Corpus Christi, TX Salaries

Occupation wages from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025)

Occupations Tracked

398

with wage data

Avg. Median Salary

$157,631

top 25 occupations

Top Salary

$373,420

Physicians, Pathologists

Cost of Living

92.7

7% below US avg

Purchasing power: The average median salary of $157,631 in Corpus Christi, TX has the purchasing power of $170,097 in a national-average-cost area. Lower cost of living means your salary goes further here.

The Corpus Christi, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area is tracked by BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics across 398 occupations in the May 2025 release, each representing a distinct SOC code where local employment is large enough to report without triggering confidentiality suppression. Averaging the top-ranked occupation medians gives roughly $157,631 per year, a rough midpoint that helps you compare this metro to peer cities and the national picture. The BEA Regional Price Parity index for Corpus Christi, TX sits at 92.7, meaning the local price level is 7% below the national average for rent, groceries, services, and transportation combined.

At the top of the Corpus Christi, TX ranking, Physicians, Pathologists pays a median of $373,420. Second-ranked is Physicians, All Other at $253,530, followed by Chief Executives at $229,340. At the bottom of the reported-occupation range, Fast Food and Counter Workers pays $25,630. This spread between top-specialist and entry-service pay is characteristic of U.S. metro labor markets, though the specific ratio varies by metro economic base. Critically, nominal pay in Corpus Christi, TX converts to $170,097 of purchasing power in a national-average-cost city, the paycheck you take home here buys more than the same nominal amount would in high-cost metros.

Metro medians reflect where the job is located, not where you live, relevant if you plan to commute across MSA boundaries. BLS defines metro areas using OMB's MSA delineations, so Corpus Christi, TX spans the central city plus economically integrated surrounding counties. When using this page, drill into individual occupation rows to see percentile spread (the top 10% often earns 2× or more than the median) and compare against the occupation's national profile to see whether Corpus Christi, TX pays a premium or discount for that specific role. Remember that OEWS wages capture base pay only, health benefits, retirement contributions, bonuses, overtime, and equity compensation can add 20-40% to real total compensation, and that gap often skews larger in high-cost metros where employers load non-wage benefits to remain competitive.

Highest Paying Jobs in Corpus Christi, TX

# Occupation Median Salary
1 Physicians, Pathologists $373,420
2 Physicians, All Other $253,530
3 Chief Executives $229,340
4 General Internal Medicine Physicians $206,410
5 Dentists, General $180,630
6 Architectural and Engineering Managers $158,430
7 Petroleum Engineers $155,870
8 Computer and Information Systems Managers $153,870
9 Pediatricians, General $148,320
10 Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates $140,090
11 Financial Managers $138,150
12 Optometrists $138,120
13 Pharmacists $136,150
14 Physician Assistants $134,360
15 Nurse Practitioners $133,810
16 Industrial Production Managers $131,180
17 Lawyers $129,180
18 Chemical Engineers $126,690
19 Veterinarians $126,140
20 Environmental Engineers $125,330
21 Electrical Engineers $124,800
22 Managers, All Other $124,740
23 Mechanical Engineers $124,340
24 Human Resources Managers $124,290
25 Software Developers $123,580

Lowest Paying Jobs in Corpus Christi, TX

Other Metros in TX

Peer MSAs in the same state for cost-of-living and wage comparisons.

Salary Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average salary in Corpus Christi, TX?
Averaging the median salaries of the top 25 highest-paying occupations in Corpus Christi, TX gives $157,631/year (BLS OEWS May 2025). This is NOT a metro-wide average across all 398 tracked occupations, it's the mean of the top tier only; see the table below for the full range.
What is the highest paying job in Corpus Christi, TX?
The highest paying occupation in Corpus Christi, TX is Physicians, Pathologists with a median salary of $373,420/year. The second highest is Physicians, All Other at $253,530/year.
What is the cost of living in Corpus Christi, TX?
Corpus Christi, TX has a Regional Price Parity of 92.7, meaning prices are 7% below the national average. The average median salary of $157,631 has the purchasing power of $170,097 in a national-average-cost area.
What jobs pay the least in Corpus Christi, TX?
The lowest paying occupation in Corpus Christi, TX is Fast Food and Counter Workers with a median salary of $25,630/year according to BLS data.
Where does BLS salary data come from?
All salary data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, which surveys approximately 1.1 million business establishments nationwide to produce detailed wage estimates by occupation and geographic area.

Last updated: May 2025 (BLS OEWS annual release). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Cost-of-living index: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2023.

Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This metro area figures are computed directly from BLS OEWS metro-level data. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.

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