What are some of the best-paying trade jobs in Texas?
With several major corporations moving to Texas, the state's job market has been booming and expanding yearly, creating thousands of new positions. Texas experienced its highest month-over-month job gain in 2022, adding 82,500 nonfarm positions in total.
As total nonfarm employment increased to 13,431,100, the state experienced new employment highs for the eighth consecutive month!
Getting employed in one of these great trade jobs in Texas can lead to better compensation, employment security, and long-term professional advancement.
The highest paying trade jobs without a degree available in Texas are listed here. Please note that several authentic sources on the web disclose varying amounts of base salaries for each position based on their own research.
If you are in New Mexico or Arizona we have dedicated articles for best paying trade jobs for those states as well.
To keep things consistent we have taken Zippia as the standard. If you wish to do more research on a specific career path we recommend you also try:
Before we get started with our list if you are struggling with the idea of a career change we highly recommend that you go through two of our most popular guides: 6 Best Podcast for Changing Careers and 7 Best Books for Changing Careers.
1. Radiation Therapists
Radiation therapists deliver radiation treatments to cancer patients utilizing the most recent technology and procedures while working in hospitals, doctors' offices, and outpatient facilities.
They frequently work as part of a broader oncology team that also includes medical physicists, oncology nurses, and radiation oncologists. Linear accelerators, or LINACs, are extremely sophisticated machines that are operated by radiation therapists.
By sending high-energy X-rays or electrons to tumors and cancer cells, these devices can treat every part of a patient's body. Over time, the tumor or cells are reduced in size or destroyed by the treatment.
Hospitals, doctor's offices, academic institutions, and outpatient facilities are usually the ones that employ radiation therapists. These heroes support patients in their fight against cancer while earning a competitive salary. It’s one of the most fulfilling trade jobs out there.
Occupational Summary
2021 Median Pay for Texas: $87,631 ($42.13 per hour)
2021 national salary for Radiation Therapists:
Typical Entry-Level Education: Associate's degree (Bachelor’s degree to advance career)
Job Outlook, 2020-30: Radiation therapist employment is anticipated to increase by 9% between 2020 and 2030, which is about average for all occupations.
Over the next ten years, there are expected to be, on average, 1,100 opportunities for radiation therapists.
What Radiation Therapists do
The following is what a Radiation Therapist normally does:
- Describe treatment plans to the patient and respond to inquiries regarding the procedure.
- Avoid exposing patients or yourself to radiation improperly.
- Locate tumors to ensure that patients are positioned properly for receiving each therapy.
- Set the machine up and run it to administer radiation therapy to the patient.
- Keep an eye on the patient to look for any odd treatment reactions.
- Keep careful notes of your medical care given.
Top Texas cities paying the highest Radiation Therapist salaries
Here are the top cities paying well for Radiation Therapists in Texas
- Dallas, TX $106,329 per year
- Austin, TX $105,697 per year
- Houston, TX $104,258 per year
- Irving, TX $102,766 per year
- Fort Worth, TX $100,452 per year
- San Antonio, TX $99,195 per year
- Southlake, TX $94,969 per year
- Corpus Christi, TX $92,640 per year
- Texarkana, TX $88,183 per year
Top companies paying well for Radiation Therapists in Texas
- ATC Healthcare
- Rapid Temps, Inc
- MWIDM Inc.
- UT Southwestern Medical Center
- Adventist Health
Texas ranks 13th best nationwide for Radiation Therapists
2. Dental Hygienists
Under the dentist's direction, dental hygienists perform preventative oral care. In addition to assessing the patients' dental health, they concentrate on locating and treating any gum disease. You can learn how to take care of teeth and gums by eliminating plaque and tartar through a dental hygienist course.
Hygienists provide their patients with important guidance on how to maintain a healthy diet in addition to helping them take care of their dental health. Therefore, patients can follow the advice they were given to stop tooth decay and keep their smiles looking good.
Compared to dental assistants, dental hygienists are different. While they both work in dental offices under the supervision of dentists, their job responsibilities, educational requirements, pay, and the number of hours they normally put in are different.
Dental assistants, on the other hand, accompany patients to examination and treatment rooms, get them ready for exams and operations, and clean and pass over dental tools to dentists.
Occupational Summary
2021 Median Pay for Texas: $81,559 ($39.21 per hour)
2021 national salary for Dental Hygienists:
Typical Entry-Level Education: Associate's degree
Job Outlook, 2020-30: Dental hygienist employment is anticipated to increase by 11% between 2020 and 2030, which is faster than the average for all occupations.
Over the next ten years, there are expected to be, on average, 15,600 openings for dental hygienists.
What Dental Hygienists do
The following is what a Dental Hygienist normally does:
- Perform a preliminary examination on each new patient seeking dental care.
- Apply fluorides and sealants for tooth protection after cleaning and removing stains, plaque, and tartar from teeth. Take dental x-rays and develop them.
- Administer patients with local anesthetics.
- Record the patient's care and treatment plans.
- Examine each patient's dental health and inform dentists of your findings
- Educate patients on how to properly clean and floss their teeth and maintain good oral hygiene.
