According to the latest data, Houston, Texas has a GDP per capita of $66,812.
Houston is an impressive metropolitan area that has seen impressive economic and population growth over the last several years. There has also been noteworthy job growth in this city as more people move here from other parts of the country. In fact, Houston is expected to add 75,500 jobs this year.
Are you a Houston resident? Are you looking for a high-paying job here? If so, keep reading.
This guide will teach you about the highest-paying jobs in Houston, the highest-paying industries in Houston, and the highest paying jobs in Houston for fresh graduates. You’ll also learn about the top degrees that will help you qualify for the city’s best-paying positions.
What Salary Is Considered Rich in Houston?
The average salary in Houston is approximately $61,268 per year. This is a bit lower than the average salary in the United States, which is $66,665 per year. However, the cost of living in Houston is also lower than the cost of living in the U.S., especially in many of the country’s other metropolitan areas.
For example, researchers have found that Houston is 35.19 percent less expensive than New York, and rental prices are a whopping 56.91 percent lower than those in New York. Houston is also less expensive than some cities in Texas, such as Austin, where rent prices are 24.64 percent higher and grocery prices are 9.10 percent higher.
With this information in mind, it’s safe to say that anyone earning over $80,000 per year is probably living quite comfortably in Houston. Those who earn over $100,000 per year are also likely to be considered rich in this area.
Of course, everyone’s definition of “rich” is a bit different, some people might need to earn a lot more than $100,000 per year to support their families and enjoy everything they want to enjoy in life. Generally speaking, though, the closer you get to $100,000 per year, the better off you’ll be in this part of Texas.
What Is the #1 Highest-Paid Position in Houston?
If you’re thinking about making a career change or are a student making plans for the future, you probably want to know what the best-paid jobs in Houston are. There are lots of high-paying jobs in this area, but the number one highest-paying position is Chief Executive Officer (or CEO).
Chief Executive Officers serve as the heads of businesses. They manage all aspects of the company and oversee all the departments and employees. They’re also in charge of creating and overseeing the execution of the business’s big-picture plans.
CEOs have a lot of responsibility, especially when they’re in charge of large or rapidly growing businesses. Because they hold such an important position, it makes sense that they get paid well for all the work they do.
The average salary for a CEO in Houston is $260,450 per year, which is more than 4 times the salary of the average Houston resident. The entry-level salary for CEOs is also impressive, at $144,390 per year (more than 2 times the average Houston resident’s salary).
If you like the idea of earning a high salary like this but aren’t interested in working as a CEO, you’re in luck. There are plenty of other well-paid jobs in the Houston area in a variety of industries.
Listed below are the top 20 highest-paying jobs in Houston, sorted from lowest to highest salary.
What Are the Highest Paying Jobs in Houston?
20. Purchasing Manager: Average Salary $151,880 per year
19. General Pediatrician: Average Salary $151,940 per year
18. Financial Manager: Average Salary $153,990 per year
17. Postsecondary Health Specialties Teacher: Average Salary $161,230 per year
16. Computer and Information Systems Manager: Average Salary $161,500 per year
15. Marketing Manager: Average Salary $163,250 per year
14. Veterinarian: Average Salary $169,220 per year
13. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon: Average Salary $176,580 per year
12. Petroleum Engineer: Average Salary $178,240 per year
11. Nurse Anesthetist: Average Salary $185,910 per year
10. Geoscientist: Average Salary $188,400 per year
9. Architectural and Engineering Manager: Average Salary $194,630 per year
8. Other Physicians and Ophthalmologists: Average Salary $202,060 per year
7. Podiatrist: Average Salary $203,660 per year
6. General Internal Medicine Physician: Average Salary $207,040 per year
5. Obstetrician and Gynecologist: Average Salary $210,920 per year
4. Family Medicine Physician: Average Salary $220,400 per year
3. Surgeon: Average Salary $227,890 per year
2. Anesthesiologist: Average Salary $247,530 per year
1. Chief Executive Officer: Average Salary $260,450 per year
Top 5 Highest-Paying Industries in Houston
If you want to land one of the highest-paying jobs in this city, it also helps to know about the highest-paying industries in Houston. There are lots of industries that offer high-paying jobs and set you up for long-term success and job security, including the following:
Many of the highest-paying jobs in Houston fall under the business administration or business management umbrella. From the CEO position to the Purchasing Manager position, there are lots of great jobs in this field that come with above-average salaries.
