{"schema_version": 1, "id": "el-paso-tx-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10", "product": "Metro Job Market Pulse", "metro": {"geography_id": 138, "label": "El Paso, TX MSA", "slug": "el-paso-tx-msa"}, "focus_area": {"key": "general_conditions", "slug": "metro-job-market", "label": "General Market Conditions"}, "period": "2026-10", "public_after": "2026-10-01", "frozen_at": "2026-11-03T07:33:04.093154+00:00", "headline": "El Paso's jobless rate falls, but job growth lags the state.", "headline_summary": "El Paso unemployment dropped to 4.3% from 4.6% in a month, yet annual job growth of 0.8% trails Texas's 1.1% pace and wages remain roughly 38% below the national average.", "key_indicators": [{"label": "El Paso unemployment rate", "value": "4.3%", "context": "Down from 4.6% in August; 4.8% a year ago"}, {"label": "El Paso annual job growth", "value": "0.8%", "context": "Vs. 1.1% statewide, behind Austin/San Antonio's 5.9%"}, {"label": "Metro avg. weekly wage", "value": "$1,031", "context": "Vs. $1,654 national average (Q1 2026)"}, {"label": "Texas labor force growth", "value": "3,600 net new participants", "context": "Over 12 months, signaling a near-stall statewide"}], "takeaways": [{"headline": "El Paso's jobless rate improvement outpaces its job growth story.", "body": "Unemployment fell from 4.6% to 4.3% between August and September, but annual job growth of just 0.8% trails the state's 1.1% rate and sits well behind Austin, San Antonio and Dallas. The gap suggests the rate drop may reflect labor force dynamics as much as hiring strength, a distinction worth tracking before treating it as a momentum signal."}, {"headline": "Wage divergence points to a bifurcated local economy.", "body": "Registered Nurses, Software Engineers, Financial Analysts and HVAC Technicians show significant advertised pay gains locally, while Manufacturing Production Workers, Accountants and Warehouse Managers see pay softening. A metro moving in two directions at once complicates any single read on overall business climate."}, {"headline": "Wage gap with the nation remains the defining structural fact.", "body": "El Paso's $1,031 average weekly wage sits roughly 38% below the $1,654 national average, a gap that predates this month's data and shapes the metro's competitive position for capital investment. Commerce leaders positioning El Paso to outside investors should treat this gap as a cost advantage to frame."}, {"headline": "September's sector shifts favor trade and health over professional services.", "body": "Prior-period data shows professional services and government losses (-1,050 and -680 respectively) offset partly by trade/transportation and education/health gains. That composition shift, moving toward logistics and care services and away from office-based work, tracks the metro's historic strengths in distribution and cross-border commerce."}], "local_conditions": "El Paso's unemployment rate improved to 4.3% in September from 4.6% in August, even as the metro's 0.8% annual job growth trails the state's 1.1% pace and lags faster-growing Texas metros like Austin and San Antonio. Wage divergence across the metro basket is pronounced \u2014 Registered Nurses, Software Engineers and HVAC Technicians posting significant local gains while Manufacturing Production Workers, Accountants and Warehouse Managers see advertised pay softening, a pattern consistent with uneven sector-level demand across industries.", "implications": "Uneven sector performance \u2014 professional services and government contraction alongside trade/transportation and education/health gains \u2014 signals a metro economy in transition, a distinction that matters for commerce leaders weighing timing on local investment or expansion. Average weekly wages in El Paso remain well below the national figure ($1,031 vs. $1,654), a persistent gap that shapes consumer spending capacity and should inform how local development corporations frame the metro's cost structure to prospective employers. Current conditions suggest monitoring which sectors are absorbing the metro's modest labor force growth before drawing conclusions about broader economic acceleration.", "looking_ahead": [{"category": "Worth watching", "body": "El Paso's unemployment rate has moved from 4.8% a year ago to 4.3% now, a larger improvement than the state or national trend. Confirm in the next release whether this reflects employment gains or a shrinking local labor force, since the two have very different implications for business expansion plans."}, {"category": "Emerging pressure point", "body": "Texas labor force growth has nearly stalled statewide (net 3,600 new participants over 12 months), a demographic headwind likely to show up in border metros like El Paso first given reduced immigrant labor flows. Watch whether El Paso's labor force participation holds steady or begins contracting in upcoming TWC releases."}, {"category": "Potential inflection point", "body": "Manufacturing and construction are flagged as the metro's likely growth sectors for the remainder of 2026, aligning with statewide manufacturing strength tied to energy and AI-related infrastructure build-out. A confirmed uptick in El Paso manufacturing job ads, a signal of hiring demand (one ad often covers several openings), would be an early signal worth flagging to local economic development stakeholders."}, {"category": "Early indicator", "body": "Statewide WARN filings are down 35% year-over-year, a reassuring signal for layoff exposure, but Texas's largest 2026 layoffs (Tyson Foods, Republic National Distributing) occurred outside El Paso. Monitor whether any new filings touch the metro's manufacturing or distribution base given its concentration in those sectors."}], "roles": [{"role": "Retail Sales Associate", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 22880.0, "metro_p50": 27040.0, "metro_p75": 32200.5, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 33340.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Retail Cashier", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 21215.0, "metro_p50": 24960.0, "metro_p75": 27003.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 31268.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Warehouse/Fulfillment Associate", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 25398.5, "metro_p50": 29617.0, "metro_p75": 32557.5, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 38480.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "CDL Truck Driver", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 51103.0, "metro_p50": 78000.0, "metro_p75": 88400.0, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 78872.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Delivery Driver", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 25886.0, "metro_p50": 28080.0, "metro_p75": 30754.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 34826.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Construction Laborer", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 28263.0, "metro_p50": 33830.0, "metro_p75": 34725.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 40726.6, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Electrician", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 54772.0, "metro_p50": 66990.8, "metro_p75": 74087.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 71835.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Manufacturing Production Worker/Assembler", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 26000.0, "metro_p50": 27690.0, "metro_p75": 32174.0, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 39520.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Customer Service Representative", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 29640.0, "metro_p50": 34360.8, "metro_p75": 36858.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 39520.