Harlingen Hourly Wage & Salary 2026
Harlingen, TX: $17.54/hr median hourly wage, $36,490 median annual salary, cost of living index 98.5, and $7.25/hr minimum wage. Calculate take-home pay with federal and Texas taxes.
Harlingen Hourly Wage Quick Answer
The median hourly wage in Harlingen, TX is $17.54/hr,and the median annual wage is $36,490. Entry-level pay estimates around $10.87/hr, senior-level pay estimates around $24.91/hr, and the local minimum wage is $7.25/hr.
Median figures: BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Brownsville-Harlingen, TX metropolitan statistical area (157,450 jobs). BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city, so Harlingen shares this figure with the rest of its metro. Entry and senior levels are Salario estimates.
Median Salary
$36,490
$17.54/hr
Cost of Living
98.5
US avg = 100
Minimum Wage
$7.25
per hour
Unemployment
3.7%
rate
Harlingen, TX Overview
Population
65,665
Median Salary
$36,490
Average Salary
$47,110
Avg Commute
20 min
Median Home Price
$296,000
Median Rent
$1,217/mo
Job Growth
+0.8%
Sales Tax
6.25%
Harlingen is located in Texas with a population of 65,665. The median annual wage across all occupations is $36,490 ($17.54/hour, BLS OEWS May 2025, Brownsville-Harlingen, TX metro), which is $14,490 below the national median of $50,980. The national median is the BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations median annual wage. The average commute time is 20 minutes, and the city has a job growth rate of +0.8%.
Harlingen Salary by Experience Level (2026)
Wage distribution in Harlingen, TX built around the $36,490 median salary (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Brownsville-Harlingen, TX metro). Entry-level represents 10th–25th percentile; mid-level is the median; senior-level represents 75th–90th percentile. The non-median rows are Salario estimates.
| Experience Level | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage | Years Exp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level | $22,624 | $10.87/hr | 0–2 years |
| Mid-Level (Median) | $36,490 | $17.54/hr | 3–7 years |
| Senior-Level | $51,816 | $24.91/hr | 8–15 years |
| Top 10% (90th Percentile) | $64,952 | $31.22/hr | 15+ years / leadership |
Percentile multipliers (62%, 100%, 142%, 178%) are Salario approximations of the typical all-occupations wage spread in BLS OEWS metro tables; only the median row is a published BLS value. Specific roles vary; see jobs by city for role-specific data.
Harlingen Paycheck Calculator
Enter your annual salary to see your estimated take-home pay in Harlingen, TX, after federal, state, and local taxes.
Estimated Annual Take-Home Pay
$31,500
$2,624.98/month · $1,211.53/biweekly · Effective Rate: 13.7%
Biweekly paycheck estimate: this salary equals about $1,211.53 take-home per paycheck after estimated Texas and federal taxes. For the 26-paycheck formula, three-paycheck months, and withholding examples, see the Biweekly Paycheck Calculator.
Gross Pay
$36,490
Federal Tax
-$2,199
State Tax
$0
Local Tax
$0
FICA
-$2,791
Net Pay
$31,500
Pay Breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $3,040.83 | $36,490.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$183.23 | -$2,198.80 |
| Texas State Tax (0.00% eff.) | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$188.53 | -$2,262.38 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$44.09 | -$529.11 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $2,624.98 | $31,499.72 |
Salary Comparison: Harlingen vs Other Cities
See how Harlingen's median salary and cost of living compare to the national average and similar cities.
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adj. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harlingen, TX | $36,490 | 98.5 | $37,046 |
| National Average | $50,980 | 100 | $50,980 |
| Brownsville, TX | $36,490 | 78 | $46,782 |
| Hot Springs, AR | $36,540 | 82.8 | $44,130 |
| Gadsden, AL | $36,660 | 80.4 | $45,597 |
| Sunrise Manor, NV | $35,939 | 95.8 | $37,515 |
Adjusted salary reflects purchasing power when cost of living is factored in. A higher adjusted salary means your money goes further.
Cost of Living in Harlingen
Harlingen's cost of living index is 98.5 (national average = 100). Living in Harlingen is 1.5% less expensive than the national average.
Median Home Price
$296,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,217
Annual Rent Cost
$14,604
Your Salary's Purchasing Power
Your $31,500 annual take-home pay in Harlingen has the purchasing power of approximately $31,979 in an average-cost US area. Your $36,490 salary stretches further here than in most US cities.
