Cost of hiring in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX
BLS counts about 15,460 people in these 17 roles in Brownsville-Harlingen1. Project Coordinator has the highest median ($73,050 a year), Virtual Receptionist the lowest ($28,720), and Customer Support Specialist is the largest job, with about 4,880 people.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Brownsville-Harlingen
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Support Specialist | -14.3% | 4,880 | |
| Bookkeeper | -18.0% | 1,020 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -18.4% | 1,760 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -19.4% | 1,050 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -20.6% | 30 | |
| Accountant | -20.6% | 690 | |
| Executive Assistant | -21.6% | 190 | |
| HR Assistant | -23.2% | 60 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -24.4% | 1,070 | |
| Recruiter | -26.9% | 600 | |
| Paralegal | -27.7% | 320 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -27.8% | 140 | |
| Project Coordinator | -28.6% | 610 | |
| Office Manager | -29.5% | 1,560 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -29.9% | 160 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -36.5% | 1,010 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -39.9% | 310 |
The employer pays more than the wage: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, so a $38,350 median for customer support specialists, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $49,484 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Brownsville-Harlingen against the US
Brownsville-Harlingen pays below the US median for all 17 roles. The gap is smallest for customer support specialists (-14.3%) and bookkeepers (-18.0%) and largest for marketing specialists (-39.9%). The middle gap across all 17 is -24.4%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for customer support specialists, #357 of 520 areas by median pay; its lowest is for virtual receptionists, #520 of 521.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Brownsville-Harlingen has more customer support specialists (31.6% of these jobs here, against 16.4% nationally) and data entry specialists (1.0% against 0.8%), and fewer marketing specialists (2.0% against 5.7%) and e-commerce order specialists (0.2% against 0.5%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Gadsden, AL is nearest, at -24.4%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valdosta, GA | -22.8% | 15 | 4,420 |
| Monroe, LA | -22.8% | 16 | 7,200 |
| Alexandria, LA | -23.3% | 14 | 4,980 |
| Jonesboro, AR | -24.3% | 15 | 4,150 |
| Gadsden, AL | -24.4% | 11 | 2,870 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | -24.4% (this area) | 17 | 15,460 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in Brownsville-Harlingen span $23,360–$90,280, the widest band (3.9×); medical administrative assistants the narrowest, $30,520–$47,440. Wider than nationally for paralegals and HR assistants, narrower for customer support specialists and executive assistants. Budget from the median for marketing specialists, sales development representatives, office managers and 6 more roles: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($58,190 against a $47,320 median for marketing specialists).
Brownsville-Harlingen against Texas
Against Texas as a whole, Brownsville-Harlingen pays less for every one of the 17 roles with a statewide figure. It comes closest for customer support specialists (-5.1%) and is furthest below for marketing specialists (-34.7%). It has the lowest median in Texas for office managers, paralegals and sales development representatives and 1 more role.
Other areas in Texas
By jobs in these roles, Brownsville-Harlingen is #11 of 32 areas in Texas. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from McAllen-Edinburg to College Station-Bryan.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| McAllen-Edinburg, TX | 28,300 | 17 |
| North Region of Texas (Nonmetro) | 22,300 | 17 |
| Hill Country Region of Texas (Nonmetro) | 18,810 | 17 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | 17,370 | 17 |
| Lubbock, TX | 17,180 | 17 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | 14,610 | 17 |
| Northwestern Region of Texas (Nonmetro) | 14,230 | 16 |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | 13,290 | 17 |
| Waco, TX | 13,190 | 17 |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | 12,750 | 17 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in Brownsville-Harlingen?
Of the 17 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $73,050 a year, about $94,258 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $28,720.
Is hiring in Brownsville-Harlingen cheaper than the US median?
Yes, for every role we track: all 17 medians are below the US figure, the furthest for marketing specialists (-39.9%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.