Top Texas cities paying the highest Dental Hygienist salaries
Here are the top cities paying well for Dental Hygienists in Texas
- Dallas, TX $88,665 per year
- Austin, TX $88,137 per year
- Houston, TX $86,937 per year
- San Antonio, TX $82,716 per year
- Frisco, TX $81,674 per year
- Round Rock, TX $79,821 per year
- Carrollton, TX $78,554 per year
- El Paso, TX $75,677 per year
- Cypress, TX $73,770 per year
Top companies paying well for Dental Hygienists in Texas
- Fox Creek Family Dental
- Dental Connections
- Western Dental Services
- Advanced Dentistry
- Jefferson Dental & Orthodontics
- Dental Health Associates
- Dental Connections
- Onsite Dental
- Dental Works
- Willamette Dental
Texas ranks 22nd best nationwide for Dental Hygienists
3. Construction Managers
The creation of all varieties of public, private, commercial, and industrial structures, as well as roads, monuments, and bridges, are just a few of the many projects that construction managers, also known as general contractors or project managers, coordinate and oversee.
A construction manager is in charge of overseeing the project's construction phase, they also communicate with the client during the project's design stage to help refine construction plans and keep costs in check.
Building experts including architects, civil engineers, and a range of tradespeople like stonemasons, electricians, and carpenters collaborate closely with construction managers.
They also hire and manage experts in anything from structural steel and painting to landscaping, paving roads, and excavation that may be needed for certain projects. Construction managers might communicate with attorneys and local government representatives if the need arises.
For instance, construction managers occasionally consult with city inspectors when working on city-owned land or municipal structures to make sure that all rules and regulations are met.
Occupational Summary
2021 Median Pay for Texas: $81,313 yearly ($39.09 per hour)
2021 national salary for Construction Managers:
Typical Entry-Level Education: Associate's degree (Bachelor’s degree to advance career)
Job Outlook, 2020-30: Construction managers' employment is expected to increase by 11% between 2020 and 2030, faster than the average for all occupations.
Throughout the next ten years, there are expected to be, on average, 38,900 openings for construction managers.
What Construction Managers do
The following is what a Construction Manager normally does:
- Create work schedules, budgets, and cost estimates.
- Contract interpretation and technical information explanation to other specialists.
- Inform clients of job progress and financial issues.
- Work together with engineers, architects, and other construction experts.
- Choose subcontractors, then plan and organize their work.
- Respond to unforeseen circumstances, work delays, and other issues.
- Respect all applicable laws, building, and safety codes, and other rules.
Top Texas cities paying the highest Construction Manager salaries
Here are the top cities paying well for Construction Managers in Texas
- Dallas, TX $80,363 per year
- Austin, TX $79,885 per year
- Houston, TX $78,797 per year
- Plano, TX $78,442 per year
- San Antonio, TX $74,971 per year
- Frisco, TX $74,026 per year
- McKinney, TX $71,468 per year
- Corpus Christi, TX $70,016 per year
- Cypress, TX $66,862 per year
Top companies paying well for Construction Managers in Texas
- Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E)
- AECOM
- Arrow Workforce Solutions
- CBRE
- Freese and Nichols
- Ericsson-Worldwide
- Vector Force Development, LLC
- Gannett Fleming
- Perry Homes
- Black & Veatch
Texas ranks 31st best nationwide for Construction Managers
4. Web Developers
A web developer is in charge of writing the code that directs how websites and web apps should function. Web developers often focus on "front-end" (also known as client-side) or "back-end" (also known as server-side) development. "Full-Stack Developers" are capable of doing both.
In order to provide reliable performance on any sort of computer, mobile, or device screen, web developers work on creating visual designs and layouts, integrating graphics and content, optimizing website performance and capacity, and testing.
As a web developer, you will be required to know how to create code in a number of frequently used online programming languages, such as JavaScript, HTML (HyperText Markup Language), CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), etc.
Any web developer that works on larger development teams is also likely to spend a lot of time coordinating and interacting with other team members, such as software developers, web designers, project managers, and other stakeholders.
This short course of just 4.5 months can get your career started as a Front End Web Developer!
Occupational Summary
2021 Median Pay for Texas: $72,544 ($34.88 per hour)
2021 national salary for Web Developers:
Typical Entry-Level Education: Associate's degree (Bachelor’s degree to advance career)
Job Outlook, 2020-30: Web development jobs are expected to increase by 13% between 2020 and 2030, which is faster than the average for all occupations.
Over the next ten years, there are expected to be, on average, 17,900 opportunities for web developers.
What Web Developers do
The following is what a Web Developer normally does:
- Collaborating with graphic designers, user experience designers, or web designers to make sure design concepts can be turned into a user-friendly website.
- Converting a website's design (such as sketches or wireframes) into code that a web browser can understand and display on your screen.
- Constructing a website in a way that makes it simple for search engines to find it (this is part of Search Engine Optimization or SEO)
- Creating websites that are functional and appealing on all screen sizes, from five-inch smartphone screens to 24-inch computer monitors (this is called responsive design)
- Web testing, bug fixes, and other issues
Top Texas cities paying the highest Web Developer salaries
Here are the top cities paying well for Web Developers in Texas
- Dallas, TX $70,258 per year
- Houston, TX $68,889 per year
- Plano, TX $68,578 per year
- Irving, TX $67,903 per year
- Addison, TX $67,439 per year
- Fort Worth, TX $66,374 per year
- San Antonio, TX $65,544 per year
- Carrollton, TX $62,246 per year
- Garland, TX $60,783 per year
Top companies paying well for Web Developers in Texas
- Boeing
- Cor-tech International
- Genesis Acquisitions, Inc.
- Wells Fargo
- Dental Connections
- Splunk
- Infosys
- BlueModus
- Dassault Systèmes
Texas ranks 25th best nationwide for Web Developers