Texas Jobs Overview
Texas, the second largest state in the U.S. in both geographic area and population, is rich in tradition, culture and history. The Lone Star State began as a Spanish possession before Mexico won her independence from Spain, after which point the territory, referred to as “Tejas” at that time, became the possession of Mexico. In a much celebrated revolution, Texas reached Republic status and remained as such from 1836 to 1846, after which point it was admitted to the Union.
Texas is as diverse as it is large in population and area, and has contributed such icons to the American consciousness as the cowboy, the Alamo, a bevy of famous Country & Western singers and larger-than-life characters Sam Houston, Jim Bowie and many others throughout history. Likewise diverse is the Texas landscape, which ranges from piney woods and oak forests to wide open rolling plains and desert. Though Texas broke from Spain and Mexico in its history, Spanish is still spoken by a large percentage of the population, much of which is of Hispanic descent.
As with any state or municipality as it develops, Texas has seen booms and busts, though perhaps nothing so extreme as the early 1900s oil discoveries that have led to vast fortunes for wildcatters and oil men throughout the region and to a modern-day landscape that is in some places littered with abandoned oil rigs. Now, Texas is mainly involved in the business of “corn, cotton and cows,” though the importance of cotton has diminished over the years within the context of the state’s economy and a thriving technology corridor has developed around the city of Austin, the state capital. Other major cities in the state, such as Houston and Dallas/Ft. Worth, have also contributed to a strong economy through the years, if one still dependent on the old staples to some extent.
Top Texas Employers
Alcon Manufacturing LTD
6201 South Fwy
Fort Worth, TX 76134-2001
Dell, Inc.
1 Dell Way
Round Rock, TX 78682-0001
University of Texas MD Cancer Center
1515 Holcombe Blvd.
Houston, TX 77030-4000
Lockheed Martin Corp
1 Lockheed St.
Forth Worth, TX 76108
Electronic Data Systems Corp
5400 Legacy Dr.
Plano, TX 75024-3199
University of Texas Southwestern Medical
5323 Harry Hines Blvd #E721a
Dallas, TX 75390-7208
Childrens Medical Center of Dallas
1935 Motor St.
Dallas, TX 75235-7794
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Texas Employment & Labor Markets
The economy of Texas has long been dependent on relatively few products or services at any one time, with cotton, cattle, corn and timber being the standard prior to the 1970s, when petroleum and natural gas reserves, and the worldwide shortage of these commodities, led to a boom in the Texas economy. Since World War II, a greater diversity has emerged in Texas, which is rife with both robust corporations hungry for a talented workforce, and a series of colleges and universities that continuously produce a highly-qualified workforce. Among the areas where Texas has thrived over the past several decades are electronics, computers, transport equipment, aerospace and communications.
Combined, these industries, coupled with oil and a myriad of smaller industries boosted the economy of Texas to new heights, with 6% growth each year between 1972 and 1982. After seeing oil and gas extraction drop from 20% of the state economy to 6% between 1980 and 2000 in the wake of a worldwide oil-centered recession, the state diversified further, with growth in general services, food processing, retail trade and financial services greatly outpacing oil, the old Texas standby. The greater diversity of the state economy, coupled with the education facilities in close proximity to major population centers make Texas a haven for employment in the state’s burgeoning industries.
Texas Unemployment Rate: 5.1% (September, 2008)
Mean Commute Time to Work: 25.4 Minutes
Texas Postal Abbreviation: TX
Popular Area Job Listings Sites
Insourced
CareerBuilder
Indeed
Craigslist
TexasJobs.com
Work in Texas
Job-Hunt.org
Texas Colleges & Universities
University of Texas
Texas A&M
Rice University
Baylor University
Texas Christian University
Entertainment & Things to Do in Texas
Texas Tourism
Texas Museums
The Alamo
Texas Rangers
Dallas Cowboys
Houston Astros
Houston Texans
Population & Demographics
Total Population: 23,507,783
Population Under 18 Years: 27.6%
Population Over 65 Years: 9.9%
Percentage Female: 50.2%
Percentage Male: 49.8%
Income
Median Household Income: $41,645
Per Capita Income: $19,617
Percentage Below Poverty: 16.2%
Education
High School Graduate: 75.7%
Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: 23.2%
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