Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Texas

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

Cost of living: prices in Texas run 2.9% below the national average (2024), so a Texas salary is worth about 1.03× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in Texas.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Texas

OccupationMedian, Texas · vs. national

1Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers$145,220
Bachelor's degree
$60,100 – $287,180+42.5%
2Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary$55,670
Bachelor's degree
$23,660 – $64,160+29.7%
3Chief Executives$257,850
Bachelor's degree
$121,130 – $558,550+20.5%
4Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas$77,840
No formal educational credential
$47,840 – $121,470+14.7%
5Physical Therapist Assistants$78,000
Associate's degree
$43,900 – $99,640+14.1%
6Petroleum Engineers$164,860
Bachelor's degree
$89,990 – $283,500+13.8%
7Occupational Therapy Assistants$81,500
Associate's degree
$60,980 – $95,900+12.7%
8Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$92,000
Bachelor's degree
$60,080 – $163,110+11.9%
9Mechanical Drafters$79,380
Associate's degree
$52,000 – $106,080+10.9%
10Calibration Technologists and Technicians$74,100
Associate's degree
$46,170 – $108,120+9.3%
11Database Administrators$114,400
Bachelor's degree
$59,950 – $161,590+9.3%
12Chemists$99,640
Bachelor's degree
$58,850 – $170,250+9.2%
13Skincare Specialists$49,250
Postsecondary nondegree award
$27,390 – $84,180+8.6%
14Database Architects$151,370
Bachelor's degree
$92,890 – $200,390+8.5%
15Wellhead Pumpers$75,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,090 – $97,640+8.4%
16Mechanical Engineers$112,410
Bachelor's degree
$75,810 – $175,210+8.0%
17Crane and Tower Operators$73,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,790 – $93,390+7.6%
18Electrical Engineers$129,450
Bachelor's degree
$76,120 – $210,160+7.3%
19Medical Transcriptionists$42,900
Postsecondary nondegree award
$22,540 – $49,410+6.2%
20Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary$84,930
Doctoral or professional degree
$50,760 – $137,530+5.8%
21Occupational Therapists$106,140
Master's degree
$76,350 – $135,200+5.8%
22Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$84,440
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,600 – $122,180+5.7%
23Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$67,900
Master's degree
$42,380 – $101,830+5.5%
24Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$62,630
Master's degree
$37,650 – $95,910+5.5%
25Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$71,860
Master's degree
$49,240 – $100,790+5.3%
26First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$111,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$70,910 – $149,570+4.7%
27Sales Engineers$130,610
Bachelor's degree
$78,730 – $201,850+4.6%
28Helpers--Electricians$44,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,900 – $57,540+4.0%
29Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$49,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,430 – $80,110+4.0%
30Industrial Production Managers$130,890
Bachelor's degree
$79,780 – $207,880+3.8%
31Chemical Technicians$62,580
Associate's degree
$43,970 – $105,650+3.6%
32Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$60,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,230 – $106,230+3.6%
33Healthcare Social Workers$69,990
Master's degree
$40,210 – $98,150+3.1%
34Physical Therapists$105,810
Doctoral or professional degree
$76,600 – $139,050+3.0%
35Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers$60,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,320 – $96,480+2.5%
36Speech-Language Pathologists$99,910
Master's degree
$66,370 – $132,990+2.1%
37Network and Computer Systems Administrators$101,240
Bachelor's degree
$63,650 – $155,430+2.1%
38Business Teachers, Postsecondary$101,210
Doctoral or professional degree
$40,550 – $212,160+2.1%
39Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$65,180
Bachelor's degree
$38,360 – $106,820+2.1%
40Industrial Engineers$104,560
Bachelor's degree
$67,490 – $168,670+2.1%
41Operations Research Analysts$90,710
Bachelor's degree
$57,840 – $164,570+2.0%
42Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$75,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,540 – $102,500+1.9%
43Instructional Coordinators$78,710
Master's degree
$52,490 – $106,070+1.6%
44Massage Therapists$59,370
Postsecondary nondegree award
$34,870 – $109,970+1.6%
45Computer Systems Analysts$107,390
Bachelor's degree
$72,530 – $168,140+1.5%
46Firefighters$60,180
Postsecondary nondegree award
$40,020 – $77,170+1.5%
47Data Scientists$122,090
Bachelor's degree
$64,540 – $170,780+1.5%
48Physicians, All Other$269,800
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,600 – $457,450+1.5%
49Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$132,220
Bachelor's degree
$82,950 – $205,710+1.5%
50Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks$49,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,460 – $78,010+1.3%

