Highest-paying jobs in Waco

Written by:
July 8, 2022
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Highest-paying jobs in Waco

Stacker collected information on the highest-paying jobs in Waco, TX, using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by average annual salary with information up to date as of May 2021.

In Waco, the annual mean wage is $47,170 or 19.0% lower than national mean of $58,260, while the highest-paying occupation makes $253,020. Read on to see which jobs make the list.

#50. Civil engineers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $76,260
- #346 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170

National
- Annual mean salary: $95,490
- Employment: 304,310
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($119,720)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($116,550)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($115,120)

#49. Financial and investment analysts

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $76,680
- #233 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

National
- Annual mean salary: $103,020
- Employment: 291,880
- Entry level education requirements: nan
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($135,620)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($133,640)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($132,820)

#48. Speech-language pathologists

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $77,540
- #206 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

National
- Annual mean salary: $85,820
- Employment: 147,470
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($118,260)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($111,120)
--- Salinas, CA ($107,160)

#47. Software quality assurance analysts and testers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $77,550
- #152 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $97,710
- Employment: 190,120
- Entry level education requirements: nan
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($138,360)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($126,640)
--- California-Lexington Park, MD ($122,750)

#46. Network and computer systems administrators

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $78,420
- #215 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220

National
- Annual mean salary: $91,250
- Employment: 316,760
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor's degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($135,440)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($116,370)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($110,930)

#45. Operations research analysts

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $78,540
- #109 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $95,830
- Employment: 98,700
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($164,730)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($127,330)
--- Austin-Round Rock, TX ($118,710)

#44. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $78,560
- #119 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130

National
- Annual mean salary: $83,270
- Employment: 80,890
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($171,060)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($145,740)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($135,860)

#43. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $78,890
- #335 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330

National
- Annual mean salary: $102,650
- Employment: 274,710
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($144,880)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($143,450)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($142,330)

#42. Management analysts

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $80,600
- #286 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

National
- Annual mean salary: $100,530
- Employment: 768,450
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Dothan, AL ($135,020)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($127,320)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($125,250)

#41. Project management specialists

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $80,960
- #269 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 560

National
- Annual mean salary: $98,420
- Employment: 743,860
- Entry level education requirements: nan
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($133,950)
--- Birmingham-Hoover, AL ($130,250)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($125,330)

#40. Information security analysts

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $81,290
- #190 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

National
- Annual mean salary: $113,270
- Employment: 157,220
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($150,820)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($149,250)
--- Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA ($135,080)

#39. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $81,910
- #209 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

National
- Annual mean salary: $102,750
- Employment: 266,160
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($150,760)
--- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($141,470)
--- Iowa City, IA ($138,870)

#38. Construction managers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $85,350
- #322 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220

National
- Annual mean salary: $108,210
- Employment: 284,750
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($160,710)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($149,050)
--- Napa, CA ($145,430)

#37. Industrial engineers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $86,100
- #220 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230

National
- Annual mean salary: $95,200
- Employment: 293,950
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($142,770)
--- Midland, TX ($129,440)
--- Billings, MT ($126,170)

#36. Personal financial advisors

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $86,650
- #292 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140

National
- Annual mean salary: $119,960
- Employment: 263,030
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor's degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Barnstable Town, MA ($172,780)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($161,010)
--- East Stroudsburg, PA ($158,790)

#35. Database administrators

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $86,760
- #106 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $96,550
- Employment: 85,870
- Entry level education requirements: nan
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Trenton, NJ ($123,540)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($121,430)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($120,280)

#34. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $87,900
- #180 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

National
- Annual mean salary: $98,760
- Employment: 128,230
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($182,700)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($170,740)
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($164,600)

#33. Facilities managers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $90,160
- #192 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $101,970
- Employment: 101,230
- Entry level education requirements: nan
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($146,040)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($136,440)
--- Ithaca, NY ($136,210)

#32. Occupational therapists

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $90,250
- #97 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $89,470
- Employment: 127,830
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($121,190)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($113,210)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($113,190)

#31. Computer systems analysts

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $93,850
- #112 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190

National
- Annual mean salary: $102,210
- Employment: 505,150
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor's degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($141,290)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($131,650)
--- Huntsville, AL ($118,690)

#30. General and operations managers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $94,080
- #271 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,770

National
- Annual mean salary: $115,250
- Employment: 2,984,920
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($165,340)
--- Trenton, NJ ($165,030)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($159,210)

#29. Electrical engineers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $96,110
- #191 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

National
- Annual mean salary: $107,890
- Employment: 186,020
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($148,870)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($133,640)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($124,680)

#28. Physical therapists

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $96,140
- #78 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140

National
- Annual mean salary: $92,920
- Employment: 225,350
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($123,190)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($118,370)
--- Midland, TX ($116,880)

#27. Mechanical engineers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $98,200
- #62 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230