Top Industries in Harlingen
Harlingen's economy is driven by these key industries. Workers in top industries often earn significantly above the median salary of $36,490.
Salary Tips for Harlingen Workers
- No state income tax advantage. Texas has no state income tax, which means more of your paycheck stays in your pocket. Invest the savings in a Roth IRA or 401(k) for long-term growth.
- Research top industries. Harlingen's top industries include Energy, Technology, Healthcare. Targeting roles in these sectors can help you earn above the $36,490 median salary.
- Review your W-4 withholding. If you regularly receive large tax refunds, adjust your W-4 to increase your per-paycheck take-home pay instead of giving the government an interest-free loan.
Methodology & Local Economy Data Sources
How we calculate Harlingen salary data: The median annual wage, median hourly wage and mean wage are the official BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations values for the Brownsville-Harlingen, TX metropolitan statistical area, retrieved from the BLS Public Data API on September 17, 2026. BLS does not publish city-level wages, so every city inside that metro shows the same figure. The entry/senior/top-10% rows, the paycheck estimate and the purchasing-power conversion are Salario calculations built on that median. Cost-of-living adjustments use the C2ER Cost of Living Index baseline of 100 (national average), with Harlingen indexed at 98.5.
- Median salary: $36,490 annual, $17.54 hourly, BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Brownsville-Harlingen, TX MSA (157,450 jobs surveyed). Mean wage $47,110 (BLS). Salario's previous modeled median for Harlingen was $53,163.
- Tax burden reflects Texas 2026 state income tax brackets and standard deduction (top rate 0%) (no local income tax), sales tax (6.25%), and federal taxes per IRS 2026 brackets.
- Unemployment rate for Harlingen: 3.7%, sourced from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
- Top industries: Energy, Technology, Healthcare, based on QCEW employment concentration data.
- Job growth: 0.8% projected through 2034, derived from BLS Employment Projections program for Texas.
- Housing context: median home price $296,000, median rent $1,217/mo, sourced from Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Authoritative US data sources for Harlingen, TX:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), metropolitan area salary data
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Harlingen unemployment rate
- U.S. Census Bureau, Harlingen QuickFacts, population, housing, demographics
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), county-level industry employment
- BLS Economy at a Glance, Texas, state economic indicators
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), local GDP and personal income data
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), regional inflation tracking
Disclaimer: Salary and cost data are estimates for general guidance. Individual compensation varies by employer, experience, education, negotiation, and skills. Harlingen's rapidly changing economy can shift these baselines, always verify with current job listings, employer offers, and recent Texas labor market reports for the most current figures.
Reviewed by Harlan Voss · Last updated September 17, 2026 · Wage figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 release (published May 2026) · Census data current as of latest releases
Explore Salaries Across the US
Compare salary data and cost of living for hundreds of US cities. Find out where your paycheck goes the furthest.
Related Salary Tools
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hourly wage in Harlingen, TX?
The median hourly wage in Harlingen, TX is $17.54 per hour, the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for all occupations in the Brownsville-Harlingen, TX metropolitan area, and the BLS median annual wage is $36,490. Entry-level workers are estimated around $10.87/hr, while senior-level workers are estimated around $24.91/hr before overtime, bonuses, or benefits (Salario estimates, not BLS percentiles).
What is the median salary in Harlingen, TX?
The median salary in Harlingen, TX is $36,490 per year, or $17.54 per hour (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Brownsville-Harlingen, TX metro area). The BLS mean salary is $47,110. This is $14,490 below the BLS national median of $50,980.
What is the cost of living in Harlingen, TX?
Harlingen's cost of living index is 98.5 (national average = 100), meaning it is 1.5% less expensive compared to the national average. The median home price is $296,000 and the median monthly rent is $1,217.
What are the best industries in Harlingen?
The top industries in Harlingen, TX include Energy, Technology, Healthcare. The city has a job growth rate of 0.8% and an unemployment rate of 3.7%. Workers in these industries often earn above the city's median salary of $36,490.
How does Harlingen's salary compare to other cities?
Harlingen's median salary of $36,490 is 28.4% below the national median of $50,980. However, when adjusted for cost of living (index: 98.5), the real purchasing power is approximately $37,046.
What is the minimum wage in Harlingen, TX?
The minimum wage in Harlingen, TX is $7.25 per hour. This equals approximately $15,080 per year for a full-time worker (40 hours/week). This matches the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour.