Nursing Jobs: Austin, TX, Overview
Located in Travis County, Austin, Texas, is both the capital and the fourth-biggest city in a state known for just about everything big. The city once known as Waterloo then renamed for the “Father of Texas.” You may know Austin for its live music scene, wonderful food trucks, and Formula One racing. What you may not know is it's also a great place for you to start or grow your career. Whether you're in the market for full-time, part-time, contract, temporary, or per diem opportunities, if you’re thinking of looking for nursing jobs, Austin TX, has much to offer you both on and off the job.
Quick Facts About Nursing Jobs: Austin, TX
- Is Texas a compact state? Yes. Learn more about the general regulations in our article on the Texas Nurse Practice Act.
- How much do nurses make in Austin, TX? This is a breakdown of average annual salaries in Austin by license/certification:
- NP salary in Austin: $132,840
- RN salary in Austin: $95,150
- LVN salary in Austin: $60,790
- CNA salary in Austin: $37,180
- Where can I learn more about license requirements for nurses in Texas? You can visit the Texas Board of Nursing for up-to-date information. When your license is getting ready to expire, our article on the Texas nursing license renewal process can help.
What to Know About Nursing Jobs in Austin, TX
Austin has a population of nearly 980,000. With a big population comes a demand for healthcare, especially in a state like Texas, which is anticipating a shortage of approximately 57,000 registered nurses by 2032. Explore the latest openings for your license or certification:
- CNM jobs in Austin, Texas
- Nurse practitioner jobs in Austin, Texas
- RN jobs in Austin, Texas
- LVN jobs in Austin, Texas
- Certified nursing assistant jobs in Austin, Texas
- Surgical tech jobs in Austin, Texas
- CMA jobs in Austin, Texas
- Medication aide jobs in Austin, Texas
- Home health aide jobs in Austin, Texas
- Caregiver jobs in Austin, Texas
- Student nurse jobs in Austin, Texas
The median age of Austin residents is 34 years old, which is about four years younger than the national median. Around 10% of the population is age 65 or older, and 18% is under age 18. You'll need to be culturally competent to work in nursing jobs — Austin, TX, is quite diverse. Almost 60% of residents are White; 32% are Hispanic or Latino; 15.5% are two or more races; nearly 9% are Asian; and 7.5% are Black. Other ethnic groups in the city include African American/Black (8%) and Asian residents (7%).
Working in Austin, TX
Your options for choosing where to work are as vast as the Lone Star State itself. The city is a hub of innovation, with some of the main industries including life sciences, manufacturing, automotive, clean technology, data management, and semiconductors. In addition, the University of Texas at Austin has a great medical center and supplies a steady stream of graduates from Dell Medical School.
What other healthcare employers should you look to for nursing jobs? Austin, TX, has plenty of hospitals, medical systems, and other facilities hiring right now. Consider exploring opportunities at the following:
- AFC Urgent Care
- Arise Medical Center
- Ascension
- Austin Regional Clinic
- Baylor Scott & White Health
- Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas
- St. David's HealthCare
- Texas MedClinic Urgent Care
- Unified Women's Healthcare
- UTHealth Austin
If caring for elderly and long-term patients is more interesting to you, there are many post-acute care options for nursing jobs. Austin, TX, is home to many nursing homes, with even more in the greater metro area.
When we think of Texas, we may think of a wide-open highway. While that may be true if you are rolling through Hill Country, commuting to your nursing job in Austin will be just a bit different. The average commute in Austin is just over 24 minutes each way, but the good news is that that is still shorter than the national average of 26.4 minutes. And while many no longer run on Texas Tea, most Austinites still love their cars: 74% drive alone to work, with only 4% taking mass transit.
If you need childcare while working in Austin, there are many options. The Texas government website can help you find highly rated providers and also offers scholarship assistance for those who need it. If you need pet care instead (or in addition!), that’s easy to find in Austin as well.
Living in Austin, TX
“Keep Austin Weird” has been the unofficial city motto since 2000, but the city has been wonderful as well as weird for much longer. Home to the famed Austin City Limits — the longest-running music series in television history, and a huge festival — Austin is a center for music, education, arts, and food.
If you’d like to explore Austin’s arts and culture on your days off, you may want to start at a world-class museum like the Blanton or the Harry Ransom Center, which houses the first photograph and a Gutenberg Bible. If you’d like to mix art with the outdoors, there are street fairs and walking tours like the West Austin Studio Tour. Or if you feel like delving into something truly Austin-weird, don’t miss the Cathedral of Junk.
Beyond the wonderful country music Austin is known for, there is Ballet Austin, the Austin Opera, and the Austin Symphony, to name just a few classical options. Austin is also a creative center for jazz, blues, hip hop, and Tejano music.
If partaking in all the artistic excellence of Austin has made you hungry, there is something else the metro is known for — food. A city with its own style of barbecue, Austin is also famous for breakfast tacos — perfect for a quick bite before your first shift. You can explore the well-known food trucks in Austin, or just search out your favorite of the local greats: brisket, queso, chicken-fried steak, or a nice bowl of Texas Red (that’s chili with no beans).
When you are ready to burn off all that amazing food, consider hitting the nearby bike trails — Austin is known as one of the top bicycling cities in the U.S. A good ride, hike, or run can be found at McKinney Falls State Park and a cooling swim is always available at Blue Hole or Barton Creek Greenbelt.
Outdoor activity is easy in Austin, as the weather is warm to hot most of the year. Summers get hot and muggy, with the average temperature above 90 degrees. Winters are short, with the average temperature below 68 degrees.
All this potential for outdoor living, however, comes at a cost. Unlike many major and growing metros, Austin’s cost of living is a bit lower (2.5%) than the national average. However, apartment rentals in Austin will cost you 21% more than the national average.
IntelyCare Is Your Source for Great Nursing Jobs
Austin, TX, has excellent career opportunities for nurses and healthcare professionals. Need some help getting started? Find out how IntelyCare can match you with nursing jobs in your specialty area and preferred facility type.