Is Texas a good state for your salary to go far?

Texas ranks #40 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 96.8 across 371 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 97.1 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.

What is the cost of living in Texas?

Texas's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 97.1, where the US average is 100. That is at or below the national average, so a dollar buys as much as or more than it does nationally. The Gera US Real Pay Index divides take-home pay by this figure to express salaries in purchasing-power-equivalent dollars.

GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Texas

Where Your Salary Goes Furthest in Texas

Texas ranks #40 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index (mean 96.8, base = 100). Cost of living 97.1 (US = 100); no state income tax.

Does a salary go further in Texas? (cost of living + state tax)

In Texas, the cost of living is 97.1 on the BEA index (US = 100) and the Gera US Real Pay Index averages 96.8 across 371 occupations, ranking it #40 of 51 states for how far pay goes after 2025 state income tax and 2024 BEA cost of living. Real BLS OEWS; re-dated annually.

Source:U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)·As of May 2025 state estimates · updated annually · last refreshed 19 June 2026

Gera US Real Pay Index

Texas ranks #40 of 51 states. Mean across 371 occupations; 100 = the average state, 96.8 means pay goes -3.2% less far after tax and cost of living.

How this is calculated

96.8

Real pay by occupation in Texas (best first)

Occupation	BLS median	Real pay	Index
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers	$145,220	$149,623	165.4
Environmental Engineers	$123,060	$126,791	122.1
Occupational Therapy Assistants	$81,500	$83,971	121.9
Physical Therapist Assistants	$78,000	$80,365	120.1
Lawyers	$154,200	$158,876	119.9
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health	$92,000	$94,790	119.3
Data Scientists	$122,090	$125,792	118.7
Database Administrators	$114,400	$117,869	117.7
Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars	$76,820	$79,149	117.6
Electrical Engineers	$129,450	$133,375	117.2
Electronics Engineers, Except Computer	$132,220	$136,229	117.1
Financial Managers	$164,860	$169,859	114.2
Speech-Language Pathologists	$99,910	$102,940	113.7
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives	$111,000	$114,366	113.1
Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other	$101,800	$104,887	112.7
Chemists	$99,640	$102,661	112.4
Network and Computer Systems Administrators	$101,240	$104,310	112.3
Occupational Therapists	$106,140	$109,358	111.3
Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians	$84,440	$87,000	111.0
Mechanical Engineers	$112,410	$115,819	110.6
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists	$71,860	$74,039	110.6
Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers	$75,740	$78,037	110.3
Business Teachers, Postsecondary	$101,210	$104,279	110.3
Computer and Information Systems Managers	$171,530	$176,731	110.0
Computer Network Architects	$133,310	$137,352	109.7
Skincare Specialists	$49,250	$50,743	109.6
Social Workers, All Other	$84,240	$86,794	109.5
Veterinarians	$131,330	$135,312	109.4
Industrial Production Managers	$130,890	$134,859	109.2
Computer Occupations, All Other	$111,530	$114,912	108.9
Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary	$84,930	$87,505	108.9
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors	$62,630	$64,529	108.7
Firefighters	$60,180	$62,005	108.6
Medical Transcriptionists	$42,900	$44,201	108.5
Social and Human Service Assistants	$45,860	$47,251	108.3
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors	$67,900	$69,959	108.2
English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary	$78,900	$81,292	108.2
Software Developers	$132,150	$136,157	108.1
Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants	$71,990	$74,173	107.9
Physical Therapists	$105,810	$109,018	107.8

Showing the 40 highest real-pay occupations of 371 BLS publishes for Texas. Real pay = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the 2024 BEA cost of living (97.1, US = 100).

Where does your salary go furthest?

Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.

Gross annual salary (USD)Compare against state

In Texas, a $85,000 salary is worth about $87,577 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.

State income tax $0 (no state income tax) · take-home $85,000 · BEA cost of living 97.1 (US = 100).

The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $95,952, a $8,375 gain over Texas.

#	State	Real value	Cost (RPP)
1	South Dakota	$95,952	88.6
2	Arkansas	$93,959	86.9
3	Louisiana	$93,473	88.2
4	Mississippi	$93,453	87.0
5	Iowa	$93,172	87.8
6	North Dakota	$93,161	89.0
7	Tennessee	$92,522	91.9
8	Oklahoma	$92,167	87.8
9	Wyoming	$91,703	92.7
10	Alabama	$90,911	88.8
11	Kentucky	$90,507	90.2
12	West Virginia	$90,397	89.5

Browse US jobs with salaries

Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).

Texas real pay — FAQ

Is Texas a good state for your salary to go far?: Texas ranks #40 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 96.8 across 371 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 97.1 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.
What is the cost of living in Texas?: Texas's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 97.1, where the US average is 100. That is at or below the national average, so a dollar buys as much as or more than it does nationally. The Gera US Real Pay Index divides take-home pay by this figure to express salaries in purchasing-power-equivalent dollars.

Compare other states

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Related on GeraJobs

Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked
Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
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Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for Texas is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.