Highest and lowest paying health care jobs in El Paso
Highest and lowest paying health care jobs in El Paso
Anybody who has taken a course in marketing, psychology or sociology is likely familiar with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. First detailed by psychologist Andrew Maslow in his 1943 work “A Theory of Human Motivation,” the hierarchy breaks down the complex network of human thoughts into a categorical triage, placing self-development at the top and security and physical health at the bottom. In setting up this pyramid, Maslow framed self-recognition and creative development as ultimate goals, while also prioritizing personal safety and strong physical health.
As such, it has never been more important to recognize the health care professionals who work tirelessly to keep the population healthy. In 2019, the United States spent 17.7% of its GDP on health. While it’s encouraging to know that the country is investing in those responsible for maintaining the nation’s well-being, not all health care professionals receive equal compensation.
Stacker compiled a list of the highest and lowest paying health care jobs in El Paso, TX using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2019 annual mean wage. Keep reading to see which health care jobs make the most and least in your city.
#41. Pharmacy aides
- Annual mean salary: $23,460
- #129 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
National
- Annual mean salary: $30,490
- Employment: 37,280
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fresno, CA ($46,610)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($46,430)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($42,620)
#40. Physical therapist aides
- Annual mean salary: $25,390
- #137 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
National
- Annual mean salary: $29,180
- Employment: 49,270
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Savannah, GA ($50,470)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($44,720)
--- Boulder, CO ($41,450)
#39. Medical assistants
- Annual mean salary: $25,910
- #384 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,900
National
- Annual mean salary: $35,720
- Employment: 712,430
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($49,880)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($48,920)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($47,140)
#38. Nursing assistants
- Annual mean salary: $26,080
- #314 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,020
National
- Annual mean salary: $30,720
- Employment: 1,419,920
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($46,170)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($45,100)
--- Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($44,710)

#37. Psychiatric aides
- Annual mean salary: $27,850
- #50 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
National
- Annual mean salary: $32,590
- Employment: 55,020
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Utica-Rome, NY ($48,280)
--- Rochester, NY ($45,890)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($45,010)
#36. Dietetic technicians
- Annual mean salary: $28,330
- #79 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $31,180
- Employment: 29,230
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN ($52,880)
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($45,910)
--- Salinas, CA ($44,730)
#35. Veterinary technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $28,710
- #270 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330
National
- Annual mean salary: $36,670
- Employment: 110,650
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI ($76,660)
--- Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA ($57,740)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($50,100)
#34. Opticians, dispensing
- Annual mean salary: $28,820
- #271 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $40,730
- Employment: 72,330
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Utica-Rome, NY ($70,730)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($68,970)
--- New Haven, CT ($66,020)
#33. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Annual mean salary: $29,590
- #96 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $29,690
- Employment: 97,030
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New Haven, CT ($48,240)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($43,890)
--- Port St. Lucie, FL ($43,200)
#32. Phlebotomists
- Annual mean salary: $30,110
- #275 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
National
- Annual mean salary: $36,480
- Employment: 128,290
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($58,610)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($54,040)
--- Redding, CA ($52,310)
#31. Ophthalmic medical technicians
- Annual mean salary: $30,270
- #199 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,760
- Employment: 58,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Duluth, MN-WI ($56,620)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($53,770)
--- New Bedford, MA ($53,250)
#30. Medical transcriptionists
- Annual mean salary: $33,020
- #147 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $35,210
- Employment: 55,780
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($67,840)
--- Amarillo, TX ($56,970)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($54,080)
#29. Dental assistants
- Annual mean salary: $33,920
- #346 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 870
National
- Annual mean salary: $41,170
- Employment: 351,470
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($56,010)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($54,510)
--- Rochester, MN ($53,010)
#28. Pharmacy technicians
- Annual mean salary: $34,050
- #181 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,260
National
- Annual mean salary: $35,250
- Employment: 417,780
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($51,090)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($50,790)
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($50,070)
#27. Medical equipment preparers
- Annual mean salary: $34,200
- #119 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $39,530
- Employment: 56,900
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($63,400)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($61,080)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($60,670)
#26. Surgical technologists
- Annual mean salary: $45,160
- #155 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,110
- Employment: 109,000
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($74,280)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($72,790)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($69,750)

