StateRates

Brownsville-Harlingen salaries

The median worker in the Brownsville-Harlingen, TX metro area earned $35,050 a year in 2024, about $16.85 an hour. That ranks #385 of the 391 metro areas published here, 29.2% below the national median.

Texas

Median pay $35,050 $16.85 per hour
Vs national -29.2% U.S. $49,500
Workers 157,630 wage and salary
Metro rank #385 of 391 by median pay

What this labour market looks like

Brownsville-Harlingen pays 26.2% less than Texas as a whole. Metros usually run ahead of their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and the gap is a rough measure of how much of a state's economy sits in its cities.

Unusually concentrated here

Occupations against their national share, 2024
Occupation Concentration Employed Median
Child, Family, and School Social Workers 8.33× 3,260 $40,330
Detectives and Criminal Investigators 6.71× 760 $107,240
Healthcare Support Workers, All Other 5.16× 550 $39,160
Home Health and Personal Care Aides 4.96× 20,240 $23,180
Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School 4.24× 1,000 $59,140
Food Preparation Workers 2.9× 2,640 $23,220
Compliance Officers 2.32× 940 $92,750
Social and Human Service Assistants 2.15× 930 $44,030
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education 2.07× 1,310 $60,710
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary 1.97× 640 $84,700
Childcare Workers 1.93× 1,030 $26,430
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria 1.92× 880 $24,580

Best paid occupations

Highest median pay in Brownsville-Harlingen
Occupation Median Hourly Employed
Physicians, All Other $217,220 $104.43 220
Computer and Information Systems Managers $139,680 $67.15 210
Managers, All Other $127,520 $61.31 430
Pharmacists $127,420 $61.26 210
Financial Managers $122,050 $58.68 290
Nurse Practitioners $118,850 $57.14 290
Detectives and Criminal Investigators $107,240 $51.56 760
Sales Managers $105,560 $50.75 390
Software Developers $103,510 $49.76 320
Physical Therapists $98,790 $47.50 260
Medical and Health Services Managers $95,500 $45.91 760
Compliance Officers $92,750 $44.59 940
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary $84,700 n/a 640
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products $81,940 $39.39 220
Speech-Language Pathologists $81,540 $39.20 220
Construction Managers $79,360 $38.15 220
Lawyers $78,450 $37.72 420
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers $76,390 $36.73 220
Registered Nurses $75,810 $36.45 3,030
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors $74,160 $35.65 540
Industrial Engineers $74,060 $35.60 200
General and Operations Managers $72,470 $34.84 3,640
Instructional Coordinators $68,240 $32.81 320
Business Operations Specialists, All Other $67,950 $32.67 510
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors $65,780 $31.62 630
Project Management Specialists $65,760 $31.61 450
Special Education Teachers, Secondary School $63,280 n/a 200
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education $63,130 n/a 210
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education $62,900 n/a 1,620
Accountants and Auditors $62,470 $30.04 640
Social and Community Service Managers $62,110 $29.86 280
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary $61,820 $29.72 260
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $60,710 n/a 1,310
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $60,510 n/a 2,060
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School $59,740 n/a 420
Radiologic Technologists and Technicians $59,500 $28.61 270
First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers $59,210 $28.47 470
Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School $59,140 n/a 1,000
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $58,720 $28.23 430
Postal Service Mail Carriers $57,820 $27.80 260
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers $57,490 $27.64 950
Buyers and Purchasing Agents $57,010 $27.41 200
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers $56,020 $26.93 400
Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters $55,910 $26.88 290
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products $54,410 $26.16 480
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses $54,050 $25.99 1,240
Training and Development Specialists $52,010 $25.00 380
Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers $50,640 $24.35 290
Human Resources Specialists $50,550 $24.30 610
Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents $49,980 $24.03 380
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $48,840 $23.48 1,710
Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists $48,550 $23.34 280
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $48,510 $23.32 270
First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors $47,780 $22.97 480
Public Relations Specialists $47,040 $22.61 220
Firefighters $46,770 $22.48 360
Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel $46,500 $22.35 790
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $46,270 $22.25 1,750
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters $46,260 $22.24 330
Computer User Support Specialists $45,870 $22.05 340

Where most people work

Largest occupations in Brownsville-Harlingen by employment
Occupation Employed Median Hourly
Home Health and Personal Care Aides 20,240 $23,180 $11.14
Customer Service Representatives 5,200 $37,100 $17.84
Fast Food and Counter Workers 4,710 $21,820 $10.49
Retail Salespersons 3,770 $27,770 $13.35
Cashiers 3,670 $23,670 $11.38
General and Operations Managers 3,640 $72,470 $34.84
Child, Family, and School Social Workers 3,260 $40,330 $19.39
Registered Nurses 3,030 $75,810 $36.45
Stockers and Order Fillers 2,830 $34,430 $16.55
Office Clerks, General 2,680 $30,290 $14.56
Food Preparation Workers 2,640 $23,220 $11.16
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 2,380 $28,740 $13.82
Waiters and Waitresses 2,360 $22,580 $10.86
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary 2,270 $30,200 n/a
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education 2,060 $60,510 n/a
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 1,820 $29,950 $14.40
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 1,790 $36,700 $17.65
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 1,750 $46,270 $22.25
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers 1,710 $48,840 $23.48
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General 1,710 $33,430 $16.07

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 state estimates. Wage and salary workers only, excluding the self-employed.

Other Texas metro areas

Brownsville-Harlingen pay: common questions

What is the average salary in Brownsville-Harlingen?

The median across all occupations is $35,050, or $16.85 an hour, covering 157,630 wage and salary workers. The mean is $44,770, higher because a small number of very large salaries pull an average upward.

Does Brownsville-Harlingen pay more than the rest of Texas?

No. The metro median of $35,050 is 26.2% below the Texas median of $47,500. Metropolitan areas usually pay more than their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and usually cost more to live in for the same reason.

Which jobs pay best in Brownsville-Harlingen?

Physicians, All Other ($217,220), Computer and Information Systems Managers ($139,680), Managers, All Other ($127,520). Medical specialities top nearly every metro list, which reflects how the occupations are classified more than local conditions.

What is Brownsville-Harlingen unusually full of?

Child, Family, and School Social Workers, at 8.33× the national concentration. Location quotient is a better description of a local economy than its biggest employers, which are retail and food service almost everywhere.