National
- Annual mean salary: $97,000
- Employment: 278,240
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($137,540)
--- Baton Rouge, LA ($128,790)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($127,030)

#26. Administrative services managers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $98,220
- #195 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160

National
- Annual mean salary: $113,030
- Employment: 224,620
- Entry level education requirements: nan
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($149,360)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($142,650)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($141,950)

#25. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $100,650
- #128 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

National
- Annual mean salary: $105,580
- Employment: 144,640
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($159,890)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($154,170)
--- Trenton, NJ ($144,620)

#24. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $103,880
- #42 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $99,700
- Employment: 22,870
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($127,700)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($123,690)
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($122,770)

#23. Computer network architects

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $104,030
- #139 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $120,650
- Employment: 168,830
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($177,600)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($152,900)
--- Rapid City, SD ($145,810)

#22. Veterinarians

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $105,860
- #135 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $109,920
- Employment: 77,260
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($144,440)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($141,670)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($140,390)

#21. Public relations managers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $106,130
- #117 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $138,000
- Employment: 59,850
- Entry level education requirements: nan
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($183,410)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($182,890)
--- Boulder, CO ($174,250)

#20. Software developers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $106,530
- #102 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 340

National
- Annual mean salary: $120,990
- Employment: 1,364,180
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($167,420)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($158,320)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($148,220)

#19. Medical and health services managers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $107,690
- #219 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 340

National
- Annual mean salary: $119,840
- Employment: 436,770
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($162,110)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($157,340)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($156,370)

#18. Purchasing managers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $108,700
- #161 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $134,590
- Employment: 69,310
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Trenton, NJ ($181,030)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($177,010)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($174,760)

#17. Nurse practitioners

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $110,090
- #230 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170

National
- Annual mean salary: $118,040
- Employment: 234,690
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($197,870)
--- Napa, CA ($184,700)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($180,380)

#16. Sales engineers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $115,460
- #42 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

National
- Annual mean salary: $118,630
- Employment: 59,550
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor's degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salisbury, MD-DE ($169,330)
--- Birmingham-Hoover, AL ($158,740)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($158,320)

#15. Industrial production managers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $116,880
- #121 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200

National
- Annual mean salary: $117,780
- Employment: 192,270
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($155,640)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($153,860)
--- Fort Collins, CO ($153,470)

#14. Sales managers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $117,400
- #231 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270

National
- Annual mean salary: $142,390
- Employment: 453,800
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($198,960)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($196,910)
--- Boulder, CO ($182,820)

#13. Marketing managers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $118,230
- #218 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120

National
- Annual mean salary: $153,440
- Employment: 278,690
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($210,280)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($198,870)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($191,310)

#12. Human resources managers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $120,110
- #133 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

National
- Annual mean salary: $136,590
- Employment: 166,530
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($190,020)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($186,930)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($175,410)

#11. Physician assistants

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $122,910
- #98 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $119,460
- Employment: 132,940
- Entry level education requirements: Master's degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portsmouth, NH-ME ($167,240)
--- Panama City, FL ($165,000)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($164,150)

#10. Fundraising managers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $122,970
- #23 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $119,400
- Employment: 23,190
- Entry level education requirements: nan
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($175,610)
--- Syracuse, NY ($155,700)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($153,980)

#9. Aerospace engineers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $127,430
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140

National
- Annual mean salary: $122,970
- Employment: 56,640
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA ($166,060)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($149,490)
--- Boulder, CO ($148,990)

#8. Natural sciences managers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $127,700
- #74 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $156,110
- Employment: 74,760
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($222,360)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($219,240)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($216,750)

#7. Lawyers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $130,130
- #92 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250

National
- Annual mean salary: $148,030
- Employment: 681,010
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($231,200)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($191,460)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($186,610)

#6. Pharmacists

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $132,810
- #48 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150

National
- Annual mean salary: $125,690
- Employment: 312,550
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($168,640)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($163,840)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($158,420)

#5. Financial managers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $135,650
- #138 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370

National
- Annual mean salary: $153,460
- Employment: 681,070
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($209,100)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($201,330)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($188,900)

#4. Computer and information systems managers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $136,110
- #147 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210

National
- Annual mean salary: $162,930
- Employment: 485,190
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($228,030)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($211,470)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($202,800)

#3. Architectural and engineering managers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $152,650
- #76 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

National
- Annual mean salary: $158,970
- Employment: 187,100
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($228,000)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($206,050)
--- Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL ($198,430)

#2. Chief executives

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $220,530
- #95 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $213,020
- Employment: 200,480
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($313,440)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($298,960)
--- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX ($296,480)

#1. Family medicine physicians

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $253,020
- #90 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

National
- Annual mean salary: $235,930
- Employment: 102,930
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Coeur d'Alene, ID ($336,820)
--- Fond du Lac, WI ($336,140)
--- Gainesville, GA ($330,930)

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