Jobs that pay the biggest premium in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX

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

Cost of living: prices in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX run 14.1% below the national average (2024), so a McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX salary is worth about 1.16× 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 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX

OccupationMedian, McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX · vs. national

1Business Teachers, Postsecondary$127,460
Doctoral or professional degree
$58,800 – $241,450+28.6%
2Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$80,390
Master's degree
$45,960 – $105,630+25.0%
3Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$81,470
Master's degree
$54,070 – $99,000+19.3%
4Surgical Assistants$77,980
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,170 – $96,110+16.7%
5Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$96,930
Doctoral or professional degree
$51,700 – $157,690+14.5%
6Skincare Specialists$50,980
Postsecondary nondegree award
$28,690 – $77,900+12.5%
7Physicians, All Other$295,020
Doctoral or professional degree
$37,300 – $413,610+10.9%
8Detectives and Criminal Investigators$103,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,730 – $115,210+10.2%
9Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$65,370
Master's degree
$37,820 – $86,920+10.1%
10Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$83,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,060 – $106,330+7.4%
11Postal Service Mail Carriers$64,250
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $87,340+6.1%
12Physical Therapist Assistants$72,520
Associate's degree
$45,130 – $101,030+6.1%
13Instructional Coordinators$81,890
Master's degree
$50,160 – $100,740+5.7%
14Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$78,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,320 – $98,090+5.4%
15Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators$61,570
No formal educational credential
$48,880 – $75,030+5.3%
16Occupational Therapy Assistants$73,720
Associate's degree
$49,140 – $88,950+2.0%
17Education Teachers, Postsecondary$76,460
Doctoral or professional degree
$48,400 – $127,160+1.5%
18Physical Therapists$103,980
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,670 – $144,800+1.2%
19Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$63,280
Bachelor's degree
$57,390 – $82,770+1.0%
20Occupational Therapists$100,980
Master's degree
$71,120 – $157,200+0.6%
21Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$79,010
Master's degree
$47,810 – $172,430+0.5%
22Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$63,110
Bachelor's degree
$51,070 – $83,180-1.3%
23Demonstrators and Product Promoters$38,640
No formal educational credential
$35,710 – $45,370-1.7%
24Pharmacy Aides$36,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$26,350 – $45,450-1.8%
25Pharmacists$137,700
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,410 – $174,880-2.3%
26Child, Family, and School Social Workers$58,040
Bachelor's degree
$35,320 – $81,080-2.5%
27Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$62,560
Bachelor's degree
$52,690 – $82,560-2.8%
28Physician Assistants$131,870
Master's degree
$102,030 – $196,450-3.0%
29Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$62,600
Bachelor's degree
$49,900 – $72,790-3.9%
30Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary$76,840
Doctoral or professional degree
$50,460 – $122,910-4.2%
31Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School$62,320
Bachelor's degree
$57,280 – $74,130-4.2%
32Surgical Technologists$61,830
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,590 – $75,080-4.4%
33First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers$46,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,490 – $61,210-4.5%
34Education Administrators, Postsecondary$99,550
Master's degree
$69,330 – $224,010-4.8%
35Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$101,900
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,190 – $272,780-5.0%
36Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$62,830
Bachelor's degree
$57,480 – $77,700-5.2%
37School Psychologists$90,310
Master's degree
$70,900 – $111,390-5.9%
38Stockers and Order Fillers$35,080
No formal educational credential
$26,020 – $44,770-6.0%
39Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$59,060
Bachelor's degree
$30,630 – $99,990-6.1%
40Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$74,680
Doctoral or professional degree
$48,690 – $134,910-6.6%
41Nurse Practitioners$122,550
Master's degree
$96,290 – $168,180-7.4%
42Credit Counselors$48,200
Bachelor's degree
$36,300 – $68,240-7.7%
43Speech-Language Pathologists$89,860
Master's degree
$62,670 – $133,210-8.2%
44Couriers and Messengers$35,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,200 – $44,850-8.2%
45Special Education Teachers, Middle School$60,720
Bachelor's degree
$54,330 – $71,620-9.1%
46Loan Interviewers and Clerks$45,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,270 – $55,320-9.1%
47Food Processing Workers, All Other$35,690
No formal educational credential
$21,670 – $42,760-10.1%
48Industrial Engineers$91,680
Bachelor's degree
$56,030 – $126,840-10.5%
49Bus Drivers, School$42,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,280 – $61,770-10.9%
50Business Operations Specialists, All Other$73,920
Bachelor's degree
$36,850 – $122,800-11.0%

