Work and Business Opportunities in Austin, TX

For anyone considering a move to Austin, Texas, the work opportunities should be a big part of your decision. Austin is a major city, and while the cost of living is relatively low compared to other US hubs, it can still be an expensive place to live — so it’s important to have a solid career plan in place before relocating.

Thankfully, Austin is a sensational place to move for work, with a growing economy and several sectors that keep expanding. This is your complete guide to what it’s like to work in Austin and what opportunities you can find.

Job Market and Employment Rates

Overall, Austin has an active, competitive job market that is considered strong. The lack of income tax lets workers bank more of what they earn. But with rising housing costs, many residents feel it’s still expensive to live here, so these aspects tend to even each other out.

The unemployment rate in Austin usually falls between 3.5% and 4%, fluctuating month to month — around or slightly below the national rate. It’s common for the rate to spike a few percentage points at certain times of year, most notably when college students enter the workforce or when there’s a large wave of transplants.

Industry Landscape

Austin has experienced a large tech boom — slowing now, but it substantially altered the city’s work landscape. Big players like Apple, Samsung and Dell either set up campuses in Austin or expanded their workforce here within the past 15 years. Notably, during the pandemic, companies like Tesla and Oracle grew their presence in the city, bringing thousands of jobs and workers.

Aside from tech, other major industries include healthcare, education, advanced manufacturing and government work. The city is home to major hospitals and universities, giving healthcare and education workers plenty of options. And while Austin isn’t the most popular tourist destination in the world, it still draws roughly 30 million visitors each year, supporting a substantial hospitality industry.

Top Employers in Austin

The top employers in the city, from legacy companies to newer brands, drive the Austin economy. Learn more about a few of the biggest below.

H-E-B

H-E-B is a large grocery chain headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. The company generates roughly $50 billion in revenue every year, and there are over two dozen locations in the Austin area alone. It’s the top private employer in the region and easily the most dominant grocery company in Texas, hiring across retail stores, gourmet market locations, its Favor Delivery service and digital operations.

Amazon

Amazon is an obvious powerhouse employer in many major US hubs. Its office and tech hub known as The Domain sits in North Austin on Alterra Parkway, with conveniently located corporate offices. The company also recently announced a new manufacturing facility in Austin, so Amazon work opportunities will grow even more.

Tesla

Located just outside Austin is a massive Tesla manufacturing plant that now also serves as Tesla’s corporate global headquarters, so there are plenty of jobs on the property — from safety operators to production associates to engineering technicians. It’s a very competitive applicant pool, but the sheer number of roles increases your chances of being hired.

Dell

Dell has multiple offices in Austin, including research and development facilities that are consistently hiring. If you work in tech and love to be creative and innovative, Dell can be one of the best places to find work. Its primary headquarters is in Round Rock, just north of Austin, and many workers can do their jobs remotely or in a hybrid model, offering ample flexibility.

Samsung

The Samsung Austin Semiconductor is a huge advanced chip manufacturing facility on Samsung Boulevard, driving home just how large a presence the company has in the city. Samsung is known for good pay and great benefits, making it appealing to everyone from entry-level workers to senior employees with families in Austin.

Apple

Apple has a major corporate campus and regional hub right in Austin along Parmer Lane in the northwest corner of the city — and it built a huge secondary campus just across Parmer Lane, making room for thousands more employees. These centers staff a wide variety of roles across engineering, research and development, operations, finance, sales and customer support.

Ascension Texas

For anyone in healthcare, Ascension’s extensive network of clinics, emergency departments and hospitals can provide steady employment. A number of facilities operate in Austin, and most of the time Ascension has more than 1,000 open roles, including nursing and administrative operations. With new facilities and expansions happening all the time, the opportunities only grow.

St. David’s Healthcare

St. David’s Healthcare is among the largest health systems in Texas, with over 130 care locations and seven major hospitals. It’s always hiring across a range of positions, so it’s generally not hard to find work here if you’re qualified. Healthcare workers can step into specialized roles at places like the Heart Hospital and find work that aligns with their passions.

University of Texas at Austin

The University of Texas at Austin is one of the most significant institutions in the city, heavily influencing Austin’s culture. It’s a popular place for new graduates to find work, and the university is often happy to help recent grads transition into the workforce. As a public university the pay isn’t as high as the private sector, but many people enjoy the stability of being employed here.

Top Professions in Austin

Austin’s job market is diverse, with opportunities across an interesting range of sectors and roles. Below are the top industries in the city and the most popular roles companies are hiring for.

