Top Paying Jobs in Texas
Texas has 100 tracked occupation categories totaling 1,753,930 jobs. The highest-paying occupations include Cardiologists ($410,150), Neurologists ($360,640), Physicians, Pathologists ($345,830). The cost of living index is 91.49 (national average = 100). Median 2-bedroom rent is $1,415/month.
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State-level averages. Salaries, rent, and cost of living vary significantly between metros. For more accurate data, select a metro area from the list below or browse all metros.
$157K
Avg. median salary
91.49
Cost of living index
$1,415
Median 2BR rent
30,503,301
Population
Highest paying careers in Texas
| Rank | Occupation | Category | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 61 | Ship Engineers | Transportation | $128K | $61.45/hr |
| 62 | Public Relations Managers | Management | $127K | $60.9/hr |
| 63 | Optometrists | Healthcare | $126K | $60.58/hr |
| 64 | Training and Development Managers | Management | $124K | $59.75/hr |
| 65 | Nuclear Technicians | Science | $124K | $59.64/hr |
| 66 | Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors | Engineering | $123K | $59.34/hr |
| 67 | Nurse Midwives | Healthcare | $123K | $59.32/hr |
| 68 | Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | Education | $123K | N/A |
| 69 | Environmental Engineers | Engineering | $123K | $59.17/hr |
| 70 | Data Scientists | Technology | $122K | $58.7/hr |
Affordability snapshot: Texas
These are statewide averages. Costs vary widely between metros, click into a specific city for precise numbers.
Cost of living vs. national average-8.5% less expensive
2-bedroom apartment (FMR)$1,415/mo
Planning a move? Compare costs with other locations:
Metro areas in Texas
Click a metro for detailed salary, rent, and cost-of-living data specific to that area.
Abilene
$1,276/mo rentRPP 90.4
Amarillo$1,041/mo rentRPP 91.8
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos$1,461/mo rentRPP 98.1
Beaumont-Port Arthur$1,103/mo rentRPP 90
Brownsville-Harlingen$1,047/mo rentRPP 86
College Station-Bryan$974/mo rentRPP 91
Corpus Christi$1,023/mo rentRPP 92.7
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington$1,375/mo rentRPP 103.1
Eagle Pass$973/mo rentRPP 83.8
El Paso$1,091/mo rentRPP 89.9
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands$1,334/mo rentRPP 98.6
Killeen-Temple$1,023/mo rentRPP 91.1
Laredo$1,088/mo rentRPP 87
Longview$1,199/mo rentRPP 89.5
Lubbock$973/mo rentRPP 91.3
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission$1,084/mo rentRPP 85.9
Midland$1,772/mo rentRPP 95.8
Odessa$1,595/mo rentRPP 93.9
San Angelo$1,339/mo rentRPP 92.5
San Antonio-New Braunfels$1,426/mo rentRPP 94.7
Sherman-Denison$1,351/mo rentRPP 93.8
Texarkana$1,101/mo rentRPP 84
Tyler$1,338/mo rentRPP 92.2
Victoria$1,095/mo rentRPP 89.8
Waco$999/mo rentRPP 92.5
Wichita Falls$1,001/mo rentRPP 89.5
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