Working in Texas can supercharge some paychecks and quietly gut others, according to a new analysis that tracks how far Lone Star salaries actually stretch. Geoscientists come out as big winners, with Texas pay adjusted for local costs running about 61% higher than the U.S. median, while editors and several care sector jobs take some of the hardest hits. The findings spotlight how the state’s industry mix and cheaper prices change who really benefits from living and working in Texas.
The numbers come from SmartAsset’s study "When it Pays to Work in Texas - and When It Doesn’t," which compared more than 700 occupations using U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data and then adjusted Texas medians for regional price parity. According to SmartAsset, Texas median salaries were price adjusted using an RPP factor of 97.14 (U.S. = 100), so the comparisons focus on purchasing power, not just raw paychecks. The study left out very small occupations and used May 2024 Occupational Employment Statistics figures as its baseline.
Which careers pay more in Texas
On the plus side, geoscientists lead the rankings. Their price adjusted median pay in Texas clocks in at about $159,903, roughly 61% above the U.S. median, a result that lines up neatly with the state’s heavyweight oil and gas industry. Commercial pilots also enjoy a serious premium, with a price adjusted median near $167,727, about 37% higher than the national median. Seafaring roles such as sailors and ship captains land near the top as well. Those highlights were broken down in local coverage by CultureMap Dallas.
Who earns less in Texas
The story looks very different for some white collar and care sector roles. Editors face the biggest "Texas penalty," with a price adjusted median wage of about $29,710, roughly 61% below the national median, and around 8,190 editors working in the state. Home health aides, one of Texas’s largest care occupations, are also hit hard. More than 300,000 Texans work in the field, but their price adjusted median pay is around $24,161, about 31% below the U.S. median. Those figures come from SmartAsset.
How price adjustments and industry mix shape the picture
The study’s use of regional price parities matters because Texas’s overall RPP sits below 100, which means a dollar goes a bit farther there than the U.S. average. As the Bureau of Economic Analysis explains, RPPs standardize price levels so pay comparisons reflect real purchasing power. The underlying wage figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program for May 2024, which reports the occupational medians researchers use to compare states. Taken together, the data suggests that employers in energy, aviation and maritime work, along with postsecondary technical instruction, are offering pay premiums that outpace Texas’s generally lower cost of living.
