Chief Executives Salary
Chief Executives in Texas make a median of $257,850 a year, or about $123.97 an hour. The range runs from $121K at the entry level to $559K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $281,834 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,415/month, or 9.1% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Texas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $258K get you in Texas?
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What this looks like in Texas
Texas sits well above the national pay line for chief executives, local pay runs about 20% higher than the U.S. median of $214K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,415/month, 9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Texas offers a genuinely strong financial position for chief executivess at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Texas
Entry-level chief executives (10th percentile) start around $121K. Mid-career wages sit at $258K. Top earners bring in $559K or more, a $437K spread from bottom to top.
Chief Executives salary by metro in Texas
22 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midland | $389K | +51% | 100 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $320K | +24% | 2,580 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $288K | +12% | 950 |
| Odessa | $281K | +9% | 50 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $275K | +7% | 1,920 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $257K | -0% | 560 |
| Tyler | $238K | -8% | 50 |
| Corpus Christi | $229K | -11% | 90 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | $227K | -12% | 80 |
| Killeen-Temple | $221K | -14% | 80 |
| El Paso | $220K | -15% | 110 |
| Waco | $218K | -16% | 90 |
| Amarillo | $208K | -19% | 80 |
| Longview | $206K | -20% | 80 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | $203K | -21% | 80 |
| Sherman-Denison | $201K | -22% | 30 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen | $179K | -31% | 50 |
| College Station-Bryan | $176K | -32% | 60 |
| Lubbock | $174K | -32% | 120 |
| Abilene | $166K | -36% | 40 |
| Wichita Falls | $163K | -37% | 30 |
| Texarkana | $161K | -37% | 70 |
Showing 1–10 of 22 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Texas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a chief executif afford a 2BR apartment alone in Texas?
Yes — at the median salary of $258K, rent takes 9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chief executives in Texas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chief executives typically earn — is $121K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $7,268/month. At HUD’s $1,415/month FMR, rent would take 19% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is chief executif a high-paying job in Texas?
Local pay is 20% above the national median — $258K here vs. $214K nationally.
How does Texas compare to the national average for chief executives?
Texas pays $258K median vs. the U.S. average of $214K — that’s +20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $282K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do chief executives make in Texas?
The median is $257,850 a year, that works out to about $124 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $121,130, and experienced chief executives can clear $558,550. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $258K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $15,658/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/month, which eats 9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a chief executives salary go in Texas?
Texas has a Regional Price Parity of 91.49 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median chief executives salary is worth about $281,834 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do chief executives get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.