How Much Does a CNA Make in McAllen, TX in 2026?
Typical pay for CNAs in McAllen, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Texas.
BLS OES May 2025 · McAllen · Edinburg · Mission metro area
A typical CNA in McAllen, Texas earns $16.34 per hour, or $33,990 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $2,833 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $28,250, and the top 10% of earners make over $42,380.
That pay is 9% below the Texas figure of $37,500 and 20% below the national figure of $42,260. McAllen ranks 22nd of 25 metro areas in Texas for CNA pay. About 2,140 CNAs work in the McAllen · Edinburg · Mission area. McAllen is part of the McAllen · Edinburg · Mission metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Edinburg and Mission share these figures.
CNA pay in McAllen at a glance
- Typical pay is $16.34 an hour, or $33,990 a year.
- That is 9% below the Texas figure, ranking 22nd of 25 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $28,250; the top 10% make over $42,380.
- Typical pay rose +75% from 2015 to 2025, against +61% for Texas as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a CNA make in McAllen?
Pay in McAllen runs from entry-level positions at around $13.58 an hour to more than $20.37 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Texas and national figures.
CNA pay by career stage in McAllen
| Career stage | McAllen | Texas | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $28,250$13.58 an hour | $30,620$14.72 an hour | $33,940$16.32 an hour |
| First years | $30,060$14.45 an hour | $35,300$16.97 an hour | $37,260$17.91 an hour |
| Typical CNA | $33,990$16.34 an hour | $37,500$18.03 an hour | $42,260$20.32 an hour |
| Experienced | $38,170$18.35 an hour | $43,070$20.71 an hour | $47,220$22.70 an hour |
| Top 10% | $42,380$20.37 an hour | $47,500$22.84 an hour | $51,980$24.99 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the McAllen · Edinburg · Mission area as BLS defines it
CNA pay growth in McAllen
Typical (median) annual wage for CNAs in the McAllen · Edinburg · Mission area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical CNA pay in McAllen was $19,400 a year. By 2025 it had reached $33,990, a change of +75%, compared with +61% for Texas over the same years.
How McAllen compares with other Texas cities
Round Rock pays CNAs the most in Texas at $38,550 a year, $4,560 more than McAllen. The lowest-paying area in the state is Brownsville at $32,110.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs McAllen | CNAs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Round Rock metro incl. San Marcos · Austin | $38,550 | $18.53 | +13% | 5,600 |
| 2 | Dallas metro incl. Arlington · Fort Worth | $38,530 | $18.53 | +13% | 23,420 |
| 3 | Pasadena metro incl. Houston · The Woodlands | $37,970 | $18.26 | +12% | 19,230 |
| 4 | Wichita Falls | $37,870 | $18.21 | +11% | 950 |
| 5 | Abilene | $37,460 | $18.01 | +10% | 800 |
| 6 | Waco | $37,290 | $17.93 | +10% | 1,480 |
| 7 | New Braunfels metro incl. San Antonio | $36,800 | $17.69 | +8% | 7,080 |
| 8 | Amarillo | $36,700 | $17.65 | +8% | 1,000 |
| 9 | Odessa | $36,250 | $17.43 | +7% | 410 |
| 10 | Temple metro incl. Killeen | $36,120 | $17.36 | +6% | 1,480 |
| 11 | Sherman metro incl. Denison | $35,970 | $17.29 | +6% | 610 |
| 12 | Midland | $35,970 | $17.29 | +6% | 580 |
| 13 | College Station metro incl. Bryan | $35,610 | $17.12 | +5% | 940 |
| 14 | San Angelo | $35,390 | $17.02 | +4% | 610 |
| 15 | Corpus Christi | $35,300 | $16.97 | +4% | 1,550 |
| 16 | Tyler | $35,300 | $16.97 | +4% | 1,610 |
| 17 | El Paso | $35,170 | $16.91 | +3% | 2,310 |
| 18 | Laredo | $35,120 | $16.89 | +3% | 510 |
| 19 | Port Arthur metro incl. Beaumont | $35,110 | $16.88 | +3% | 1,200 |
| 20 | Longview | $34,510 | $16.59 | +2% | 1,050 |
| 21 | Lubbock | $34,300 | $16.49 | +1% | 1,490 |
| 22 | McAllen | $33,990 | $16.34 | this city | 2,140 |
| 23 | Victoria | $33,980 | $16.34 | 0% | 470 |
| 24 | Texarkana | $32,880 | $15.81 | -3% | 820 |
| 25 | Harlingen metro incl. Brownsville | $32,110 | $15.44 | -6% | 1,070 |
Every metro area in Texas with CNA wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Texas typical pay $37,500
Is McAllen a good place to work as a CNA?
CNAs in McAllen earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $33,990 a year, 20% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the McAllen · Edinburg · Mission area, about 7.2 are CNA positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 9.4. That makes CNAs a smaller part of the local job market than usual, so employers draw from a smaller pool of qualified candidates.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a CNA make in McAllen, TX?
- A typical CNA in McAllen earns $33,990 a year, or $16.34 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $28,250 and the top 10% earn over $42,380.
- How much does a CNA make an hour in McAllen?
- Typical hourly pay for CNAs in McAllen is $16.34. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $13.58, and the top 10% earn over $20.37 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a CNA in McAllen?
- Entry-level CNA positions in McAllen typically offer around $13.58 an hour, or $28,250 a year.
- Is CNA pay in McAllen higher than in the rest of Texas?
- McAllen pay is 9% below the Texas figure of $37,500 a year, ranking 22nd of 25 metro areas in the state. Round Rock pays the most in Texas at $38,550.