Top 3 Careers
- Chief Executive Officer: Average Salary $260,450 per year
- Financial Manager: Average Salary $153,990 per year
- Purchasing Manager: Average Salary $151,880 per year
Job Prospects: The job prospects for someone in the business administration/business management industry in Houston look very promising. If you have previous business training and experience, you’ll likely have an easy time finding a job in this city. From small and medium-sized businesses to massive corporations like Walmart and Kroger, there are tons of companies that operate out of Houston, which also means there are tons of opportunities for you to find work.
The healthcare industry is also a booming industry in Houston. As you likely noticed when reading through the Top 20 list above, many of the city’s highest-paying jobs are in the healthcare field, so it makes sense that this is one of Houston’s top paying industries.
Top 3 Careers
- Anesthesiologist: Average Salary $247,530 per year
- Surgeon: Average Salary $227,890 per year
- Family Medicine Physician: Average Salary $220,400 per year
Job Prospects: If you want to find a job in the healthcare industry, your chances look very good in the Houston area. Whether you’re a surgeon or a family medicine practitioner, there are lots of high-paying jobs available in this city, and there’s a very high demand for workers in the medical field these days. You’ll likely get hired right away once you start sending out applications.
The engineering industry in Houston also features a variety of high-paying jobs. Many businesses in this area need the help of skilled engineering professionals, so there are plenty of openings available for engineers of all kinds.
Top 3 Careers
- Architectural and Engineering Manager: Average salary $194,630 per year
- Petroleum Engineer: Average salary $178,240 per year
- Chemical Engineer: Average salary $147,310 per year
Job Prospects: There will always be a high demand for engineers throughout the United States (and the world), and Houston is no exception. If you are an engineer looking for work, you’ll find that your job prospects in the Houston area are very promising. You won’t have to wait too long after you start sending out applications before you get called in for an interview and offered a job.
The information technology (or IT) industry is another fast-growing, high-paying industry in Houston. Throughout the city, there is a high demand for talented professionals who have a deep understanding of computers, web development, software development, and more.
Top 3 Careers
- Computer and Information Systems Manager: Average salary $161,500 per year
- Computer and Information Research Scientist: Average salary $125,050 per year
- Computer Systems Analyst: Average salary $124,070 per year
Job Prospects: The IT industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world. This means there are lots of high-paying jobs available in Houston and across the globe for people who have experience in programming, software development, computer science, etc. If you have a background in one of these fields, you’ll likely get hired in Houston right away.
The marketing and sales industry is also a high-paying industry in Houston, especially for those in managerial positions. If you want to be part of the business world but are looking for a more creative role, you’ll likely find lots of well-paid marketing jobs in this city.
Top 3 Careers
- Marketing Manager: Average salary $163,250 per year
- Sales Manager: Average salary $147,450 per year
- Advertising and Promotions Manager: Average salary $133,490 per year
Job Prospects: The job prospects look very promising for those who want to work in the marketing or sales industry in Houston. If you are looking for a more creative or people-facing job in the Houston area, you’ll find lots of high-paying jobs and likely won’t have to wait very long before you get hired here, especially when you consider how many businesses (of all sizes) are currently operating in this city.
Top 5 Highest-Paying Jobs in Houston for Fresh Graduates
For many of the highest-paying jobs in Houston, it takes a while for workers to start earning the kinds of salaries mentioned in this guide’s Top 20 list. Recent graduates and new employees will have to put in some time and effort and pay their dues before they can start earning high salaries.
