TX · Harlingen · Updated October 15, 2026

Medical Assistant jobs in Harlingen, TX

Pay for medical assistants in the Harlingen area centers on $16.62 per hour, or about $34,570 a year. The lower quarter earns under $14.15 and the upper quarter over $17.67. That ranks 363rd of 380 U.S. metro areas for medical assistant pay, and 282nd of 339 once local prices are factored in. The CMS hospital directory lists 4 hospitals in Harlingen. The free report below lists employers near Harlingen and what they pay.

More open Medical Assistant roles in Harlingen

3 more open roles from employers in Harlingen. Each employer’s range arrives with your free pay report.

PermanentPosted 2 days ago

Clinic Medical Assistant

Central Maine Healthcare Corporation · Harlingen, TX

Pay range with your report
  • FULL_TIME
  • Req 285474
New this week
View role
PermanentPosted 2 days ago

Medical Assistant (MA)

Tenet Healthcare · Harlingen, TX

Pay range with your report
  • Nursing
  • Req 101934626464
New this week
View role

Medical Assistant pay in Harlingen, TX

The metro median is 11% below the Texas statewide median of $18.71 per hour. Nationally the median is $21.25 per hour. BLS counts about 1,170 medical assistants employed in the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area, 7.4 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 1.44).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$12.83$26,69040% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$14.15$29,43033% below U.S. median
Median$16.62$34,57022% below U.S. median
Upper quartile$17.67$36,75017% below U.S. median
Top 10%$20.19$42,0005% below U.S. median

How Harlingen ranks

  • 363rd of 380 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 282nd of 339 after adjusting for local prices
  • 23rd of 24 Texas metro areas

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Medical Assistants (SOC 31-9092), all industries. This is what employers report paying, not an offer for a specific role.

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Named employers near Harlingen, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.

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What your pay buys in Harlingen

  • Overall prices in Brownsville-Harlingen run 14% below the U.S. average (index 86.0, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 42% below the U.S. average (index 57.7).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $16.62 median hour buys what $19.33 buys at the national price level, 9% below the national median.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024. Prices are for the metro area, not for a single neighborhood.

Estimate your Harlingen paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$598
  • Per year: $29,916
  • Per month: $2,493
  • Texas has no state income tax on wages.

Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.

Travel assignment per diem in Harlingen

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$127
Meals and incidentals per day$74
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$1,407
13-week assignment$18,291

Travel medical assistant assignments commonly pay housing and meals stipends. The GSA per diem is the federal benchmark for what those stipends can be tax-free. Whether a stipend is tax-free for you depends on keeping a valid tax home, so confirm with your recruiter and a tax professional. Compare with your offer in the travel pay calculator.

Source: U.S. General Services Administration per diem rates, fiscal year 2026 (average across months).

Open Medical Assistant roles in Texas

Nearest open roles with published pay. Your free report adds roles in Harlingen as they open.

All Medical Assistant jobs in Texas

Hospitals in Harlingen

CMS lists 4 hospitals in Harlingen, 1 of the 2 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of medical assistants.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Harlingen Medical Center
Harlingen, TX
Acute careFor-profit4 of 5Yes
Vhs Harlingen Hospital Company Llc
Harlingen, TX
Acute careFor-profit2 of 5Yes
Palms Behavioral Health
Harlingen, TX
PsychiatricFor-profitNot ratedNo
Rio Grande State Center
Harlingen, TX
PsychiatricGovernment and federalNot ratedNo

Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.

Primary care shortage areas in Cameron County

HRSA lists 7 active primary care shortage designations that include Cameron County (2 geographic, 2 population-group, 3 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 17 on a 0 to 25 scale, where a higher score means a greater shortage.

Shortage areas are where demand for nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other clinicians is greatest. Federal loan repayment programs such as the NHSC and Nurse Corps cover some clinicians who work at eligible shortage-area sites. Eligibility is set by each program and by the site, so ask your recruiter before you plan around it.

Source: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas data warehouse, designated areas only. A designation can cover part of a county.

Medical Assistant pay in nearby cities

CityDistanceMedian payPopulation
Brownsville, TX20 mi$16.62/hr191,967
Edinburg, TX30 mi$15.32/hr108,733
Pharr, TX31 mi$15.32/hr81,142
McAllen, TX34 mi$15.32/hr148,782
Mission, TX39 mi$15.32/hr88,574
Corpus Christi, TX113 mi$17.91/hr317,317

Medical Assistant jobs in Texas · Medical Assistant jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in Texas

Medical assistant program or equivalent experience. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what Texas requires for your role with the Texas licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date.

Texas does not tax wage income at the state level, so take-home pay is higher than the same gross pay in a state that does.

Texas state guide

Other healthcare roles in Harlingen

Harlingen city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do medical assistants make in Harlingen, TX?

Medical Assistants in the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area have a median pay of $16.62 per hour, about $34,570 a year. The middle half earn between $14.15 and $17.67 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

Is Harlingen a good place for medical assistants once cost of living is counted?

Brownsville-Harlingen ranks 282nd of 339 metro areas for medical assistant pay after adjusting for local prices, and 363rd of 380 before adjusting. Overall prices run 14% below the U.S. average.

Where do medical assistants work in Harlingen?

CMS lists 4 hospitals in Harlingen, led by Harlingen Medical Center. Ask for the free report to see current openings and pay.

Do I need a Texas license to work in Harlingen as a medical assistant?

Medical assistant program or equivalent experience. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what Texas requires for your role with the Texas licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.

Is Harlingen in a shortage area?

HRSA lists 7 active primary care shortage designations that include Cameron County. Shortage areas often have more openings, and some loan repayment programs cover clinicians who work at eligible sites.

What is the per diem for a travel assignment in Harlingen?

The federal per diem benchmark in Harlingen is $127 a night for lodging and $74 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,407 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.

Does Valorem Health place medical assistants in Harlingen?

Yes. We place healthcare staff in Harlingen and across Texas. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Harlingen.

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What do employers near Harlingen pay medical assistants? Get the report.

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    Pay for your role at other hospitals

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    What they are offering now

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The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval: Health Care Staffing Services Certification, since 2022American Staffing Association memberNATHO member: National Association of Travel Healthcare OrganizationsNALTO member: National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations

Pay report · Medical Assistant near Harlingen, TX
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your Medical Assistant pay reportHarlingen, TX · pay published by employers and employer-reported wage offers in federal filings

1Pay for your role at other employers

  • CommonSpirit HealthBRYAN, TX · 8 postings$21.11/ hr$16–$25
  • Semihan Chiropractic Clinic, Inc.Lewisville, TX · 1 wage offer$18.70/ hr$19–$19
  • Celebrity Spine & Joint, LLCHouston, TX · 1 wage offer$17.09/ hr$17–$17
  • Awesome CareRichardson, TX · 1 wage offer$15.82/ hr$16–$16

Median pay per hour, with the range each employer published or reported in federal filings.

2What they are offering now

Low$16Median$21.11High$25

8 Medical Assistant postings with published pay in Texas, 6 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 8 Medical Assistant roles

  1. Certified Medical AssistantPermanent
    $16.06–$22.69/ hour
    CommonSpirit Health · Bryan, TX · posted yesterday
  2. Certified Medical AssistantPermanent
    $17.71–$25.02/ hour
    CommonSpirit Health · The Woodlands, TX · posted 9 days ago

+ 6 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.

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