Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Killeen-Temple, TX

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

Cost of living: prices in Killeen-Temple, TX run 8.9% below the national average (2024), so a Killeen-Temple, TX salary is worth about 1.10× 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 Killeen-Temple, TX

OccupationMedian, Killeen-Temple, TX · vs. national

1Social Workers, All Other$104,330
Bachelor's degree
$63,130 – $121,180+45.1%
2Health Education Specialists$80,840
Bachelor's degree
$49,250 – $124,990+26.2%
3Teachers and Instructors, All Other$81,330
Bachelor's degree
$52,560 – $100,420+23.0%
4Production Workers, All Other$48,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,710 – $48,600+21.2%
5Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other$44,300
No formal educational credential
$29,040 – $51,230+19.2%
6Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary$94,230
Doctoral or professional degree
$70,420 – $217,030+17.4%
7Psychologists, All Other$129,960
Master's degree
$49,930 – $164,550+17.3%
8Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$72,800
Master's degree
$40,630 – $100,240+13.2%
9Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$51,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,410 – $59,860+11.4%
10Physical Therapist Assistants$76,140
Associate's degree
$48,970 – $99,510+11.3%
11Social and Human Service Assistants$49,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,090 – $66,390+8.0%
12Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$88,610
Bachelor's degree
$61,970 – $143,950+7.8%
13Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$46,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,130 – $51,610+7.6%
14Butchers and Meat Cutters$43,100
No formal educational credential
$24,190 – $55,170+7.4%
15Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping$49,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,710 – $60,850+6.6%
16Pharmacists$149,790
Doctoral or professional degree
$105,270 – $170,790+6.3%
17Occupational Therapy Assistants$76,290
Associate's degree
$50,320 – $94,610+5.5%
18Nurse Practitioners$138,670
Master's degree
$114,390 – $164,080+4.8%
19Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants$37,300
No formal educational credential
$27,280 – $49,150+4.6%
20Pharmacy Technicians$47,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,690 – $61,610+3.6%
21Physician Assistants$140,200
Master's degree
$115,950 – $165,120+3.2%
22Chief Executives$220,940
Bachelor's degree
$96,050 – $467,110+3.2%
23Logisticians$84,680
Bachelor's degree
$57,210 – $136,990+2.9%
24Healthcare Support Workers, All Other$49,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,150 – $69,700+2.7%
25Food Processing Workers, All Other$40,590
No formal educational credential
$35,920 – $48,130+2.3%
26Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service$39,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$24,330 – $52,420+1.6%
27Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists$96,860
Associate's degree
$74,210 – $114,100+1.4%
28Postal Service Clerks$62,950
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,030+1.3%
29Operations Research Analysts$90,000
Bachelor's degree
$55,750 – $136,990+1.2%
30Business Operations Specialists, All Other$83,780
Bachelor's degree
$53,830 – $122,930+0.9%
31Information and Record Clerks, All Other$49,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,130 – $61,610+0.5%
32Light Truck Drivers$44,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,390 – $93,830-0.2%
33Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$62,480
Bachelor's degree
$51,780 – $62,480-0.3%
34First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors$62,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,060 – $94,970-0.5%
35Budget Analysts$91,170
Bachelor's degree
$65,170 – $122,930-0.5%
36Clergy$60,380
Bachelor's degree
$37,500 – $100,420-0.7%
37Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$58,820
Master's degree
$34,050 – $101,390-0.9%
38Maintenance Workers, Machinery$60,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,280 – $73,690-1.0%
39Dental Hygienists$97,140
Associate's degree
$80,880 – $101,940-1.0%
40Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$63,120
Bachelor's degree
$51,940 – $75,050-1.3%
41Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$99,240
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,060 – $171,140-1.3%
42Procurement Clerks$49,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,330 – $61,610-1.3%
43Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping$49,920
Associate's degree
$36,210 – $63,270-1.4%
44Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$45,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,500 – $63,130-1.4%
45Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$49,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,120 – $51,110-1.5%
46Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$45,720
No formal educational credential
$37,390 – $60,600-1.5%
47Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$63,390
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,190 – $87,940-1.6%
48Instructional Coordinators$76,130
Master's degree
$50,090 – $123,630-1.7%
49Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$63,250
Bachelor's degree
$50,540 – $74,500-1.7%
50Stockers and Order Fillers$36,560
No formal educational credential
$29,490 – $54,590-2.1%