#25. Athletic trainers
- Annual mean salary: $47,380
- #98 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,540
- Employment: 28,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($73,250)
--- Lansing-East Lansing, MI ($66,390)
--- Trenton, NJ ($65,320)
#24. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Annual mean salary: $47,760
- #147 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,820
National
- Annual mean salary: $48,500
- Employment: 697,510
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($69,490)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($68,160)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($67,990)
#23. Massage therapists
- Annual mean salary: $49,040
- #60 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,180
- Employment: 107,240
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($76,930)
--- Yakima, WA ($72,870)
--- College Station-Bryan, TX ($70,090)
#22. Respiratory therapists
- Annual mean salary: $55,800
- #188 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
National
- Annual mean salary: $63,950
- Employment: 132,090
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($101,520)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($98,810)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($97,950)
#21. Occupational therapy assistants
- Annual mean salary: $59,990
- #106 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
National
- Annual mean salary: $61,880
- Employment: 44,990
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($92,580)
--- Visalia-Porterville, CA ($83,690)
--- Reno, NV ($81,800)
#20. Dental hygienists
- Annual mean salary: $60,520
- #324 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
National
- Annual mean salary: $77,230
- Employment: 221,560
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($140,150)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($120,420)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($113,940)
#19. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $60,860
- #119 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370
National
- Annual mean salary: $63,120
- Employment: 207,360
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($110,180)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($109,680)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,670)
#18. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $61,760
- #55 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,600
- Employment: 56,110
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salem, OR ($106,620)
--- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($103,050)
--- Medford, OR ($82,780)
#17. Dietitians and nutritionists
- Annual mean salary: $65,470
- #66 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
National
- Annual mean salary: $62,330
- Employment: 67,670
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($88,350)
--- Salinas, CA ($87,930)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($87,890)
#16. Physical therapist assistants
- Annual mean salary: $65,710
- #44 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,520
- Employment: 96,840
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($78,530)
--- Victoria, TX ($78,070)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($75,470)
#15. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Annual mean salary: $71,550
- #120 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $75,780
- Employment: 72,790
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($126,850)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($118,880)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($115,280)
#14. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
- Annual mean salary: $74,060
- #50 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $74,270
- Employment: 37,900
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($124,950)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($104,870)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($99,920)
#13. Registered nurses
- Annual mean salary: $74,380
- #97 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,950
National
- Annual mean salary: $77,460
- Employment: 2,982,280
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($140,740)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($138,000)
--- Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($134,000)
#12. Speech-language pathologists
- Annual mean salary: $80,210
- #140 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 460
National
- Annual mean salary: $82,000
- Employment: 154,360
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($117,710)
--- Corvallis, OR ($105,380)
--- Chico, CA ($104,640)
#11. Occupational therapists
- Annual mean salary: $84,430
- #168 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
National
- Annual mean salary: $86,210
- Employment: 133,570
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- The Villages, FL ($115,090)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($108,870)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($107,450)
#10. Physician assistants
- Annual mean salary: $89,150
- #290 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $112,410
- Employment: 120,090
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($161,370)
--- Leominster-Gardner, MA ($156,250)
--- Waterbury, CT ($154,550)
#9. Physical therapists
- Annual mean salary: $92,080
- #114 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 410
National
- Annual mean salary: $90,170
- Employment: 233,350
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Yuba City, CA ($116,360)
--- Bakersfield, CA ($116,120)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($113,950)

#8. Nurse practitioners
- Annual mean salary: $109,260
- #158 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
National
- Annual mean salary: $111,840
- Employment: 200,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($175,060)
--- Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA ($160,110)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($157,150)

#7. Optometrists
- Annual mean salary: $118,450
- #92 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $122,980
- Employment: 39,420
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Champaign-Urbana, IL ($238,460)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($210,490)
--- Evansville, IN-KY ($183,380)
#6. Pharmacists
- Annual mean salary: $133,450
- #83 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 820
National
- Annual mean salary: $125,510
- Employment: 311,200
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Tyler, TX ($161,790)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($158,250)
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($157,850)
#5. Veterinarians
- Annual mean salary: $134,860
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $104,820
- Employment: 74,540
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Sherman-Denison, TX ($210,960)
--- Lubbock, TX ($176,730)
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($161,230)
#4. Dentists, general
- Annual mean salary: $177,940
- #158 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
National
- Annual mean salary: $178,260
- Employment: 110,730
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Burlington, NC ($278,360)
--- Burlington-South Burlington, VT ($275,430)
--- Longview, TX ($272,440)
#3. Pediatricians, general
- Annual mean salary: $197,070
- #46 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
National
- Annual mean salary: $184,410
- Employment: 29,740
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Rockford, IL ($277,390)
--- Killeen-Temple, TX ($273,770)
--- Chico, CA ($270,550)
#2. General internal medicine physicians
- Annual mean salary: $197,310
- #76 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $201,440
- Employment: 44,610
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Sioux Falls, SD ($282,610)
--- Rapid City, SD ($280,990)
--- Barnstable Town, MA ($280,500)
#1. Family medicine physicians
- Annual mean salary: $223,810
- #118 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $213,270
- Employment: 109,370
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Racine, WI ($286,030)
--- Jacksonville, NC ($282,580)
--- Gadsden, AL ($281,430)


