The University provides an ample supply of well educated workers and as the state capital and business epicenter of Texas, Austin continually generates a highly talented workforce. At the same time, the government infrastructure assures a stable job base while the influence of high-tech attracts a high level of professionals to Austin. Professors, students, politicians and lobbyists mix with state employees and high-tech entrepreneurs to populate the prosperous Austin area.

Indeed, one reason for the high median income in Austin is due to the high number of degree-holding residents.A recent study conducted by Bizjournals.com analyzed U.S. Census Bureau data that codified the educational levels of adults in nearly 16,000 cities. The rankings reflected each community's collective brainpower, which is tied to its residents' abilities to make money.

Seattle, San Francisco and Austin rank first, second and third among large communities. More than 40 percent of adults have bachelor's degrees. The study found that a worker with a graduate degree earns 45 percent more, on average, than a colleague with a bachelor's degree, and 167 percent more than someone who never went beyond high school.