Pay data
Average Salary in Texas (2026)
The average salary in Texas is $65,750 a year and the median is $48,620, 5% below the US median (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices that median is worth $50,090: 31st of the 50 states and DC by median wage, 45th once local prices are taken into account.
- Average (mean) salary
- $65,750US $69,770
- Median salary
- $48,620US $50,980
- Median hourly wage
- $23.38BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 97.1US = 100 · BEA 2024
Calculator
Where does your salary rank in Texas?
About the 73rd percentile
You earn more than about 73% of workers in Texas.
At Texas prices, $75,000 buys what $77,270 buys at the national average, about the 72nd percentile nationally.
Interpolated between the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentile wages BLS publishes for all occupations (OEWS, May 2025). Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed. Price comparison uses BEA Regional Price Parities.
The spread
What Texas workers earn
| Percentile | Texas | United States |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $27,250 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $35,370 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $48,620 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $77,840 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $125,220 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $65,750 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in Texas
BEA Regional Price Parities compare price levels across states (US = 100). Texas sits at 97.1 overall, with housing at 96.5. To live the way $100,000 pays for at national-average prices, you would need about $97,060 here. Compare any two states or metros.
US = 100
- All items3% below US97.1
- Housing (rents)3% below US96.5
- Goods2% below US98.1
- Utilities12% below US87.5
- Other services3% below US97.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 97.1 |
| Housing (rents) | 96.5 |
| Goods | 98.1 |
| Utilities | 87.5 |
| Other services | 97.1 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
By field
Average salary in Texas by occupation group
| Occupation group | Median | vs US | Workers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Management | $119,430 | -6% | 1,213,770 |
| Computer and Mathematical | $106,100 | -3% | 511,360 |
| Legal | $100,070 | -2% | 101,050 |
| Architecture and Engineering | $98,520 | -1% | 249,090 |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | $82,970 | -4% | 802,150 |
| Business and Financial Operations | $79,580 | -4% | 922,290 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | $77,010 | -7% | 109,140 |
| Educational Instruction and Library | $61,750 | +2% | 829,200 |
| Installation, Maintenance, and Repair | $56,690 | -5% | 651,610 |
| Community and Social Service | $56,350 | -3% | 151,830 |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media | $53,280 | -15% | 141,240 |
| Protective Service | $51,310 | +2% | 319,780 |
| Construction and Extraction | $49,170 | -17% | 674,000 |
| Office and Administrative Support | $45,240 | -5% | 1,725,880 |
| Production | $44,520 | -5% | 686,700 |
| Transportation and Material Moving | $42,360 | -4% | 1,293,610 |
| Sales | $36,780 | -5% | 1,200,220 |
| Farming, Fishing, and Forestry | $35,360 | -3% | 15,020 |
| Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | $34,640 | -8% | 354,220 |
| Personal Care and Service | $31,200 | -14% | 211,410 |
| Healthcare Support | $29,700 | -23% | 608,330 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related | $28,600 | -18% | 1,299,230 |
The jobs
The jobs behind Texas's pay
The most common jobs set the median; the best-paid set the top; the most over-represented jobs show what the state's economy specialises in (location quotient: the state's share of jobs in an occupation over the national share).
