Jobs that pay the biggest premium in El Paso, TX

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

Cost of living: prices in El Paso, TX run 10.1% below the national average (2024), so a El Paso, TX salary is worth about 1.11× 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 El Paso, TX

OccupationMedian, El Paso, TX · vs. national

1Social Workers, All Other$89,020
Bachelor's degree
$42,520 – $113,170+23.8%
2Detectives and Criminal Investigators$109,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,620 – $140,500+16.5%
3Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$70,810
Master's degree
$38,020 – $103,790+10.1%
4First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$115,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$91,110 – $185,490+9.2%
5Physicians, All Other$289,950
Doctoral or professional degree
$58,770 – $415,890+9.0%
6Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary$46,330
Bachelor's degree
$23,490 – $54,250+8.0%
7Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$73,160
Master's degree
$49,800 – $100,200+7.2%
8Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$68,380
Bachelor's degree
$36,050 – $96,690+7.1%
9Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$62,510
Master's degree
$37,860 – $81,460+5.3%
10Instructional Coordinators$80,720
Master's degree
$54,280 – $115,210+4.2%
11Business Teachers, Postsecondary$103,130
Doctoral or professional degree
$45,620 – $168,550+4.1%
12Postal Service Clerks$64,670
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,250+4.1%
13Physical Therapist Assistants$71,140
Associate's degree
$36,820 – $93,600+4.0%
14Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$64,900
Bachelor's degree
$47,790 – $72,080+3.5%
15Postal Service Mail Carriers$62,590
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040+3.4%
16Occupational Therapy Assistants$74,640
Associate's degree
$60,320 – $89,440+3.2%
17Chief Executives$220,050
Bachelor's degree
$98,680 – $477,540+2.8%
18Speech-Language Pathologists$99,430
Master's degree
$66,450 – $134,260+1.6%
19Occupational Therapists$101,530
Master's degree
$64,280 – $135,070+1.2%
20Dietitians and Nutritionists$76,830
Bachelor's degree
$53,150 – $94,520+0.6%
21Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$76,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,160 – $95,570+0.2%
22Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$84,820
Doctoral or professional degree
$49,150 – $150,290+0.2%
23Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$64,480
Bachelor's degree
$58,520 – $71,640+0.2%
24Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators$58,470
No formal educational credential
$48,880 – $75,0300.0%
25Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$63,800
Bachelor's degree
$48,240 – $70,890-0.3%
26Physical Therapists$102,190
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,580 – $139,050-0.6%
27Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers$33,180
No formal educational credential
$23,160 – $33,180-1.2%
28Couriers and Messengers$38,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,370 – $47,620-1.6%
29Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$64,000
Bachelor's degree
$50,340 – $100,860-1.7%
30Bus Drivers, School$46,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$23,480 – $62,450-2.3%
31Surgical Technologists$62,980
Postsecondary nondegree award
$33,730 – $76,940-2.6%
32Skincare Specialists$43,690
Postsecondary nondegree award
$27,910 – $72,650-3.6%
33Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$63,780
Bachelor's degree
$62,300 – $74,280-3.8%
34Nurse Practitioners$127,110
Master's degree
$99,650 – $159,840-3.9%
35Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping$44,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,060 – $50,470-4.1%
36Special Education Teachers, Middle School$64,100
Bachelor's degree
$49,330 – $100,220-4.1%
37Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other$96,100
Bachelor's degree
$73,320 – $129,960-5.0%
38Personal Financial Advisors$99,700
Bachelor's degree
$41,830 – $330,720-5.1%
39Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door$70,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,520 – $109,720-5.3%
40Transportation Security Screeners$63,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,940 – $73,320-5.5%
41Information and Record Clerks, All Other$46,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,380 – $59,950-6.2%
42Medical Records Specialists$47,860
Postsecondary nondegree award
$26,860 – $66,390-6.4%
43Software Developers$127,310
Bachelor's degree
$77,500 – $164,830-6.4%
44Business Operations Specialists, All Other$77,750
Bachelor's degree
$40,490 – $119,430-6.4%
45Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary$102,090
Doctoral or professional degree
$57,180 – $168,290-6.6%
46Industrial Production Managers$116,580
Bachelor's degree
$70,840 – $190,240-7.5%
47Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers$55,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,650 – $72,970-7.7%
48Healthcare Support Workers, All Other$44,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,470 – $64,940-7.8%
49Stockers and Order Fillers$34,400
No formal educational credential
$26,560 – $44,910-7.8%
50Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$43,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,680 – $57,400-8.0%

