Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Lubbock, TX

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

Cost of living: prices in Lubbock, TX run 8.7% below the national average (2024), so a Lubbock, 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 Lubbock, TX

OccupationMedian, Lubbock, TX · vs. national

1Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary$64,160
Bachelor's degree
$39,950 – $80,840+49.5%
2Firefighters$77,290
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,300 – $91,010+30.4%
3Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars$84,540
Associate's degree
$55,630 – $112,520+24.3%
4Physicians, All Other$328,740
Doctoral or professional degree
$109,410 – $506,960+23.6%
5Petroleum Engineers$164,480
Bachelor's degree
$73,280 – $261,650+13.5%
6Occupational Therapy Assistants$79,690
Associate's degree
$60,940 – $94,610+10.2%
7Wellhead Pumpers$76,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,960 – $99,090+9.8%
8Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$92,040
Doctoral or professional degree
$47,620 – $134,550+8.8%
9First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$101,500
Postsecondary nondegree award
$101,500 – $123,210+8.5%
10Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$83,260
Doctoral or professional degree
$49,390 – $134,540+7.2%
11Business Teachers, Postsecondary$106,150
Doctoral or professional degree
$48,120 – $231,250+7.1%
12Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary$105,370
Doctoral or professional degree
$51,810 – $169,420+6.8%
13First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$112,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$70,410 – $149,880+6.4%
14Physical Therapist Assistants$72,740
Associate's degree
$50,420 – $94,610+6.4%
15Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$67,900
Master's degree
$50,130 – $85,140+5.5%
16Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other$39,110
No formal educational credential
$23,560 – $49,320+5.2%
17Pharmacists$145,890
Doctoral or professional degree
$106,660 – $179,300+3.5%
18Postal Service Clerks$64,290
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $76,360+3.5%
19Optometrists$140,070
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,320 – $157,150+2.6%
20Postal Service Mail Carriers$62,070
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040+2.5%
21Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks$50,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,960 – $76,170+2.1%
22Cargo and Freight Agents$53,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,020 – $81,180+1.8%
23Physician Assistants$137,510
Master's degree
$105,660 – $166,210+1.2%
24Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$77,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,530 – $99,570+1.2%
25Healthcare Social Workers$67,930
Master's degree
$51,060 – $85,170+0.1%
26Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$77,440
Associate's degree
$43,190 – $101,550-1.0%
27Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators$57,800
No formal educational credential
$39,560 – $75,030-1.1%
28Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents$77,650
Bachelor's degree
$46,130 – $204,880-1.3%
29Physical Therapists$101,310
Doctoral or professional degree
$71,910 – $132,030-1.4%
30Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary$78,990
Doctoral or professional degree
$57,620 – $100,900-1.6%
31Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$61,490
Bachelor's degree
$35,170 – $91,490-2.3%
32Surgical Technologists$63,030
Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,990 – $78,500-2.5%
33Veterinarians$126,420
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,880 – $180,320-2.8%
34Couriers and Messengers$37,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,260 – $47,920-3.2%
35Residential Advisors$40,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,860 – $65,160-3.6%
36Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$61,520
Bachelor's degree
$37,480 – $102,750-3.6%
37Occupational Therapists$96,560
Master's degree
$67,550 – $127,770-3.8%
38Bakers$35,750
No formal educational credential
$26,470 – $37,550-3.8%
39Nurse Practitioners$127,100
Master's degree
$102,860 – $154,320-3.9%
40Roustabouts, Oil and Gas$44,920
No formal educational credential
$33,870 – $56,400-4.3%
41Social and Human Service Assistants$43,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,490 – $52,640-4.5%
42Stockers and Order Fillers$35,620
No formal educational credential
$27,500 – $43,990-4.6%
43Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers$45,450
Some college, no degree
$32,030 – $61,780-4.9%
44Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$64,820
Master's degree
$50,800 – $95,990-5.1%
45Public Safety Telecommunicators$50,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,420 – $61,340-5.7%
46Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$45,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,960 – $56,310-6.2%
47Loan Interviewers and Clerks$46,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,650 – $64,570-6.5%
48Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$60,210
Bachelor's degree
$47,440 – $62,920-6.5%
49Industrial Engineers$95,680
Bachelor's degree
$52,170 – $133,340-6.6%
50Respiratory Therapists$76,530
Associate's degree
$63,700 – $90,890-7.0%