Most common jobs
By employment
- 1Fast Food and Counter Worker460,530
- 2General and Operations Manager431,310
- 3Retail Salesperson341,640
- 4Customer Service Representative337,170
- 5Stocker and Order Filler322,710
- 6Registered Nurse271,380
- 7Cashier245,730
- 8Office Clerk, General218,470
- 9Laborer and Freight, Stock, and Material Mover, Hand216,970
- 10Truck Driver209,680
Highest-paying jobs
Median, 500+ workers
- 1Cardiologist$410,150
- 2Neurologist$360,640
- 3Pathologist$345,830
- 4Radiologist$319,320
- 5Emergency Medicine Physician$316,830
- 6Obstetrician and Gynecologist$271,960
- 7Allergist and Immunologist$269,800
- 8General Internal Medicine Physician$269,110
- 9Chief Executive$257,850
- 10Nurse Anesthetist$244,990
Most over-represented
Location quotient, 1,000+ workers
- 1Wellhead Pumper6.3x
- 2Derrick Operator, Oil and Gas6.1x
- 3Oil and Gas Roustabout6.0x
- 4Petroleum Engineer5.6x
- 5Rotary Drill Operator, Oil and Gas5.3x
- 6Service Unit Operator, Oil and Gas4.3x
- 7Wind Turbine Service Technician4.3x
- 8Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operator4.3x
- 9Petroleum Pump System Operator, Refinery Operator, and Gauger3.5x
- 10Geological Technician, Except Hydrologic Technicians3.5x
Cities
Average salary by city in Texas
| Metro area | Median | Mean | Price level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin, TX | $56,950 | $74,580 | 98.1 |
| Midland, TX | $54,480 | $71,290 | 95.8 |
| Dallas, TX | $51,440 | $70,630 | 103.1 |
| Houston, TX | $49,410 | $67,610 | 98.6 |
| Beaumont, TX | $48,630 | $61,370 | 90.0 |
| Odessa, TX | $48,590 | $60,380 | 93.9 |
| San Antonio, TX | $47,010 | $61,140 | 94.7 |
| Killeen, TX | $46,660 | $62,390 | 91.1 |
| Waco, TX | $46,020 | $58,190 | 92.5 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $45,350 | $57,670 | 92.7 |
| Longview, TX | $45,150 | $55,480 | 89.5 |
| Sherman, TX | $44,610 | $55,960 | 93.8 |
| Amarillo, TX | $44,580 | $56,400 | 91.8 |
| College Station, TX | $44,470 | $57,060 | 91.0 |
| Abilene, TX | $44,340 | $54,360 | 90.4 |
| San Angelo, TX | $43,530 | $54,180 | 92.5 |
| Wichita Falls, TX | $43,210 | $52,740 | 89.5 |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | $43,200 | $52,040 | 84.0 |
| Victoria, TX | $43,050 | $54,120 | 89.8 |
| Tyler, TX | $42,650 | $54,200 | 92.2 |
| Lubbock, TX | $42,130 | $53,850 | 91.3 |
| El Paso, TX | $39,510 | $51,870 | 89.9 |
| Laredo, TX | $37,250 | $48,200 | 87.0 |
| Brownsville, TX | $36,490 | $47,110 | 86.0 |
| McAllen, TX | $35,830 | $46,850 | 85.9 |
| Eagle Pass, TX | $35,560 | $46,810 | 83.8 |
Compare
States with similar pay
Method
About these numbers
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all occupations in Texas. Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed.
- Wages are straight-time pay before tax, including commissions and tips, excluding overtime premiums, bonuses and benefits.
- Price levels are BEA Regional Price Parities for 2024. Price-adjusted pay is a NueCareer calculation (wage ÷ RPP/100).
Questions
Average salary in Texas: FAQ
What is the average salary in Texas?
The average (mean) annual wage in Texas is $65,750 and the median is $48,620, 5% below the US median of $50,980 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 14,071,160 wage and salary workers in all occupations.
What is the average hourly wage in Texas?
$31.61 an hour on average and $23.38 at the median (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What is a good salary in Texas?
Above $48,620 out-earns half of Texas workers; the top 25% start at $77,840 and the top 10% at $125,220 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Prices in Texas run 3% below the national average (BEA, 2024), so $100,000 here buys about what $103,030 buys nationally.
Is Texas expensive to live in?
BEA puts overall prices in Texas at 97.1 against a US average of 100 (2024). Housing is 96.5, goods 98.1, utilities 87.5 and other services 97.1. To match a $100,000 national-average lifestyle you would need about $97,060 here.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Texas?
Cardiologist ($410,150), Neurologist ($360,640), Pathologist ($345,830), Radiologist ($319,320), Emergency Medicine Physician ($316,830) have the highest median wages among occupations with at least 500 workers in Texas (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What are the most common jobs in Texas?
Fast Food and Counter Worker (460,530), General and Operations Manager (431,310), Retail Salesperson (341,640), Customer Service Representative (337,170), Stocker and Order Filler (322,710) employ the most people (BLS OEWS, May 2025).