What pays what here
These are metro-wide figures for all experience levels, not offers (BLS OEWS, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, May 2025). The 10th percentile is nearer to a first-job rate.
Scroll horizontally to view every column.
| Occupation | Jobs in metro | 10th percentile | Median here | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hand laborers and material movers | 81,940 | $14.62 | $18.52 | $19.35 |
| Stockers and order fillers | 111,100 | $14.53 | $18.07 | $17.95 |
| Forklift and industrial truck operators | 34,650 | $17.56 | $22.71 | $22.32 |
| Light truck drivers | 25,890 | $14.17 | $21.18 | $21.57 |
| Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers | 55,670 | $20.58 | $28.62 | $28.19 |
| Retail salespersons | 100,340 | $11.57 | $16.06 | $17.03 |
| Cashiers | 65,070 | $11.03 | $14.38 | $15.81 |
| Customer service representatives | 96,930 | $15.08 | $21.63 | $21.53 |
| Home health and personal care aides | 58,580 | $10.76 | $12.93 | $17.21 |
| Nursing assistants | 23,420 | $17.24 | $18.53 | $20.32 |
| Medical assistants | 20,560 | $17.10 | $20.72 | $21.97 |
| Construction laborers | 29,670 | $17.06 | $21.14 | $22.66 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers | 19,750 | $14.58 | $18.12 | $18.82 |
| Helpers, electricians | 2,200 | $17.32 | $21.39 | $20.51 |
| Electricians | 20,930 | $18.63 | $28.37 | $30.38 |
| HVAC mechanics and installers | 10,910 | $19.37 | $28.63 | $29.33 |
Dallas pays close to the U.S. median in warehouse and truck work, but home health aides earn $12.93 here against $17.21 nationally. If you can lift and have no experience, stockers ($18.07) beat cashiers ($14.38) by $3.69 an hour.
Worked example. 40 hours at the $18.52 laborer median is $740.80 a week. Take-home is about $637.16 after Social Security, Medicare and federal withholding for a single filer (IRS Publication 15-T, 2026). Texas takes no income tax from wages (Texas Comptroller, December 2025). Other cities: pay benchmarks.
Local pay rules
- Minimum wage: $7.25, with no change on January 1, 2027. Texas has no dollar rate of its own and adopts the federal one (U.S. DOL, updated July 1, 2026; minimum wage by state). JobPin found no Dallas city rate.
- Tipped jobs: $2.13 cash wage, and tips must bring you to $7.25 (U.S. DOL tipped table, read October 31, 2026).
- Payday: at least twice a month if you are overtime-eligible (U.S. DOL table, revised January 1, 2023; pay frequency laws).
Local rights: what Dallas workers do not have
Texas gives you few rights beyond federal law, and Dallas cannot add them.
- Paid sick leave: none required. The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) says "No current Texas or federal law requires private-sector employers to provide paid or unpaid leave of any kind" (Texas Guidebook for Employers, read October 31, 2026). Dallas passed a sick leave ordinance, but on March 31, 2021 a federal court held it preempted and permanently unenforceable (City of Dallas, read October 31, 2026).
- One real protection: if your employer promises sick or vacation pay in writing, it must follow that policy, and TWC enforces it (TWC Payday Law, read October 31, 2026). Ask for the policy before you accept.
- Fair workweek, local breaks, local hiring rules: a 2023 state law, HB 2127, bars Texas cities from rules on leave, hiring, breaks, benefits or scheduling that go past state or federal law. A trial court struck it down, an appeals court reversed, and a petition reached the Texas Supreme Court on June 29, 2026 (Third Court of Appeals docket, read October 31, 2026).
- Breaks: neither U.S. DOL table lists a Texas adult rule, and short breaks your employer gives must still be paid (break laws).
- Criminal record questions: Texas has no statewide private-employer ban (ban the box laws).
Where complaints go. For unpaid wages, file with TWC, 800-832-9243, within 180 days of the missed payday. For minimum wage or overtime, call U.S. DOL at 1-866-487-9243. Next steps: unpaid wages guide.
Free local help
Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas runs nine centers for Dallas County, including these, open Monday to Friday, 8 to 5. Call (214) 624-7444 (board site, read October 31, 2026).