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

#	Occupation	MedianEl Paso, TX	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$89,020	$42,520 – $113,170	+23.8%
2	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$109,300	$56,620 – $140,500	+16.5%
3	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$70,810	$38,020 – $103,790	+10.1%
4	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$115,820	$91,110 – $185,490	+9.2%
5	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$289,950	$58,770 – $415,890	+9.0%
6	Teaching Assistants, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$46,330	$23,490 – $54,250	+8.0%
7	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$73,160	$49,800 – $100,200	+7.2%
8	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$68,380	$36,050 – $96,690	+7.1%
9	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$62,510	$37,860 – $81,460	+5.3%
10	Instructional CoordinatorsMaster's degree	$80,720	$54,280 – $115,210	+4.2%
11	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$103,130	$45,620 – $168,550	+4.1%
12	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$64,670	$42,600 – $75,250	+4.1%
13	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$71,140	$36,820 – $93,600	+4.0%
14	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$64,900	$47,790 – $72,080	+3.5%
15	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$62,590	$42,390 – $81,040	+3.4%
16	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$74,640	$60,320 – $89,440	+3.2%
17	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$220,050	$98,680 – $477,540	+2.8%
18	Speech-Language PathologistsMaster's degree	$99,430	$66,450 – $134,260	+1.6%
19	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$101,530	$64,280 – $135,070	+1.2%
20	Dietitians and NutritionistsBachelor's degree	$76,830	$53,150 – $94,520	+0.6%
21	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,400	$47,160 – $95,570	+0.2%
22	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$84,820	$49,150 – $150,290	+0.2%
23	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$64,480	$58,520 – $71,640	+0.2%
24	Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$58,470	$48,880 – $75,030	0.0%
25	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$63,800	$48,240 – $70,890	-0.3%
26	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$102,190	$65,580 – $139,050	-0.6%
27	Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service WorkersNo formal educational credential	$33,180	$23,160 – $33,180	-1.2%
28	Couriers and MessengersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,570	$31,370 – $47,620	-1.6%
29	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$64,000	$50,340 – $100,860	-1.7%
30	Bus Drivers, SchoolHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,800	$23,480 – $62,450	-2.3%
31	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,980	$33,730 – $76,940	-2.6%
32	Skincare SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$43,690	$27,910 – $72,650	-3.6%
33	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$63,780	$62,300 – $74,280	-3.8%
34	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$127,110	$99,650 – $159,840	-3.9%
35	Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, RecordkeepingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,460	$31,060 – $50,470	-4.1%
36	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$64,100	$49,330 – $100,220	-4.1%
37	Social Scientists and Related Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$96,100	$73,320 – $129,960	-5.0%
38	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$99,700	$41,830 – $330,720	-5.1%
39	Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical DoorHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,380	$35,520 – $109,720	-5.3%
40	Transportation Security ScreenersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,130	$49,940 – $73,320	-5.5%
41	Information and Record Clerks, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,450	$32,380 – $59,950	-6.2%
42	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$47,860	$26,860 – $66,390	-6.4%
43	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$127,310	$77,500 – $164,830	-6.4%
44	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$77,750	$40,490 – $119,430	-6.4%
45	Engineering Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$102,090	$57,180 – $168,290	-6.6%
46	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$116,580	$70,840 – $190,240	-7.5%
47	Security and Fire Alarm Systems InstallersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,420	$36,650 – $72,970	-7.7%
48	Healthcare Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,660	$28,470 – $64,940	-7.8%
49	Stockers and Order FillersNo formal educational credential	$34,400	$26,560 – $44,910	-7.8%
50	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,890	$32,680 – $57,400	-8.0%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in El Paso, TX

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