Best Classes Texas

If Texas were a country, it would have the eighth-largest economy in the world. The Texas Economic Development Corporation calls it a “global economic powerhouse.” With lots of space for growth, no corporate or personal income tax, and relatively low business operating costs, Texas attracts a wide variety of businesses and offers many different employment opportunities. In 2024, it was awarded Site Selection magazine's Governor's Cup–an award that recognizes states that attract businesses and thus create jobs–for the 13th year in a row. In a press release posted on the Office of the Texas Governor website, Governor Greg Abbott commented on the award, stating, “We added more new jobs last year than any other state, and we have exceeded that for three years in a row.”

Key Industries in Texas

Aerospace and Defense

The Texas Economic Development Corporation explains that Texas has a well-established aerospace and defense industry. It says, “Texas is where the first military flights took off, where Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin trained for the Apollo 11 mission, and where the world’s largest low-cost airline carrier was founded.” The Texas Economic Development Corporation reports that there are more than 2,000 Texas businesses in this sector, most centered around Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. For instance, the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston is NASA’s center for human spaceflight training and flight control. The Texas aerospace and defense sector employs about 149,000 people and generates $5.3 billion in wages. Top employers include American Airlines, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, NASA, Raytheon Technologies, and SpaceX.

Oil and Gas

Texas produces and refines the most crude oil of any U.S. state. Huge energy companies like ConocoPhillips, Halliburton, and ExxonMobil are headquartered there. According to the Texas Economic Development Corporation, “Texas has dominated the energy sector since the discovery of the Spindletop Oilfield in 1901, growing into a $172 billion sector today.” According to the “Energy Evolution in Texas” profile by the Texas Economic Development & Tourism Office, “If Texas were a country, it would be the world’s fifth-largest oil producer and the third-largest producer of natural gas.” It finds that more than 500,000 people are employed in this sector.

Renewable Energy

Texas has also become a leader in renewable energy, including solar, wind, and biodiesel.

The Texas Economic Development Corporation reports that the Texas wind industry is the largest in the country and supports almost 10,000 jobs. According to the Texas Economic Development & Tourism Office, some of the top jobs in the Texas energy sector are in the construction trades, engineering, and business operations. In its “Energy Evolution in Texas” profile, the organization also explains that each part of Texas supports a particular type of renewable energy. It says, “West Texas and its adjacent regions are leaders in solar and wind power. Regions in East Texas — and particularly Southeast Texas — have strength in other types of renewable energy such as biomass, supported by the area’s agriculture and logging industries.”

Technology and Innovation

The Texas Economic Development Corporation reports that the tech sector in Texas has about 39,000 establishments and employs more than 300,000 people. It generates more than $15 billion in wages. Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, and Houston have the biggest concentrations of tech jobs. Employers include Activision Blizzard, Apple, Dell Technologies, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, and Oracle. According to the Texas Economic Development & Tourism Office, between 2011 and 2021, the IT sector in Texas more than doubled. It states, “Within the sector, Texas has strengths in programming, computer systems design, and data processing.”

Agriculture, Livestock, and Food Manufacture

Texas produces a wide variety of food products, including agricultural products, beef and poultry, and processed foods. The Texas Economic Development Corporation explains, “With extensive tracts of affordable land well-suited for food manufacturing and livestock processing, Texas offers an attractive environment for food companies looking to establish and expand operations.” It finds that there are more beef cows in Texas than in any other state, and that its food processing cluster is made up of 42 industries. Some of the largest employers in this sector are: Bimbo, Dean Foods, Frito-Lay, Hormel Foods, Pilgrim’s, Sysco, and Tyson.

An Overview of Texas Salaries

Texas salaries are generally higher than average. According to a 2024 article in the Austin American-Statesman, the median annual salary in Texas is about $68,000, while the median national salary is approximately $59,000. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes salary estimates for many different occupations: 

• Financial Analyst: $102,000
• Software Developer: $125,000
• Marketing Manager: $150,000
• Agricultural Manager: $81,000
• Civil Engineer: $95,000
• Industrial Engineer: $109,000
• Information Security Analyst $119,000
• Web Designer: $105,000
• Data Scientist: $109,000

Texas Job Outlook

There is steady growth in the Texas job market, and experts expect that trend to continue in the future. In a recent press release titled “Texas Labor Market Expansion Continues into 2025,” the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) reports that the state added 187,000 jobs in the past year. It quotes TWC Commissioner Joe Esparza, who says, “Texas continues to attract new and expanding businesses across a wide range of industries,” and TWC Commissioner Alberto Treviño III, who says, “New opportunities are emerging every day in Texas.”