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

#	Occupation	MedianLubbock, TX	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Teaching Assistants, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$64,160	$39,950 – $80,840	+49.5%
2	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$77,290	$48,300 – $91,010	+30.4%
3	Health Information Technologists and Medical RegistrarsAssociate's degree	$84,540	$55,630 – $112,520	+24.3%
4	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$328,740	$109,410 – $506,960	+23.6%
5	Petroleum EngineersBachelor's degree	$164,480	$73,280 – $261,650	+13.5%
6	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$79,690	$60,940 – $94,610	+10.2%
7	Wellhead PumpersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,850	$43,960 – $99,090	+9.8%
8	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$92,040	$47,620 – $134,550	+8.8%
9	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$101,500	$101,500 – $123,210	+8.5%
10	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$83,260	$49,390 – $134,540	+7.2%
11	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$106,150	$48,120 – $231,250	+7.1%
12	Agricultural Sciences Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$105,370	$51,810 – $169,420	+6.8%
13	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$112,840	$70,410 – $149,880	+6.4%
14	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$72,740	$50,420 – $94,610	+6.4%
15	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$67,900	$50,130 – $85,140	+5.5%
16	Motor Vehicle Operators, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$39,110	$23,560 – $49,320	+5.2%
17	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$145,890	$106,660 – $179,300	+3.5%
18	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$64,290	$42,600 – $76,360	+3.5%
19	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$140,070	$59,320 – $157,150	+2.6%
20	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$62,070	$42,390 – $81,040	+2.5%
21	Insurance Claims and Policy Processing ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,270	$35,960 – $76,170	+2.1%
22	Cargo and Freight AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,190	$38,020 – $81,180	+1.8%
23	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$137,510	$105,660 – $166,210	+1.2%
24	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,110	$48,530 – $99,570	+1.2%
25	Healthcare Social WorkersMaster's degree	$67,930	$51,060 – $85,170	+0.1%
26	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$77,440	$43,190 – $101,550	-1.0%
27	Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$57,800	$39,560 – $75,030	-1.1%
28	Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales AgentsBachelor's degree	$77,650	$46,130 – $204,880	-1.3%
29	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$101,310	$71,910 – $132,030	-1.4%
30	Nursing Instructors and Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$78,990	$57,620 – $100,900	-1.6%
31	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$61,490	$35,170 – $91,490	-2.3%
32	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,030	$50,990 – $78,500	-2.5%
33	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$126,420	$77,880 – $180,320	-2.8%
34	Couriers and MessengersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,930	$29,260 – $47,920	-3.2%
35	Residential AdvisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,710	$28,860 – $65,160	-3.6%
36	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$61,520	$37,480 – $102,750	-3.6%
37	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$96,560	$67,550 – $127,770	-3.8%
38	BakersNo formal educational credential	$35,750	$26,470 – $37,550	-3.8%
39	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$127,100	$102,860 – $154,320	-3.9%
40	Roustabouts, Oil and GasNo formal educational credential	$44,920	$33,870 – $56,400	-4.3%
41	Social and Human Service AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,880	$30,490 – $52,640	-4.5%
42	Stockers and Order FillersNo formal educational credential	$35,620	$27,500 – $43,990	-4.6%
43	Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine RepairersSome college, no degree	$45,450	$32,030 – $61,780	-4.9%
44	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$64,820	$50,800 – $95,990	-5.1%
45	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,030	$38,420 – $61,340	-5.7%
46	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,660	$35,960 – $56,310	-6.2%
47	Loan Interviewers and ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,790	$36,650 – $64,570	-6.5%
48	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$60,210	$47,440 – $62,920	-6.5%
49	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$95,680	$52,170 – $133,340	-6.6%
50	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$76,530	$63,700 – $90,890	-7.0%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Lubbock, TX

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