Texas Average Salary 2026
Average pay, top-paying occupations, and cost of living across Texas.
The average salary in Texas is $110,241 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS 2025 data aggregated across 4 metropolitan areas (Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio). The highest-paying tracked occupation in the state is Obstetrician/Gynecologist at $255,829 median; 40 occupations pay six-figure ($100K+) medians. Adjusted for the state's average cost-of-living index of 99, the average median equates to $111,355 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Texas has 4 metropolitan areas in our BLS OEWS coverage. Wages within the state vary substantially by metro — large coastal cities typically pay materially more than smaller inland ones, though the cost-of-living gap closes a lot of the apparent difference. BLS OEWS data captures every metropolitan statistical area (MSA) above a population threshold. Cities below that threshold roll up to non-metropolitan areas, which are not represented in the per-metro view but are captured in state-level rollups.
For workers comparing Texas job markets, the per-metro pages give the role-specific breakdown that headline state averages obscure. The role-specific ranking pages — which list the highest-paying cities for a single occupation — are particularly useful when geographic flexibility is real and the role is the constraint.
Top 10 Highest-Paying Jobs in Texas
Obstetrician/Gynecologist
Healthcare · 1,160 jobs in state · top metro: Dallas ($321,260)
Family Medicine Physician
Healthcare · 3,100 jobs in state · top metro: Austin ($263,070)
Computer and Information Systems Manager
Technology · 58,920 jobs in state · top metro: Austin ($176,990)
Financial Manager
Finance · 57,290 jobs in state · top metro: Dallas ($169,200)
Pediatrician
Healthcare · 1,610 jobs in state · top metro: Dallas ($242,160)
Lawyer
Legal · 45,480 jobs in state · top metro: Dallas ($168,510)
Dentist
Healthcare · 6,060 jobs in state · top metro: Austin ($188,190)
Marketing Manager
Management · 35,320 jobs in state · top metro: Austin ($164,920)
Pharmacist
Healthcare · 17,700 jobs in state · top metro: Austin ($151,290)
Sales Manager
Management · 57,810 jobs in state · top metro: Austin ($151,760)
Cities in Texas
Dallas, TX
63 occupations tracked · COL index: 104.1
Austin, TX
64 occupations tracked · COL index: 103
San Antonio, TX
64 occupations tracked · COL index: 91.5
Houston, TX
64 occupations tracked · COL index: 96.5
Frequently Asked Questions
The average salary in Texas is $110,241 as of 2026, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' OEWS 2025 release aggregated across 4 BLS-tracked metros. The figure is employment-weighted, so larger occupations contribute proportionally more to the average. The top-paying role in the state is Obstetrician/Gynecologist at $255,829 median.
The top five highest-paying occupations in Texas, ranked by employment-weighted median across all tracked metros, are Obstetrician/Gynecologist ($255,829), Family Medicine Physician ($254,590), Computer and Information Systems Manager ($173,323), Financial Manager ($166,105), Pediatrician ($161,739). See the full ranking at /ranking/highest-paying-jobs/state/texas.
40 of the 65 BLS-tracked occupations in Texas have a state-aggregated median salary of $100,000 or higher. That places this state in the upper tier nationally.
Dallas, TX leads Texas with an average median salary of $113,358 across 63 BLS-tracked occupations.
The average cost-of-living index across Texas's tracked metros is 99 (national avg = 100). The state average median of $110,241 translates to $111,355 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro. Low COL means nominal pay translates to better-than-average buying power.
State aggregates are employment-weighted across the BLS-tracked metros in Texas, using the OEWS 2025 reference period.
255 data points · BLS OEWS 2025 · last refreshed 2026-05-21
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2026.