For those who want to earn a high salary as soon as they leave school, it’s helpful to know about the highest-paying jobs in Houston for fresh graduates. Listed below are 5 of the best options to consider if you want to start making good money right away:
Because the business management/administration industry is one of the highest-paying industries in Houston, it makes sense that the CEO position would be one of the top-paying positions for recent graduates.
The entry-level salary for a chief executive officer is over $144,000 per year, which is higher than many of the salaries for experienced workers in Houston.
Many CEOs have a bachelor’s degree in business management or a similar field, but some go on to earn a master’s degree to increase their chances of getting hired or earning a higher salary. Once you graduate with a degree in business or a related field, you have the potential to start earning a very good salary fresh out of college.
Of all the healthcare positions in the Houston area, the nurse anesthetist position comes with one of the highest entry-level salaries: $141,200 per year. Over time, you can earn a lot more than this, too (an average of $185,910 per year).
Nurse anesthetists work alongside anesthesiologists and provide essential care before, during, and after operations. They assist with the administration of medication to keep patients pain-free and asleep during surgery and must constantly monitor all biological functions.
To become a nurse anesthetist, you must earn either a doctor of nursing practice (or DNP) or doctor of nurse anesthesia practice (or DNAP) degree. These degrees take 1-2 years to complete after earning a bachelor’s degree in nursing, so you can typically finish your schooling in 5-6 years.
It does take a bit longer than you might to become a nurse anesthetist, but the time frame is shorter than a lot of other medical professions, and the high salary will surely make the time and effort worthwhile.
The entry-level salary for a veterinarian is $94,080 per year. This is more than 1.5 times the average salary for a Houston resident, which isn’t a bad place to start when you’re fresh out of college.
It takes about 8 years to become a veterinarian after finishing high school (4 years of undergrad and 4 years of medical school), so the path isn’t exactly a short one. The trade-off is worth it, though, as you can start earning a great salary right after graduating.
There’s a high demand for veterinarians right now, too, which means you’ll likely be able to find a job soon after leaving school, too.
Of all the engineering positions available in Houston, a position as a chemical engineer will set you up with the highest entry-level salary: $90,790 per year. If you want to pursue an engineering career that allows you to earn a well-above-average salary right after graduating, chemical engineering is a great option.
You only need a bachelor’s degree to begin your career, too. This means you can start earning a high salary sooner than you can with many of the other careers on this list.
If you have a passion for natural sciences and want to earn a lot of money, consider a career as a. The geoscientist position is one of the best-paid jobs in Houston, especially for fresh graduates.
Geoscientists are responsible for studying various physical aspects of the Earth, including its composition and structure, which helps them to learn about its past and predict its future.
The entry-level salary for a geoscientist is $88,000 per year, but there is potential to earn a lot more than this (the average salary is $188,400 per year). You need at least a bachelor’s degree to start working in this field, although many go on to earn master’s or doctoral degrees to increase their earning potential and employment options.
What Degree Pays Most in Houston?
To qualify for one of the best-paid jobs in Houston, it’s important to earn a relevant degree. If you’re a student who’s still deciding what you want to major in, the table below will provide some valuable insights. It lists some of the best degree types to consider in Houston if you want to earn a high salary:
Degree Type | Potential Salary |
Business Management | $260,450 |
Geology/Geoscience | $188,400 |
Nursing | $185,910 |
Veterinary Science | $169,220 |
Chemical Engineering | $147,310 |
It’s important to note that the numbers for these salaries are just estimates and averages based on current data. Once you obtain one of these degrees, you might earn more or less than the potential salary listed above. This information is just meant to point you in the right direction and help you plan for the future.
Apply for One of the Highest-Paying Jobs in Houston Today
Thanks to this guide, you now have a lot more insight into the highest-paying jobs in Houston, both for experienced professionals and students who are planning their education and future career path.
Are you ready to apply for a high-paying job in Houston? Do you need help improving your skills so you can qualify for one of the jobs?
If so, check out the GrabJobs Career Resources guide so you can expand your knowledge, increase your chance of getting hired, and set yourself up to land a high-paying career.
Photo by Alisa Matthews on Unsplash