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

#	Occupation	MedianTexas	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and GeographersBachelor's degree	$145,220	$60,100 – $287,180	+42.5%
2	Teaching Assistants, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$55,670	$23,660 – $64,160	+29.7%
3	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$257,850	$121,130 – $558,550	+20.5%
4	Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and GasNo formal educational credential	$77,840	$47,840 – $121,470	+14.7%
5	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$78,000	$43,900 – $99,640	+14.1%
6	Petroleum EngineersBachelor's degree	$164,860	$89,990 – $283,500	+13.8%
7	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$81,500	$60,980 – $95,900	+12.7%
8	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$92,000	$60,080 – $163,110	+11.9%
9	Mechanical DraftersAssociate's degree	$79,380	$52,000 – $106,080	+10.9%
10	Calibration Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$74,100	$46,170 – $108,120	+9.3%
11	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$114,400	$59,950 – $161,590	+9.3%
12	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$99,640	$58,850 – $170,250	+9.2%
13	Skincare SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$49,250	$27,390 – $84,180	+8.6%
14	Database ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$151,370	$92,890 – $200,390	+8.5%
15	Wellhead PumpersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,860	$45,090 – $97,640	+8.4%
16	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$112,410	$75,810 – $175,210	+8.0%
17	Crane and Tower OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,280	$42,790 – $93,390	+7.6%
18	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$129,450	$76,120 – $210,160	+7.3%
19	Medical TranscriptionistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$42,900	$22,540 – $49,410	+6.2%
20	Nursing Instructors and Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$84,930	$50,760 – $137,530	+5.8%
21	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$106,140	$76,350 – $135,200	+5.8%
22	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$84,440	$48,600 – $122,180	+5.7%
23	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$67,900	$42,380 – $101,830	+5.5%
24	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$62,630	$37,650 – $95,910	+5.5%
25	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$71,860	$49,240 – $100,790	+5.3%
26	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$111,000	$70,910 – $149,570	+4.7%
27	Sales EngineersBachelor's degree	$130,610	$78,730 – $201,850	+4.6%
28	Helpers--ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,360	$34,900 – $57,540	+4.0%
29	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,050	$33,430 – $80,110	+4.0%
30	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$130,890	$79,780 – $207,880	+3.8%
31	Chemical TechniciansAssociate's degree	$62,580	$43,970 – $105,650	+3.6%
32	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,150	$36,230 – $106,230	+3.6%
33	Healthcare Social WorkersMaster's degree	$69,990	$40,210 – $98,150	+3.1%
34	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$105,810	$76,600 – $139,050	+3.0%
35	Title Examiners, Abstractors, and SearchersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,120	$38,320 – $96,480	+2.5%
36	Speech-Language PathologistsMaster's degree	$99,910	$66,370 – $132,990	+2.1%
37	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$101,240	$63,650 – $155,430	+2.1%
38	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$101,210	$40,550 – $212,160	+2.1%
39	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$65,180	$38,360 – $106,820	+2.1%
40	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$104,560	$67,490 – $168,670	+2.1%
41	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$90,710	$57,840 – $164,570	+2.0%
42	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,740	$46,540 – $102,500	+1.9%
43	Instructional CoordinatorsMaster's degree	$78,710	$52,490 – $106,070	+1.6%
44	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$59,370	$34,870 – $109,970	+1.6%
45	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$107,390	$72,530 – $168,140	+1.5%
46	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,180	$40,020 – $77,170	+1.5%
47	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$122,090	$64,540 – $170,780	+1.5%
48	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$269,800	$60,600 – $457,450	+1.5%
49	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$132,220	$82,950 – $205,710	+1.5%
50	Insurance Claims and Policy Processing ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,880	$36,460 – $78,010	+1.3%

More for Texas

Metro areas in Texas

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in Texas

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Texas to rank honestly.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Texas

More for Texas

Metro areas in Texas

By field in Texas

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state