Federal Jobs in Texas: Top Opportunities and How to Apply in 2026

Texas has thousands of federal job openings in 2026. Here's where the opportunities are, which agencies are hiring, and how to apply for federal jobs in Texas.

Texas is one of the largest states for federal employment outside of the Washington DC area. With major military installations, border security operations, energy regulation, and a massive VA healthcare system, federal jobs in Texas span virtually every career field.

Why Texas Has So Many Federal Jobs

Texas shares nearly 1,300 miles of border with Mexico — making it home to one of the largest concentrations of Customs and Border Protection and Border Patrol personnel in the country. Major military installations including Fort Cavazos, Joint Base San Antonio, and Naval Air Station Corpus Christi employ tens of thousands of civilians. Energy regulation through agencies like FERC and DOE has a significant Texas presence.

Top Federal Employers in Texas

Department of Homeland Security: Border Patrol agents, CBP officers, ICE agents, and support staff across the entire southern border

Department of Defense: Civilian workforce at Fort Cavazos, Joint Base San Antonio, Dyess Air Force Base, and others

Department of Veterans Affairs: Major VA medical centers in Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, and throughout the state

Internal Revenue Service: Large processing and service center operations in Austin and Dallas

Social Security Administration: Field offices and processing centers statewide

NASA Johnson Space Center (Houston): Engineers, scientists, program managers, and administrative staff

Highest Demand Federal Roles in Texas

• Border Patrol Agent and CBP Officer
• IT Specialist
• Nurse and Healthcare Professional (VA)
• Contract Specialist
• Criminal Investigator
• Administrative and Program Analyst

Locality Pay in Texas

Texas falls under several locality pay areas. Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, and San Antonio each have their own locality pay rates — generally in the 28-33% range above base GS pay. Rest of Texas positions use the standard Rest of US locality rate of approximately 16%.

Find federal jobs in Texas at FedJobs.co.

--- *All posts written for FedJobs.co — the smarter way to find and apply for federal government jobs.*