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Food Service Worker", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 24993.0, "metro_p50": 31200.0, "metro_p75": 41080.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 33764.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Certified Nursing Assistant / Home Health Aide", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 29801.0, "metro_p50": 33280.0, "metro_p75": 36096.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 41600.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Administrative Assistant/Office Clerk", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 27897.0, "metro_p50": 33628.6, "metro_p75": 36693.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 44552.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "HVAC Technician", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 52125.5, "metro_p50": 59557.0, "metro_p75": 65381.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 71406.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Registered Nurse", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 81298.0, "metro_p50": 103241.0, "metro_p75": 111839.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 102252.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"role": "Software Engineer", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 92334.75, "metro_p50": 132376.0, "metro_p75": 149476.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 154403.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Data Engineer", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 96970.75, "metro_p50": 120652.0, "metro_p75": 132987.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 138000.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Accountant", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 47703.0, "metro_p50": 55983.0, "metro_p75": 63167.0, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 72000.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Financial Analyst", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 64283.0, "metro_p50": 84286.4, "metro_p75": 86710.75, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 94646.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "HR Generalist/Manager", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 43638.75, "metro_p50": 61782.0, "metro_p75": 80002.25, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 74477.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"role": "Marketing Specialist", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 39374.0, "metro_p50": 49700.2, "metro_p75": 53966.25, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 62916.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Operations Manager", "data_scope": "state_rollup", "metro_p25": 70000.0, "metro_p50": 82583.0, "metro_p75": 98295.0, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 86294.2, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Elementary/Secondary School Teacher", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 30184.25, "metro_p50": 58405.0, "metro_p75": 61100.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 55908.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Account Manager", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 62500.0, "metro_p50": 87450.0, "metro_p75": 90000.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 94009.4, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Warehouse Manager", "data_scope": "state_rollup", "metro_p25": 48368.0, "metro_p50": 70872.6, "metro_p75": 85260.0, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 75000.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Business Analyst", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 73149.0, "metro_p50": 87985.8, "metro_p75": 96406.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 98302.2, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}], "industry_snapshot": [{"sector": "Construction", "median_pay": 70869.0, "pay_trend_direction": "down", "pay_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "postings_trend_direction": "down", "postings_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"sector": "Manufacturing", "median_pay": 80352.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "significant", "postings_trend_direction": "down", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Retail Trade", "median_pay": 32132.0, "pay_trend_direction": "stable", "pay_trend_magnitude": "stable", "postings_trend_direction": "down", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Transportation, Warehousing & Utilities", "median_pay": 48991.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "postings_trend_direction": "stable", "postings_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"sector": "Information", "median_pay": 64897.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "significant", "postings_trend_direction": "stable", "postings_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"sector": "Financial Activities", "median_pay": 50000.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "postings_trend_direction": "down", "postings_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"sector": "Professional & Business Services", "median_pay": 46754.0, "pay_trend_direction": "stable", "pay_trend_magnitude": "stable", "postings_trend_direction": "down", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Education & Health Services", "median_pay": 77597.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "significant", "postings_trend_direction": "down", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Leisure & Hospitality", "median_pay": 27040.0, "pay_trend_direction": "stable", "pay_trend_magnitude": "stable", "postings_trend_direction": "down", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Government", "median_pay": 64823.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "significant", "postings_trend_direction": "down", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}], "citations": [{"source_name": "Texas Workforce Commission", "source_url": null, "statement": "El Paso unemployment rate improved to 4.3% in September from 4.6% in August"}, {"source_name": "Dallas Federal Reserve", "source_url": null, "statement": "El Paso annual job growth of 0.8% vs. Texas 1.1% and Austin/San Antonio 5.9%"}, {"source_name": "Bureau of Labor Statistics", "source_url": null, "statement": "El Paso Q1 2026 average weekly wage of $1,031 vs. national $1,654"}, {"source_name": "Texas Workforce Commission", "source_url": null, "statement": "Texas labor force added only 3,600 net new participants over 12 months"}, {"source_name": "Texas Workforce Commission", "source_url": null, "statement": "Texas WARN notices down 35% year-over-year through October"}, {"source_name": "Texas Workforce Commission", "source_url": null, "statement": "September sector shifts: professional services and government losses offset by trade and health gains"}], "methodology": "Advertised pay from active employer job postings, not survey data. WageScape's median is calibrated to correct for spurious low-value postings: distribution analysis shows roughly the lowest 10% of raw values are erroneous entries, so the reported median is the 60th percentile of raw advertised pay.", "edition_label": "November 2026", "files": {"html": "el-paso-tx-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10.html", "pdf": "el-paso-tx-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10.pdf", "sources_html": "el-paso-tx-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10.sources.html"}, "published_at": "2026-11-03T08:21:24.244859+00:00", "report_html_url": "https://reports.wagescape.com/archive/v1/editions/el-paso-tx-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10.html", "report_pdf_url": "https://reports.wagescape.com/archive/v1/editions/el-paso-tx-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10.pdf"}