Scroll horizontally to view every column.
| Center | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Opportunity | 1610 S. Malcolm X Blvd., Dallas 75226 | (469) 802-1800 |
| Pleasant Grove | 1125 S. Buckner Blvd., Dallas 75217 | (469) 687-3400 |
| Greenville Avenue | 6500 Greenville Ave., Suite 250, Dallas 75206 | (214) 378-2600 |
The board says it offers free computers and phones, plus "training programs and financial aid packages for eligible job seekers" at approved schools. It publishes no dollar cap, so ask. The catch: money goes to people who qualify, and approval takes steps. Do not pay a school deposit first. What to say at the desk, and who qualifies: free job help.
Live in Fort Worth, Collin or Denton County? Another board serves you. Use the CareerOneStop finder.
Getting there on DART
DART's Local Monthly Pass costs $126 (DART cost calculator, read October 31, 2026). A 3-Hour Pass is $3, and a Day Pass is $6 (DART, February 12, 2025). The Regional 31-Day Pass, which adds Trinity Metro in Fort Worth, is $192 (DART, February 23, 2026).
Two 3-Hour Passes for 22 workdays cost $132, so the $126 pass saves $6. It equals 6.8 hours of pay at $18.52.
Low income? The Discount GoPass Tap card takes 50% off. You qualify automatically with SNAP, Texas Medicaid, CHIP, TANF, WIC, CEAP, a housing voucher, DHA or Parkland Financial Assistance. The card is free, and you load at least $6. Apply on DART's Discount GoPass page or at 972-482-4052 (DART, read October 31, 2026). At half fare, the same 22 days cost $66. The catch: it can take 15 business days to arrive, so budget for full fare until then.
To the Opportunity center: take DART Bus Route 1 Malcolm X-Maple. Check your stop in DART's planner.
Who employs people here
September figures are preliminary (BLS Economy at a Glance, extracted October 30, 2026). The metro's unemployment rate was 4.1%.
Scroll horizontally to view every column.
| Sector | Jobs, September 2026 | Change over 12 months |
|---|---|---|
| Total nonfarm | 4,352,100 | +1.0% |
| Trade, transportation and utilities | 894,400 | +1.1% |
| Professional and business services | 810,200 | +3.7% |
| Education and health services | 526,800 | +0.0% |
| Government | 483,500 | -0.5% |
| Leisure and hospitality | 433,700 | +1.2% |
| Financial activities | 391,200 | -0.3% |
| Manufacturing | 313,200 | +0.0% |
| Mining, logging and construction | 274,600 | +2.8% |
Trade, transportation and utilities, which includes warehouses and stores, is the largest group. DFW Airport reports more than 50,600 direct jobs at the airport (DFW Airport, December 3, 2025). That count covers many employers, so apply to each one.
Job fairs and hiring events
- Hiring Red, White, & You! Wednesday, November 4, 10 AM to 2 PM, Gilley's Dallas. Veteran-focused but open to all job seekers. Register first (Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas, read October 31, 2026).
- Dallas Career Fair: Thursday, December 3, 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM, 11611 Luna Road, Farmers Branch (Diversity Career Group).
All dates: job fairs in Dallas. Preparing: how to get hired at a job fair. Holiday work: seasonal jobs in Dallas.
A plan for this week
- Monday, November 2: create an account at workintexas.com, required for board sessions. Attend Launch Your Career, 1 PM at the Grand Prairie center, 801 State Highway 161.
- Tuesday: ride Route 1 to 1610 S. Malcolm X Blvd. Ask, "Do I qualify for WIOA training money?" If you get SNAP, apply for the Discount GoPass card the same day.
- Wednesday: go to the November 4 fair with printed resumes.
- Thursday: apply to five jobs in the table above, starting with the highest 10th percentile you can do.
- Friday: ask each employer in writing about payday, sick pay and breaks. Texas law will not fill those gaps for you.
Current openings
Next steps on JobPin: warehouse jobs in Dallas, retail, delivery, driver, customer service and remote.
Source-linked openings
Current source-linked listings could not be confirmed in this sample. Check the category search and each original posting for availability.
How to verify a listing
Open the source posting behind any Dallas opening, then find the same job on the employer's site. Check the street address against DART's trip planner before you accept early shifts. Never pay to apply. Our method: how JobPin verifies listings.
How JobPin dates and sources listings: How JobPin verifies listings and events. Report a listing.