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Texans work the most hours per week

Texas employees work the most hours per week in the US, but their pay is not necessarily higher.

Published May 28, 2025 at 11:01am by Alexis Simmerman

Average Hourly Earnings and Weekly Hours by State

Texans earn an average of $34.25 per hour, working 36.2 hours a week, resulting in an annual salary of $64,472.20.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Washington D.C. has the highest average hourly earnings at $52.25, while Mississippi has the lowest at $27.88.
Texas has the highest average weekly hours worked at 36.2, while South Dakota has the lowest at 32.4.

Average Hourly Pay in Texas

The total private average hourly earnings in Texas are $34.25 as of April 2025, with average gross weekly earnings of $1,239.85.
Extrapolated over 52 weeks, that weekly earnings figure equates to $64,472.20 per year.

Top 10 States with the Highest Average Hourly Earnings

  1. Washington, D.C.: $52.25
  2. Massachusetts: $42.21
  3. Washington: $41.61
  4. California: $40.69
  5. Colorado: $39.10
  6. Minnesota: $39.04
  7. New York: $38.50
  8. Connecticut: $38.43
  9. Hawaii: $37.84
  10. New Jersey: $37.68

Top 10 States with the Lowest Average Hourly Earnings

  1. Mississippi: $27.88
  2. New Mexico: $29.13
  3. Louisiana: $29.38
  4. Arkansas: $29.69
  5. West Virginia: $29.90
  6. Kentucky: $30.07
  7. Tennessee: $30.68
  8. Iowa: $30.75
  9. Oklahoma: $30.76
  10. Alabama: $31.08

Average Weekly Hours by State

At 36.2 hours per week, the average Texas employee spends the most time at work compared to those in other states.

Top 10 States with the Highest Average Weekly Hours

  1. Texas: 36.2 hours
  2. Louisiana: 36.0 hours
  3. Mississippi: 35.6 hours
  4. Alabama: 35.3 hours
  5. Oklahoma: 35.2 hours
  6. West Virginia: 35.0 hours
  7. North Dakota: 34.9 hours
  8. Kentucky: 34.8 hours
  9. Arkansas: 34.7 hours
  10. Arizona: 34.6 hours

Top 10 States with the Lowest Average Weekly Hours

  • South Dakota: 32.4 hours
  • Delaware and New York: 32.5 hours
  • Hawaii: 32.6 hours
  • Wisconsin: 32.7 hours
  • Minnesota: 32.9 hours
  • Colorado, Maine and New Hampshire: 33.1 hours
  • Montana: 33.2 hours
    — The Columbus Dispatch's Alex Perry contributed to this report.
    Data source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Read more: Texans work the most hours per week. See average hourly pay in Texas, how yours compares