Office and Administrative Support

Roughly 12% of the working Austin population is in some kind of office or administrative role. This work can be steady and safe, and is usually the most likely to offer remote or hybrid flexibility. You’ll find these roles at most of the companies above — at Amazon, a hospital, a university or another setting. A few of the top roles:

• Help Desk Technician
• Data Entry Clerk
• Medical Scribe
• Receptionist

Management and Executives

Austin has a large number of workers in management or executive positions — over 10% of the working population is in some sort of executive, management or high-level decision-making role. These often carry the highest salaries, but they’re not entry-level; they’re roles people work up to. Common titles:

• Chief Executive
• General Manager
• Business Operations Manager

Food Preparation and Serving-Related

About 9% of Austin workers have a food-service job, which can encompass a wide range of roles. These jobs are often the lowest paid in the city, with an average hourly wage around $18. Many are held by students who haven’t set out on a career path yet, and they can offer flexible schedules for school or part-time work. Common roles include:

• Barista
• Hostess
• Line Cook
• Server

Business, Sales and Financial Operations

Business positions, including sales and financial operations, are also fairly common and tend to overlap with other sectors. About 8% of the working population is in this sector, compared with less than 7% nationwide. You’re likely to see high-level, skilled roles in high demand, such as:

• Sales Director
• Account Executive
• Business Operations Analyst

Technology

The tech sector is still a major player in Austin’s economy — about 8% of all employment, especially software roles. One challenge is that entry-level roles are increasingly harder to come by, but highly skilled mid- to senior-tier roles are in high demand, namely:

• Software Developer
• Software Engineer
• Data Center Technician
• Network Development Engineer

Healthcare

Austin employs over 125,000 healthcare workers, with many general and specialized roles in high demand. While some facilities have a competitive applicant pool, there are ample options for anyone seeking healthcare employment. The industry is still growing faster than any other in the area, and about 8% of the workforce is in this sector. Top open roles include:

• Registered Nurse
• Nurse Practitioner
• Physical Therapist
• Radiation Therapist

Salaries and Wages

Like most major cities, Austin salaries and wages cover a wide range. The average hourly wage is around $36, higher than the national average of just over $33.50. Hourly wages generally range from $16.50 — often for food-preparation and serving jobs — to over $70 for management roles.

For a single person, the median income is around $95,000, and for dual-income households it’s over $160,000. Over the past few years, the average wage increase has been about 5% annually. Note that these statistics fluctuate year to year.

Working Formats

Austin’s diverse range of industries and roles means there are different employment formats to consider.

Traditional Employment

While remote and hybrid work has grown substantially in the last decade, most workers still hold jobs where they go into the office (or wherever their place of work is) — over 70% work on-site. That means most people commute, which contributes to rush-hour traffic. If you’ll need to commute, factor it in when deciding where to live or work in Austin.

Remote and Hybrid Work

Just under 30% of workers hold completely remote or hybrid roles, contributing to a distinct culture where many people work in coffee shops, breweries and even public parks. Don’t be surprised to see someone clicking away on a laptop at Mozart’s Coffee Roasters or taking business calls at St. Elmo Brewing. There are also co-working spaces, though many remote workers have a dedicated home office setup.

Entrepreneurship

Austin is an excellent place for entrepreneurs and small business owners, with a strong startup economy and decent venture capital funding, especially for tech companies. The city also provides small businesses with a wealth of resources, some government-funded and others privately run.

For those starting or operating their own small company, these are a few of the top resources in Austin:

• BizAid Business Orientation
• Small and Minority Business Resources (SMBR)
• Austin Kiva Hub
• Place-Based Enhancement Program
• Texas State University SBDC
• SCORE Austin

Planning Your Career in Austin

If you’re planning to relocate to Austin, be sure to factor in your career. Where you work and what your job entails will substantially impact your quality of life.

• Opportunities: Before you move, explore opportunities that interest you. Look at job boards and research roles you’re qualified for. If you have a dream company, keep an eye on their career pages — and consider applying and interviewing before committing to your relocation.
• Neighborhoods: Your ideal neighborhood can be partly determined by your career. Living close to work is convenient, but if you work in the craziness of Downtown Austin, you may want somewhere quieter, like Tarrytown. And if you work remotely, choose an area with coffee shops and other places to work when you need to get out of the house.
• Commutes: If you have your heart set on a neighborhood or are weighing a few, do a commute test. Map — or drive, if you’re there — from the neighborhood to where you think you’ll work, during rush hour, so you know what to expect daily.
• Work-Life Balance: Between the gorgeous natural spaces, lively restaurants and bars and constant live music, it’s easy to have fun in Austin while following your career path. Find places near work to grab a drink afterward, or events nearby to help you unwind after a tough week.

No matter what kind of work you do, Austin can be a wonderful place to live and find success. The city is still evolving and growing, and you can be part of that expansion when you join the robust workforce.