TX · Harlingen · Updated October 15, 2026

Registered Nurse jobs in Harlingen, TX

Registered Nurses in the Harlingen area earn a median of $36.45 per hour, about $75,810 a year, and the middle half of them earn between $30.83 and $43.65. That ranks 339th of 379 U.S. metro areas for registered nurse pay, and 190th of 335 once local prices are factored in. The CMS hospital directory lists 4 hospitals in Harlingen. Your free pay report adds named employers and the roles open near Harlingen.

More open Registered Nurse roles in Harlingen

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

PermanentPosted today

Trauma Coordinator (RN)

Central Maine Healthcare Corporation · Harlingen, TX

Pay range with your report
  • FULL_TIME
  • Req 286040
New this week
View role
PermanentPosted 2 days ago

Registered Nurse

Central Maine Healthcare Corporation · Harlingen, TX

Pay range with your report
  • FULL_TIME
  • Req 285504
New this week
View role
PermanentPosted 6 days ago

Registered Nurse - Wound Care

Central Maine Healthcare Corporation · Harlingen, TX

Pay range with your report
  • FULL_TIME
  • Req 279936
New this week
View role

Registered Nurse pay in Harlingen, TX

The metro median is 16% below the Texas statewide median of $43.27 per hour. Nationally the median is $45.00 per hour. BLS counts about 3,030 registered nurses employed in the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area, 19.3 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.90).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$25.02$52,04044% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$30.83$64,13031% below U.S. median
Median$36.45$75,81019% below U.S. median
Upper quartile$43.65$90,7903% below U.S. median
Top 10%$47.04$97,8405% above U.S. median

How Harlingen ranks

  • 339th of 379 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 190th of 335 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, Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141), 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 $36.45 median hour buys what $42.40 buys at the national price level, 6% 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$1,312
  • Per year: $65,610
  • Per month: $5,468
  • 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 registered nurse 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 Registered Nurse roles in Texas

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

PermanentPosted today

Nurse (Clinical/Ambulatory)

Military Treatment Facilities under DHA · Fort Sam Houston, TX

$107k–$139k/ year
  • Full-time
  • Req 888848700
Top 25% payNew this week
View role
PermanentPosted today

Transplant Coordinator RN

CommonSpirit Health · Houston, TX

$43.10–$64.11/ hour
  • Full Time
  • Req 101997581424
Top 25% payNew this week
View role

All Registered Nurse 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 registered nurses.

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.

Registered Nurse pay in nearby cities

CityDistanceMedian payPopulation
Brownsville, TX20 mi$36.45/hr191,967
Edinburg, TX30 mi$37.13/hr108,733
Pharr, TX31 mi$37.13/hr81,142
McAllen, TX34 mi$37.13/hr148,782
Mission, TX39 mi$37.13/hr88,574
Corpus Christi, TX113 mi$38.87/hr317,317

Registered Nurse jobs in Texas · Registered Nurse jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in Texas

Texas is in the Nurse Licensure Compact, so an RN or LPN/LVN with a multistate license from another compact state can work here without a new license. Nurses whose home state is not in the compact apply for a Texas license by endorsement.

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 · Nurse Licensure Compact guide

Other healthcare roles in Harlingen

Harlingen city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do registered nurses make in Harlingen, TX?

Registered Nurses in the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area have a median pay of $36.45 per hour, about $75,810 a year. The middle half earn between $30.83 and $43.65 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

Is Harlingen a good place for registered nurses once cost of living is counted?

Brownsville-Harlingen ranks 190th of 335 metro areas for registered nurse pay after adjusting for local prices, and 339th of 379 before adjusting. Overall prices run 14% below the U.S. average.

Where do registered nurses 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 registered nurse?

Texas is in the Nurse Licensure Compact, so an RN or LPN/LVN with a multistate license from another compact state can work here without a new license. Nurses whose home state is not in the compact apply for a Texas license by endorsement. 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 registered nurses 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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    Pay for your role at other hospitals

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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 · RN near Harlingen, TX
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your RN pay reportHarlingen, TX · pay published by hospitals, collected October 15, 2026

1Pay for your role at other hospitals

  • Veterans Health AdministrationSan Antonio, TX · 5 postings$62.40/ hr$36–$87
  • Military Treatment Facilities under DHAFort Hood, TX · 3 postings$55.88/ hr$47–$67
  • BrightSpring Health ServicesIRVING, TX · 4 postings$50.00/ hr$44–$55
  • Select MedicalDallas, TX · 3 postings$46.19/ hr$32–$53

Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published.

2What they are offering now

Low$35Median$45.41High$55

124 RN postings with published pay in Texas, 105 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 124 RN roles

  1. Registered Nurse (Critical Care) - Education Debt Reduction Program AuthorizedPermanent
    $86k–$174k/ year
    Veterans Health Administration · San Antonio, TX · posted today
  2. Nurse (Clinical/Ambulatory)Permanent
    $107k–$139k/ year
    Military Treatment Facilities under DHA · Fort Sam Houston, TX · posted today

+ 122 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.

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