Healthcare · Houston, TX
Houston has a deeper respiratory therapy pool than the U.S. as a whole, while its aides and medical assistants earn well below national pay. Careerscape, a national staffing and recruiting firm, runs Houston clinical searches remotely through recruiters organized by industry.
Houston by role
Respiratory therapists stand out. The metro has 3,630 of them and a location quotient of 1.23, about a quarter more per job than the U.S. Medical assistants (1.06) and radiologic technologists (1.02) are also above the national concentration.
| Occupation | Jobs in metro | Median pay · vs. U.S. | Concentration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 65,910 | $99,830+2% | 0.92 |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | 10,730 | $63,670−1% | 0.78 |
| Nursing Assistants | 19,230 | $37,970−10% | 0.63 |
| Nurse Practitioners | 5,970 | $134,560+2% | 0.87 |
| Physician Assistants | 2,390 | $137,240+1% | 0.70 |
| Physical Therapists | 4,680 | $107,700+5% | 0.83 |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | 5,000 | $80,780+1% | 1.02 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 12,410 | $124,400±0% | 0.98 |
| Medical Assistants | 18,280 | $42,110−8% | 1.06 |
| Medical Records Specialists | 3,680 | $51,250±0% | 0.89 |
| Respiratory Therapists | 3,630 | $80,450−2% | 1.23 |
| Dental Hygienists | 3,060 | $104,930+7% | 0.65 |
Pay runs in two directions. Nurse practitioners ($134,560), physician assistants ($137,240), physical therapists ($107,700) and dental hygienists ($104,930) earn more than the U.S. median. Nursing assistants ($37,970, about 10% under the U.S.) and medical assistants ($42,110) earn less. Respiratory therapists, despite the deep pool, are paid slightly under the U.S. median at $80,450. Nursing assistants (0.63) and dental hygienists (0.65) are the thinnest pools here. Jobs and median annual pay for the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area, all employers, from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey (May 2025). “Vs. U.S.” compares with the national median. Concentration is the BLS location quotient: above 1.0 means the job makes up a bigger share of local employment than it does nationally.
Metro view
Occupation-group figures for the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands metro from the BLS May 2025 wage survey, released August 13, 2026. Mean wages, not medians.
Capacity news
Harris Health, the county's public system, is planning a $410 million expansion of Ben Taub Hospital on Ben Taub Loop. The plan adds a connected building with about 100 patient rooms and more surgical capacity. As of June 2026, groundbreaking was planned by late 2027, so the staffing need is a few years out, but trauma, OR and critical care nurses will be in it.
At Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center on Fannin Street, a renovated postpartum unit raised maternal capacity from 75 to 96 beds, according to Community Impact's June 2026 hospital roundup. Labor and delivery and high-risk antepartum care now sit in one unit, which shifts demand toward L&D, postpartum and neonatal-trained nurses.
These are additions on top of a Medical Center that already hires all year. For a broader view of the Houston labor market, including energy and plant work, see our Houston staffing guide.
Offers
Houston pay sits above the U.S. for some clinical roles and well below it for others. Price each role on its own data.
Healthcare support workers average $16.83 an hour here vs. $19.62 nationally. A candidate relocating from another state may be coming from higher pay, so check their current rate before the first interview.
Houston medians for nurse practitioners and physician assistants sit slightly above the U.S., so a national pay band can come in low. Benchmark with the nurse practitioner salary guide.
With respiratory therapists the deepest pool in the Houston table, a local search is realistic. Competition is local too, so speed matters more than a relocation package.
Nurses who live in another compact state can work in Texas on their home multistate license. Physicians can use the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, which Texas joined through HB 1616 in 2021.
Texas NPs and PAs prescribe under a written prescriptive authority agreement with a physician. Have it ready before the start date.
Roles
Searches run through our national healthcare staffing practice, with candidates delivered as a screened shortlist.
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FAQ
Relative to its size, yes. BLS counted 3,630 respiratory therapists in the Houston metro in May 2025, with a location quotient of 1.23, the highest of any role in our Houston table. The median was $80,450, a little below the U.S. median of $82,280. A deep pool does not mean idle candidates, though; most are employed and need a reason to move. See the radiologic technologist guide for imaging pay.
The May 2025 BLS median for nursing assistants in the Houston metro was $37,970, about 10% under the U.S. median of $42,260. Medical assistants earned a median $42,110, against $45,690 nationally. Across all healthcare support jobs, the mean hourly wage was $16.83 vs. $19.62 in the U.S. See the medical assistant salary guide.
A $410 million expansion that adds a new facility connected to Ben Taub with about 100 patient rooms and more surgical capacity. Groundbreaking was expected by late 2027, according to Community Impact's June 2026 hospital roundup, so hiring for it is still a few years away. Trauma, surgical and critical care nurses are the roles it will need most.
Yes, through the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact. Texas joined with HB 1616 in 2021, and the Texas Medical Board began issuing compact licenses in 2022. In the first six months, average licensing time fell from 35 days to nine, according to the Texas Medical Association. Physicians must qualify in a member state to use the compact path.
No. Our healthcare recruiters work remotely for employers across the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands metro, from Medical Center hospitals to suburban clinics, surgery centers and post-acute facilities. There is no Houston branch. We screen candidates by phone and video and share a short list through the Employer Portal; on-site interviews are your call.
Send the roles you need filled. We will benchmark the offer against Houston data and recruit across Texas and compact states.
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