Riggers Salary
Riggers in Texas make a median of $51,980 a year, or about $24.99 an hour. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $81K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $56,815 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,415/month, about 39.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Texas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $52K get you in Texas?
About riggers
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What this looks like in Texas
Pay for riggers in Texas runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $63K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,415/month, which is 38.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. 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. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for riggerss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Texas
Entry-level riggers (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $81K or more, a $39K spread from bottom to top.
Riggers salary by metro in Texas
9 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $64K | +24% | 1,140 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | $64K | +23% | 210 |
| Corpus Christi | $60K | +16% | 220 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $52K | +0% | 130 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $51K | -2% | 660 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $50K | -3% | 340 |
| Midland | $50K | -4% | 190 |
| Odessa | $46K | -11% | 70 |
| Longview | $45K | -13% | 50 |
Compare to other states
Track riggers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Texas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a rigger afford a 2BR apartment alone in Texas?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 38.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for riggers in Texas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new riggers typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,518/month. At HUD’s $1,415/month FMR, rent would take 56% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is rigger a high-paying job in Texas?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $52K here vs. $63K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Texas compare to the national average for riggers?
Texas pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $63K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $57K — below the national median.
How much do riggers make in Texas?
The median is $51,980 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,960, and experienced riggers can clear $81,110. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,650/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/month, which eats 38.8% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a riggers 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 riggers salary is worth about $56,815 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do riggers 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.