The El Paso, TX metropolitan statistical area, as BLS defines it.
Pay data · metro area
Average Salary in El Paso, TX (2026)
The average salary in the El Paso metro area is $51,870 a year and the median is $39,510: 22% below the US median and 19% below Texas's (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices the median is worth $43,940, 374th of 387 metro areas.
- Average (mean) salary
- $51,870US $69,770
- Median salary
- $39,510US $50,980
- Median hourly
- $18.99BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 89.9US = 100 · BEA 2024
The spread
What workers in El Paso earn
| Percentile | El Paso area | Texas | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $22,740 | $27,250 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $28,930 | $35,370 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $39,510 | $48,620 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $62,570 | $77,840 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $95,570 | $125,220 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $51,870 | $65,750 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in El Paso
BEA Regional Price Parities put the El Paso area at 89.9 against a US average of 100. Matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $89,910 here. Compare with another city.
US = 100
- All items89.9
- Housing (rents)71.2
- Goods93.8
- Utilities82.6
- Other services96.2
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 89.9 |
| Housing (rents) | 71.2 |
| Goods | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 82.6 |
| Other services | 96.2 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Common jobs
What common jobs pay in El Paso
Mean annual wage in the El Paso area against the national mean for the same occupation (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Occupation | El Paso area | US mean | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $88,420 | $101,420 | -13% |
| Software Developer | $121,370 | $148,100 | -18% |
| Elementary School Teacher | $62,660 | $72,650 | -14% |
| Accountant | $73,200 | $94,750 | -23% |
| Electrician | $52,150 | $71,490 | -27% |
| Truck Driver | $54,600 | $59,710 | -9% |
| Customer Service Representative | $38,150 | $46,590 | -18% |
| Retail Salesperson | $29,760 | $37,310 | -20% |
| Nursing Assistant | $35,480 | $42,700 | -17% |
| General and Operations Manager | $100,760 | $134,940 | -25% |
| Maintenance and Repair Worker, General | $43,260 | $53,780 | -20% |
| Cook, Restaurant | $28,970 | $38,730 | -25% |
The jobs
Best-paying jobs in El Paso
BLS publishes estimates for 462 occupations in this metro. Highest mean pay, and the large occupations this area pays furthest above their national average.
Highest-paying jobs
Mean annual wage
- 1Pediatrician, General$216,280
- 2Family Medicine Physician$214,140
- 3Dentist$164,300
- 4Architectural and Engineering Manager$159,560
- 5IT Manager$153,250
- 6Financial Advisor$152,820
- 7Lawyer$152,360
- 8Financial Manager$147,680
- 9Petroleum Engineer$139,840
- 10Economics Teacher, Postsecondary$133,080
Jobs El Paso pays above the national average
Occupations with 100,000+ US workers
- 1First-Line Supervisor of Police and Detectives$132,270 · +18%
- 2Postal Service Mail Sorter, Processor, and Processing Machine Operator$61,360 · +3%
- 3Speech-Language Pathologist$100,760 · +3%
- 4Librarian$74,710 · +3%
- 5Postal Service Mail Carrier$63,520 · +2%
- 6Detective and Criminal Investigator$100,110 · +1%
- 7Instructional Coordinator$81,390 · +1%
- 8Occupational Therapist$101,690 · 0%
- 9Physical Therapist Assistant$68,270 · -1%
- 10Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselor$64,690 · -2%
Compare
Other metro areas in Texas
Method
About these numbers
- All-occupations wages for the metro are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 estimates (api.bls.gov). Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed.
- Pay by occupation is the OEWS May 2025 mean for that occupation in this metro, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 prevailing-wage file. Only figures BLS estimated for this metro itself are used, never state or national fallbacks.
- Price levels are BEA Regional Price Parities for 2024. Price-adjusted pay is a NueCareer calculation (wage ÷ RPP/100).
Questions
Average salary in El Paso: FAQ
What is the average salary in El Paso?
Across all occupations in the El Paso, TX metro area, the average (mean) annual wage is $51,870 and the median is $39,510, 22% below the US median (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 339,120 wage and salary jobs.
What is a good salary in El Paso?
Above $39,510 out-earns half of workers in the El Paso area; the top 25% start at $62,570 and the top 10% at $95,570. Prices run 10% below the national average (BEA, 2024), so matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $89,910 here.
Is El Paso expensive to live in?
BEA's price level for the El Paso metro is 89.9 (US = 100, 2024). Housing rents are 71.2, goods 93.8, utilities 82.6. At local prices the median wage is worth $43,940, 374th of 387 metros.
What are the highest-paying jobs in El Paso?
By mean annual wage: Pediatrician, General ($216,280), Family Medicine Physician ($214,140), Dentist ($164,300), Architectural and Engineering Manager ($159,560), IT Manager ($153,250) (BLS OEWS May 2025, via the DOL wage file).