthcare Social Workers$75,930
Master's degree
$45,440 – $100,110+11.9%
20Database Architects$154,770
Bachelor's degree
$90,250 – $212,280+10.9%
21Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents$86,740
Bachelor's degree
$49,780 – $217,220+10.3%
22Public Safety Telecommunicators$58,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,020 – $72,890+9.9%
23Ophthalmic Medical Technicians$49,950
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,230 – $60,250+9.6%
24Firefighters$64,900
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,460 – $92,700+9.5%
25Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary$46,920
Bachelor's degree
$20,940 – $64,680+9.3%
26Computer Occupations, All Other$127,360
Bachelor's degree
$60,600 – $177,180+9.2%
27Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$74,340
Master's degree
$51,910 – $102,810+8.9%
28General Internal Medicine Physicians$276,520
Doctoral or professional degree
$129,360 – $354,970+7.8%
29Couriers and Messengers$41,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,520 – $51,650+6.8%
30Sales Engineers$133,280
Bachelor's degree
$81,230 – $191,170+6.7%
31Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$82,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,590 – $119,180+6.3%
32Data Scientists$127,750
Bachelor's degree
$65,190 – $173,340+6.3%
33Family Medicine Physicians$259,310
Doctoral or professional degree
$107,810 – $431,530+6.2%
34Occupational Therapists$106,110
Master's degree
$76,960 – $145,780+5.8%
35Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$78,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,960 – $104,490+5.7%
36Lawyers$168,510
Doctoral or professional degree
$81,360 – $347,260+5.5%
37Industrial Production Managers$132,990
Bachelor's degree
$81,000 – $209,800+5.5%
38Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$62,560
Master's degree
$38,220 – $98,790+5.4%
39Dentists, General$179,990
Doctoral or professional degree
$134,260 – $304,130+5.3%
40First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$73,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,590 – $113,020+5.1%
41General and Operations Managers$111,010
Bachelor's degree
$46,710 – $279,830+5.0%
42Physical Therapists$107,780
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,280 – $144,740+4.9%
43Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers$61,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,700 – $84,430+4.9%
44Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants$80,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,430 – $116,160+4.8%
45Automotive Body and Related Repairers$57,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,500 – $87,630+4.4%
46Web Developers$96,740
Bachelor's degree
$54,510 – $165,430+4.4%
47Data Entry Keyers$43,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,750 – $59,860+4.3%
48Instructional Coordinators$80,740
Master's degree
$59,170 – $118,210+4.3%
49Helpers--Electricians$44,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,020 – $59,030+4.3%
50Network and Computer Systems Administrators$103,260
Bachelor's degree
$66,780 – $158,120+4.2%

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

#	Occupation	MedianDallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,110	$44,190 – $80,110	+69.8%
2	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$320,060	$134,660 – $589,770	+49.6%
3	Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems AssemblersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$86,520	$38,130 – $100,450	+32.3%
4	Commercial PilotsPostsecondary nondegree award	$160,160	$80,660 – $266,620	+30.0%
5	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$79,990	$44,300 – $96,410	+23.7%
6	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$92,910	$62,700 – $104,100	+21.9%
7	Skincare SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$54,290	$28,440 – $106,760	+19.8%
8	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$106,380	$61,740 – $201,080	+19.6%
9	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$94,920	$52,130 – $123,180	+18.8%
10	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$76,380	$46,340 – $105,190	+18.7%
11	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$80,370	$37,890 – $104,890	+17.5%
12	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$122,390	$65,300 – $163,320	+17.0%
13	Insurance Claims and Policy Processing ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,340	$40,100 – $81,490	+16.5%
14	Mechanical DraftersAssociate's degree	$83,200	$56,440 – $94,260	+16.3%
15	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$122,520	$75,850 – $170,020	+15.7%
16	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$122,210	$84,660 – $146,960	+15.2%
17	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,440	$19,030 – $64,560	+14.6%
18	Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, RecordkeepingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,420	$36,840 – $59,780	+13.0%
19	Healthcare Social WorkersMaster's degree	$75,930	$45,440 – $100,110	+11.9%
20	Database ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$154,770	$90,250 – $212,280	+10.9%
21	Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales AgentsBachelor's degree	$86,740	$49,780 – $217,220	+10.3%
22	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,280	$45,020 – $72,890	+9.9%
23	Ophthalmic Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$49,950	$37,230 – $60,250	+9.6%
24	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,900	$48,460 – $92,700	+9.5%
25	Teaching Assistants, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$46,920	$20,940 – $64,680	+9.3%
26	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$127,360	$60,600 – $177,180	+9.2%
27	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$74,340	$51,910 – $102,810	+8.9%
28	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$276,520	$129,360 – $354,970	+7.8%
29	Couriers and MessengersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,860	$35,520 – $51,650	+6.8%
30	Sales EngineersBachelor's degree	$133,280	$81,230 – $191,170	+6.7%
31	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,890	$51,590 – $119,180	+6.3%
32	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$127,750	$65,190 – $173,340	+6.3%
33	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$259,310	$107,810 – $431,530	+6.2%
34	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$106,110	$76,960 – $145,780	+5.8%
35	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,580	$48,960 – $104,490	+5.7%
36	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$168,510	$81,360 – $347,260	+5.5%
37	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$132,990	$81,000 – $209,800	+5.5%
38	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$62,560	$38,220 – $98,790	+5.4%
39	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$179,990	$134,260 – $304,130	+5.3%
40	First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,070	$46,590 – $113,020	+5.1%
41	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$111,010	$46,710 – $279,830	+5.0%
42	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$107,780	$77,280 – $144,740	+4.9%
43	Title Examiners, Abstractors, and SearchersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,530	$42,700 – $84,430	+4.9%
44	Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,230	$56,430 – $116,160	+4.8%
45	Automotive Body and Related RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,280	$34,500 – $87,630	+4.4%
46	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$96,740	$54,510 – $165,430	+4.4%
47	Data Entry KeyersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,110	$31,750 – $59,860	+4.3%
48	Instructional CoordinatorsMaster's degree	$80,740	$59,170 – $118,210	+4.3%
49	Helpers--ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,490	$36,020 – $59,030	+4.3%
50	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$103,260	$66,780 – $158,120	+4.2%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX

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