Healthcare & Medical Jobs in Austin, TX

St. David's HealthCare posted more Austin job openings than any other employer in Opportunity Austin's May 2026 report, ahead of Amazon and UT Austin. The guides below cover every healthcare and medical role in Austin, who is hiring, what it pays and how to get licensed.

Why Healthcare & Medical Work Is Different in Austin

In Austin, three large hospital systems compete head to head for the same workers. St. David's HealthCare runs eight Central Texas hospitals, from St. David's Medical Center in central Austin to Round Rock and Georgetown. Ascension Seton runs Dell Seton Medical Center at The University of Texas, the downtown teaching hospital for Dell Medical School, along with Seton Medical Center Austin on W 38th Street, Dell Children's at Mueller and hospitals in Cedar Park, Kyle and Southwest Austin. Baylor Scott & White has eight hospitals of its own, including its Magnet-designated Round Rock campus on University Boulevard and its first hospital inside Austin city limits on US 290 West.

Growth drives the hiring. The Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos metro passed 2.5 million residents and grew faster than any other major Texas metro from 2024 to 2025, so much of the new capacity sits in the suburbs along I-35 and US 183. The public side of the market is just as active: the state rebuilt Austin State Hospital on Guadalupe Street as a 240-room psychiatric hospital in 2024, and Travis County's CommUnityCare clinics and the Lone Star Circle of Care network hire nurses and clinic staff year round. BLS data puts Austin healthcare support pay above the national average, while practitioner pay runs a little below the national average.

Top Healthcare & Medical Employers in Austin

These are the employers behind most healthcare hiring in the Austin metro:

• St. David's HealthCare - eight hospitals and more than 180 sites of care, with over 10,600 employees across Central Texas.
• Ascension Seton - Dell Seton, Seton Medical Center Austin, Dell Children's and suburban hospitals, now staffing a new women's hospital.
• Baylor Scott & White Health - eight Central Texas hospitals in Austin, Round Rock, Cedar Park, Pflugerville, Lakeway, Taylor and Buda.
• Austin State Hospital - the Texas HHSC psychiatric hospital in the Triangle area, hiring RNs and LVNs.
• CommUnityCare Health Centers - Travis County's safety-net clinic network, hiring RNs, medical assistants and dental staff.
• Austin Regional Clinic - the multispecialty physician group, hiring nurses and medical assistants across the metro.
• Lone Star Circle of Care - community health centers with clinics in North Austin and Hutto, hiring LVNs and clinic staff.

Healthcare & Medical Career Paths in Austin

• Nursing - Licensed Vocational Nurse and Registered Nurse. The core ladder in Austin's hospitals and clinics, with Austin Community College's mobility track connecting the two.
• Industry overview - Healthcare. The starting point for comparing roles, employers and pay across the whole field before choosing a track.
• Allied health and clinic support - guides for technician, assistant and support roles join the grid above as they are published, covering the shorter certificate paths into Austin's health systems.

How to Start a Healthcare & Medical Career in Austin

• Texas Board of Nursing license - required for RNs and LVNs. You pass the NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN, the Texas Nursing Jurisprudence Exam and a fingerprint background check.
• Austin Community College Health Sciences - vocational nursing and ADN at the Eastview Campus on Webberville Road, ADN at Highland and Round Rock, and EMT-Basic at Cypress Creek in Cedar Park.
• UT Austin School of Nursing - BSN and graduate programs on Red River in the Innovation District.
• Texas State University St. David's School of Nursing - BSN at the Round Rock Campus on Bobcat Way.
• Concordia University Texas Accelerated BSN - a 16-month program on Research Boulevard with January, May and August starts.
• BLS certification - expected by nearly every clinical employer.

A nursing license from the Texas Board of Nursing is legally required to work as an RN or LVN. BLS and specialty certifications are usually employer requirements rather than state law, and the school you choose is your preference as long as the program is approved.

Healthcare & Medical Salaries in Austin

• Entry - about $17 to $22 an hour for nursing assistants, medical assistants and pharmacy technicians.
• Mid - about $28 to $35 an hour for licensed vocational nurses, with a median near $31.
• Senior - about $39 to $61 an hour for registered nurses, with a median near $47 and specialty nurses at the top.

These are estimates from BLS 2025 wage data for the Austin metro. Healthcare practitioners here average $48.95 an hour and healthcare support workers $20.67. Hospital systems add shift differentials and sign-on bonuses, with St. David's advertising up to $10,000 for Austin nurses, while state jobs at Austin State Hospital come with state employee benefits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the biggest healthcare employer in Austin?

St. David's HealthCare is the largest by job postings, ranking first among all Austin employers in Opportunity Austin's May 2026 report, with more than 10,600 employees in Central Texas. Ascension Seton and Baylor Scott & White are the other two large hospital systems.

What healthcare jobs pay the most in Austin?

Among the roles covered here, registered nurses earn the most, with a metro median near $47 an hour and the top 10 percent above $61. LVNs follow at a median near $31 an hour, based on BLS 2025 data.

Where can I train for a healthcare career in Austin?

Austin Community College is the main public option, with nursing at Eastview, Highland and Round Rock and EMT training at Cypress Creek. UT Austin, Texas State in Round Rock and Concordia University Texas offer bachelor's degrees in nursing.

Do I need a license to work in healthcare in Texas?

It depends on the job. RNs and LVNs must be licensed by the Texas Board of Nursing, while many support roles need only a certificate or on-the-job training. Each guide above explains the requirement for its role.

Are Austin hospitals hiring in the suburbs?

Yes. St. David's runs hospitals in Round Rock and Georgetown, Ascension Seton in Cedar Park and Kyle, and Baylor Scott & White in Round Rock, Cedar Park and Pflugerville, where it opened the city's first hospital. Suburban openings appear in the job lists on each guide.

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