How much do family caregivers get paid in Texas?
Around $15/hr — and here is what moves that number.
Your pay is not a posted wage. It comes out of a care budget that Texas sets from your relative's assessed needs, which is why two caregivers in the same town can be paid differently.
What Texas pays family caregivers
$15/hr
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: Texas Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
What sets your number
self-directed, but every CDS employer must use a financial management services agency (FMSA) for payroll, taxes, and background checks
- Spouse can be paid?
- Not right now
- Parent paid for a child?
- Not right now
- Waitlist
- Waitlists can be long — apply early.
Where the money comes from
This is Medicaid money, not a grant and not a charity. In Texas it runs through Consumer Directed Services (CDS), STAR+PLUS HCBS, CLASS & MDCP Waivers, administered by Texas Health & Human Services Commission (HHSC); interest lists 877-438-5658 (CLASS/MDCP) and 800-964-2777 (STAR+PLUS HCBS)
4.4 million people in Texas — 14% of the state — are 65 or older, spread across 254 counties. The programs on this page exist because caring for them at home costs the state far less than a nursing home does.
From first call to first paycheck
- 2 minutes
Check eligibility
Five questions tell you which Texas program fits, and roughly what it pays.
- usually weeks
Medicaid + care assessment
Texas confirms your relative qualifies and how much help they need. The hours in that assessment become your paid hours.
- after approval
Enrol and hire
Your relative enrols, then names you as their caregiver. Background check, paperwork, done.
- every pay period
Get paid
You log the hours you already work and are paid for them, like any job.
How to start in Texas: Call 877-438-5658 to join the CLASS or MDCP interest list, or 800-964-2777 for the STAR+PLUS HCBS interest list; benefits applications go through YourTexasBenefits.com or 2-1-1 Texas.
Texas pay questions, answered honestly
How much do family caregivers get paid in Texas?
Figures reported for Texas land around $15/hr, but that is a range, not a promise. Your rate is set inside your relative's care plan and budget. We tell you your real number before you enroll.
What decides my exact hourly rate?
Three things: how much help your relative is assessed as needing, which Texas program they are on, and who administers the payroll. self-directed, but every CDS employer must use a financial management services agency (FMSA) for payroll, taxes, and background checks
How many hours a week can I be paid for?
Hours come from the care assessment, not from how many you actually work. That is the single biggest thing families get wrong — an honest assessment is worth more than any negotiation later. We help you prepare for it.
Is family caregiver pay taxable?
Usually yes — it is normally treated as wages, with taxes withheld. One exception is worth asking about: the IRS difficulty-of-care rule can make some payments tax-free when the caregiver lives with the person receiving care.
Can I be paid to care for my spouse in Texas?
no — spouses cannot be paid attendants in Medicaid CDS programs; reported exception: state-funded CMPAS may allow a spouse There is a full page on this: see spousal caregiver pay in Texas.
Can a parent be paid for caring for their own child in Texas?
no — a legally responsible parent (or foster parent, or spouse of a parent) cannot be the paid attendant for their minor child (e.g. CAS rule); parents of adult children CAN be paid
Is there a waitlist in Texas?
severe — STAR+PLUS HCBS interest list wait is 'many years' (~5,034 reported); CLASS ~48,169 and MDCP ~27,012 on interest lists with waits reported up to ~13-15 years
How do I apply in Texas?
Call 877-438-5658 to join the CLASS or MDCP interest list, or 800-964-2777 for the STAR+PLUS HCBS interest list; benefits applications go through YourTexasBenefits.com or 2-1-1 Texas.
Married and caring for your husband or wife? Read the spouse rules for Texas →
Sources: hhs.texas.gov · medicaidplanningassistance.org · Population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau · Updated September 2026. Rates change — always confirm with the program.
Where most Texas caregivers are
Counties with the most residents aged 65 and older. The rules are the same everywhere in Texas — pick yours for the local picture.
Find out in 2 minutes
Answer 5 easy questions. See your programs and pay before you share any contact info.