SOC 51-9061 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers — McAllen
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX · 10 metro areas compared
In McAllen, TX the median wage is $37,440.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow more slowly than average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- 0.0%
- Openings per year
- 69,900
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
In McAllen, TX the median wage is $37,440. That is 22.9% lower than the national median of $48,570. Pay ranges from under $23,880 at the tenth percentile to more than $64,820 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $29,420 to $53,900.
The area has 550 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 0.48 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Within the state, Amarillo records the highest median at $53,970. Of the 404 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 282nd.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $23,880 | −50.8% |
| 25th | $29,420 | −39.4% |
| Median (50th) | $37,440 | −22.9% |
| 75th | $53,900 | +11.0% |
| 90th | $64,820 | +33.5% |
| Mean | $42,050 | −13.4% |
Other metro areas in Texas
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amarillo | $53,970 | 680 | |
| 2 | Beaumont | $51,430 | 1,030 | |
| 3 | Texarkana | $49,070 | 380 | |
| 4 | Austin | $48,260 | 4,100 | |
| 5 | Wichita Falls | $48,250 | 270 | |
| 6 | Corpus Christi | $48,210 | 660 | |
| 7 | Abilene | $48,050 | 240 | |
| 8 | Midland | $47,590 | 720 | |
| 9 | San Antonio | $47,040 | 3,650 | |
| 10 | Waco | $46,900 | 630 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in McAllen run 14.1% below the national average, so the median of $37,440 goes as far as $43,586 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 10.3% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$37,440as reported by BLSLocal price level
85.9US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$43,586US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $37,440 a year, 22.9% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $23,880 to $64,820 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 550 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Amarillo, at $53,970.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers in McAllen, TX?
The median annual wage is $37,440, or $18.00 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $48,570, so pay in McAllen, TX is 22.9% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in McAllen, TX earns more than $64,820 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $23,880 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Amarillo, at $53,970 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 550 jobs in this occupation in McAllen, TX. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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