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

#	Occupation	MedianKilleen-Temple, TX	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$104,330	$63,130 – $121,180	+45.1%
2	Health Education SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$80,840	$49,250 – $124,990	+26.2%
3	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$81,330	$52,560 – $100,420	+23.0%
4	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,600	$29,710 – $48,600	+21.2%
5	Motor Vehicle Operators, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$44,300	$29,040 – $51,230	+19.2%
6	Nursing Instructors and Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$94,230	$70,420 – $217,030	+17.4%
7	Psychologists, All OtherMaster's degree	$129,960	$49,930 – $164,550	+17.3%
8	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$72,800	$40,630 – $100,240	+13.2%
9	Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,060	$36,410 – $59,860	+11.4%
10	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$76,140	$48,970 – $99,510	+11.3%
11	Social and Human Service AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,610	$35,090 – $66,390	+8.0%
12	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$88,610	$61,970 – $143,950	+7.8%
13	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,490	$31,130 – $51,610	+7.6%
14	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$43,100	$24,190 – $55,170	+7.4%
15	Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, RecordkeepingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,450	$32,710 – $60,850	+6.6%
16	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$149,790	$105,270 – $170,790	+6.3%
17	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$76,290	$50,320 – $94,610	+5.5%
18	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$138,670	$114,390 – $164,080	+4.8%
19	Automotive and Watercraft Service AttendantsNo formal educational credential	$37,300	$27,280 – $49,150	+4.6%
20	Pharmacy TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,400	$35,690 – $61,610	+3.6%
21	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$140,200	$115,950 – $165,120	+3.2%
22	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$220,940	$96,050 – $467,110	+3.2%
23	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$84,680	$57,210 – $136,990	+2.9%
24	Healthcare Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,730	$36,150 – $69,700	+2.7%
25	Food Processing Workers, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$40,590	$35,920 – $48,130	+2.3%
26	Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal ServiceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,890	$24,330 – $52,420	+1.6%
27	Magnetic Resonance Imaging TechnologistsAssociate's degree	$96,860	$74,210 – $114,100	+1.4%
28	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$62,950	$42,600 – $75,030	+1.3%
29	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$90,000	$55,750 – $136,990	+1.2%
30	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$83,780	$53,830 – $122,930	+0.9%
31	Information and Record Clerks, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,730	$32,130 – $61,610	+0.5%
32	Light Truck DriversHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,750	$27,390 – $93,830	-0.2%
33	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$62,480	$51,780 – $62,480	-0.3%
34	First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling SupervisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,550	$40,060 – $94,970	-0.5%
35	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$91,170	$65,170 – $122,930	-0.5%
36	ClergyBachelor's degree	$60,380	$37,500 – $100,420	-0.7%
37	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$58,820	$34,050 – $101,390	-0.9%
38	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,260	$42,280 – $73,690	-1.0%
39	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$97,140	$80,880 – $101,940	-1.0%
40	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$63,120	$51,940 – $75,050	-1.3%
41	Clinical and Counseling PsychologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$99,240	$79,060 – $171,140	-1.3%
42	Procurement ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,940	$40,330 – $61,610	-1.3%
43	Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and TimekeepingAssociate's degree	$49,920	$36,210 – $63,270	-1.4%
44	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,050	$29,500 – $63,130	-1.4%
45	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,520	$39,120 – $51,110	-1.5%
46	Industrial Truck and Tractor OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$45,720	$37,390 – $60,600	-1.5%
47	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,390	$47,190 – $87,940	-1.6%
48	Instructional CoordinatorsMaster's degree	$76,130	$50,090 – $123,630	-1.7%
49	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$63,250	$50,540 – $74,500	-1.7%
50	Stockers and Order FillersNo formal educational credential	$36,560	$29,490 – $54,590	-2.1%

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