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

#	Occupation	MedianMcAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$127,460	$58,800 – $241,450	+28.6%
2	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$80,390	$45,960 – $105,630	+25.0%
3	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$81,470	$54,070 – $99,000	+19.3%
4	Surgical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$77,980	$36,170 – $96,110	+16.7%
5	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$96,930	$51,700 – $157,690	+14.5%
6	Skincare SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$50,980	$28,690 – $77,900	+12.5%
7	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$295,020	$37,300 – $413,610	+10.9%
8	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$103,380	$49,730 – $115,210	+10.2%
9	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$65,370	$37,820 – $86,920	+10.1%
10	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,780	$48,060 – $106,330	+7.4%
11	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$64,250	$42,390 – $87,340	+6.1%
12	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$72,520	$45,130 – $101,030	+6.1%
13	Instructional CoordinatorsMaster's degree	$81,890	$50,160 – $100,740	+5.7%
14	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,370	$48,320 – $98,090	+5.4%
15	Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$61,570	$48,880 – $75,030	+5.3%
16	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$73,720	$49,140 – $88,950	+2.0%
17	Education Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$76,460	$48,400 – $127,160	+1.5%
18	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$103,980	$63,670 – $144,800	+1.2%
19	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$63,280	$57,390 – $82,770	+1.0%
20	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$100,980	$71,120 – $157,200	+0.6%
21	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$79,010	$47,810 – $172,430	+0.5%
22	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$63,110	$51,070 – $83,180	-1.3%
23	Demonstrators and Product PromotersNo formal educational credential	$38,640	$35,710 – $45,370	-1.7%
24	Pharmacy AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,990	$26,350 – $45,450	-1.8%
25	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$137,700	$75,410 – $174,880	-2.3%
26	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$58,040	$35,320 – $81,080	-2.5%
27	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$62,560	$52,690 – $82,560	-2.8%
28	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$131,870	$102,030 – $196,450	-3.0%
29	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$62,600	$49,900 – $72,790	-3.9%
30	Nursing Instructors and Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$76,840	$50,460 – $122,910	-4.2%
31	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$62,320	$57,280 – $74,130	-4.2%
32	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,830	$37,590 – $75,080	-4.4%
33	First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,410	$27,490 – $61,210	-4.5%
34	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$99,550	$69,330 – $224,010	-4.8%
35	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$101,900	$62,190 – $272,780	-5.0%
36	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$62,830	$57,480 – $77,700	-5.2%
37	School PsychologistsMaster's degree	$90,310	$70,900 – $111,390	-5.9%
38	Stockers and Order FillersNo formal educational credential	$35,080	$26,020 – $44,770	-6.0%
39	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$59,060	$30,630 – $99,990	-6.1%
40	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$74,680	$48,690 – $134,910	-6.6%
41	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$122,550	$96,290 – $168,180	-7.4%
42	Credit CounselorsBachelor's degree	$48,200	$36,300 – $68,240	-7.7%
43	Speech-Language PathologistsMaster's degree	$89,860	$62,670 – $133,210	-8.2%
44	Couriers and MessengersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$35,990	$27,200 – $44,850	-8.2%
45	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$60,720	$54,330 – $71,620	-9.1%
46	Loan Interviewers and ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,480	$34,270 – $55,320	-9.1%
47	Food Processing Workers, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$35,690	$21,670 – $42,760	-10.1%
48	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$91,680	$56,030 – $126,840	-10.5%
49	Bus Drivers, SchoolHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,680	$27,280 – $61,770	-10.9%
50	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$73,920	$36,850 – $122,800	-11.0%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX

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