Texas has no state income tax — saving workers $2,000–$6,000/year vs high-tax states. The highest paying profession in Texas is Surgeon at $331,100/year. Select any profession below for a full city, experience and take-home pay breakdown.
The table below shows median annual salaries for 50+ professions in Texas, ranked from highest to lowest. All figures are sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2024 release, refreshed for 2026. Click any profession for a full breakdown including city-level data, experience levels and a take-home pay calculator.
| Profession | Category | Annual Median | Hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surgeon | Healthcare | $331,100 | $159.18 |
| Pilot | Transport | $187,650 | $90.22 |
| Software Developer | Technology | $124,350 | $59.78 |
| Physician Assistant | Healthcare | $122,200 | $58.75 |
| Nurse Practitioner | Healthcare | $116,550 | $56.03 |
| Financial Advisor | Finance | $93,600 | $45.00 |
| Physical Therapist | Healthcare | $91,850 | $44.16 |
| Occupational Therapist | Healthcare | $90,600 | $43.56 |
| Network Administrator | Technology | $87,250 | $41.95 |
| Dental Hygienist | Healthcare | $76,500 | $36.78 |
| Accountant | Finance | $75,100 | $36.11 |
| Registered Nurse | Healthcare | $72,950 | $35.07 |
| Respiratory Therapist | Healthcare | $65,550 | $31.51 |
| Police Officer | Public Safety | $65,000 | $31.25 |
| Radiologic Technologist | Healthcare | $64,750 | $31.13 |
| Plumber | Trades | $59,750 | $28.73 |
| School Counselor | Education | $59,600 | $28.65 |
| Teacher | Education | $58,100 | $27.93 |
| Electrician | Trades | $57,900 | $27.84 |
| Librarian | Education | $57,500 | $27.64 |
| Court Reporter | Legal | $57,400 | $27.60 |
| Paralegal | Legal | $55,650 | $26.75 |
| HVAC Technician | Trades | $53,850 | $25.89 |
| Real Estate Agent | Business | $53,200 | $25.58 |
| Firefighter | Public Safety | $52,950 | $25.46 |
| Sheet Metal Worker | Trades | $52,900 | $25.43 |
| Truck Driver | Transport | $51,050 | $24.54 |
| Licensed Practical Nurse | Healthcare | $50,950 | $24.50 |
| Carpenter | Trades | $50,250 | $24.16 |
| Correctional Officer | Public Safety | $49,700 | $23.89 |
| Social Worker | Social Services | $48,650 | $23.39 |
| Mason | Trades | $47,400 | $22.79 |
| Roofer | Trades | $47,050 | $22.62 |
| Paramedic | Public Safety | $46,900 | $22.55 |
| Solar Installer | Trades | $45,000 | $21.63 |
| Bookkeeper | Business | $44,450 | $21.37 |
| Welder | Trades | $44,200 | $21.25 |
| Dispatcher | Transport | $44,100 | $21.20 |
| Painter | Trades | $44,050 | $21.18 |
| Bus Driver | Transport | $43,000 | $20.67 |
| Delivery Driver | Transport | $40,250 | $19.35 |
| Dental Assistant | Healthcare | $40,250 | $19.35 |
| Medical Assistant | Healthcare | $38,250 | $18.39 |
| Pharmacy Technician | Healthcare | $37,900 | $18.22 |
| EMT | Public Safety | $36,500 | $17.55 |
| Veterinary Technician | Healthcare | $36,500 | $17.55 |
| Cosmetologist | Personal Services | $31,400 | $15.10 |
| Teaching Assistant | Education | $29,550 | $14.21 |