Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $83,900
- Median hourly wage: $40.34
- Total employment: 100 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in McAllen
Despite recession fears and falling consumer confidence, the job market in the United States has remained relatively stable in 2025 thus far. According to May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics data, around 177,000 new jobs were added in April, a slight decrease from the 185,000 new jobs added in the month before, but an extension of the country's 52-month streak of job growth. Unemployment rates also held relatively steady between April 2024 and April 2025, coming in at around 4%.
Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean Americans have it easy in the workplace. A December 2024 Payscale report found that nearly half (47%) of business organizations struggle to balance fair pay practices with spend optimization, and 18% plan to reduce pay increases in 2025 as a result.
For context, median weekly earnings across all employees in the U.S. stood at $1,194 in the first quarter of 2025. This represents an increase of 4.8% from a year prior and exceeds the Consumer Price Index's 2.7% increase in the same time period. However, there's one caveat: Earnings go much further in some places than in others.
In fact, the very definition of a "high-paying" job varies by location, as well as other factors such as industry and benefits. Even a six-figure salary may be considered low-income in places with an unusually high cost of living. Meanwhile, technology, finance, and health care jobs lead in terms of salary, but benefits like remote work can make other lower-paying jobs more desirable.
Regardless, anyone seeking a high-paying job should start by looking at the numbers. Stacker used BLS data to find the 50 highest-paying jobs in McAllen. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
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Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $84,440
- Median hourly wage: $40.59
- Total employment: 400 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $84,570
- Median hourly wage: $40.66
- Total employment: 60 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $86,170
- Median hourly wage: $41.43
- Total employment: 40 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $86,550
- Median hourly wage: $41.61
- Total employment: 160 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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creativemarc // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $87,050
- Median hourly wage: $41.85
- Total employment: 230 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $87,480
- Median hourly wage: $42.06
- Total employment: 180 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $87,820
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,370 people (4.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY / Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Speech-language pathologists
- Median annual wage: $90,600
- Median hourly wage: $43.56
- Total employment: 590 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sebastian Duda // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
- Median annual wage: $90,880
- Median hourly wage: $43.69
- Total employment: 50 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SeventyFour // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. History teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $91,580
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 60 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
12 / 50#38. Social scientists and related workers, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $92,750
- Median hourly wage: $44.59
- Total employment: 60 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Biological scientists, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $92,750
- Median hourly wage: $44.59
- Total employment: 90 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Physics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $93,480
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $93,750
- Median hourly wage: $45.07
- Total employment: 160 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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VE.Studio // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $94,120
- Median hourly wage: $45.25
- Total employment: 50 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $94,550
- Median hourly wage: $45.46
- Total employment: 1,290 people (4.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $94,850
- Median hourly wage: $45.60
- Total employment: 740 people (2.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $94,870
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 110 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Radiation therapists
- Median annual wage: $94,930
- Median hourly wage: $45.64
- Total employment: 40 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Psychology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $95,730
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Daniel Besic // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. English language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $96,360
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
23 / 50#27. Occupational therapists (tie)
- Median annual wage: $96,830
- Median hourly wage: $46.55
- Total employment: 370 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Education administrators, postsecondary (tie)
- Median annual wage: $96,830
- Median hourly wage: $46.55
- Total employment: 240 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $98,640
- Median hourly wage: $47.42
- Total employment: 80 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $98,800
- Median hourly wage: $47.50
- Total employment: 680 people (2.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Political science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $99,190
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $99,490
- Median hourly wage: $47.83
- Total employment: 320 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $99,830
- Median hourly wage: $48.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $101,340
- Median hourly wage: $48.72
- Total employment: 510 people (1.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $101,590
- Median hourly wage: $48.84
- Total employment: 60 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $104,330
- Median hourly wage: $50.16
- Total employment: 1,660 people (5.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $106,910
- Median hourly wage: $51.40
- Total employment: 440 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $107,810
- Median hourly wage: $51.83
- Total employment: 180 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $109,980
- Median hourly wage: $52.87
- Total employment: 40 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $114,080
- Median hourly wage: $54.85
- Total employment: 610 people (2.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $120,640
- Median hourly wage: $58.00
- Total employment: 690 people (2.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $123,760
- Median hourly wage: $59.50
- Total employment: 580 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $124,350
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $125,000
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 270 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Matej Kastelic // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $125,280
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 130 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Engineering teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $125,340
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $126,800
- Median hourly wage: $60.96
- Total employment: 380 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $126,850
- Median hourly wage: $60.98
- Total employment: 290 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $132,750
- Median hourly wage: $63.82
- Total employment: 490 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kzenon // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $137,660
- Median hourly wage: $66.18
- Total employment: 60 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $150,950
- Median hourly wage: $72.57
- Total employment: 100 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $165,870
- Median hourly wage: $79.74
- Total employment: 120 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. General internal medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $184,340
- Median hourly wage: $88.62
- Total employment: 200 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Physicians, all other
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 350 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Cu Fleshman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.
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