Hidalgo County Judge, Commissioners See Salaries Rise Nearly 27 Percent Over Decade
Hidalgo County, Salaries, County Judge, County Commissioners, Budget
Arnoldo Mata
Edinburg TX – Salaries for the Hidalgo County Judge and the four Hidalgo County Commissioners have increased by more than 26% over the past decade, according to salary schedules compiled by the Hidalgo County Department of Budget and Management.
The information came to light after a public information request for the data from The Edinburg Advocate. The question about the salaries for the five came during the budgeting hearings when it was revealed that the proposed budget had originally called for a more than 15% increase for the top elected officials. Residents had spoken out strongly against the increases, compared to the 5% increase proposed for the staff.
The final budget approved by the Hidalgo County Commissioners Court did not specify what the final salaries were. They were instead lumped in with all salaries. The information provided by the County through public information request revealed that the Commissioners Court approved only a 5% increase for the 2026-27 fiscal year.
The records, covering fiscal years 2017 through 2026, show that the county judge’s base salary rose from $114,660 in 2017 to $145,030 in 2026, an increase of $30,370. Each commissioner’s base salary rose from $98,280 to $124,311 over the same period, an increase of $26,031.
Year-by-Year Changes
Neither the county judge nor the commissioners received a base salary increase in 2018, 2020, or 2021. The remaining years saw the following changes:
In 2019, salaries increased 3% — adding $3,440 to the county judge’s base pay and $2,948 to each commissioner’s base pay. In 2022, salaries rose 5%, adding $5,905 for the judge and $5,062 for each commissioner. A 2% increase followed in 2023, adding $2,480 for the judge and $2,126 per commissioner. In 2024, salaries rose 4%, adding $5,060 for the judge and $4,337 per commissioner. In both 2025 and 2026, salaries increased 5% each year.
Auto Allowance
In addition to base salary, each officeholder receives an annual auto allowance. The allowance held at $8,000 from 2017 through 2023 before increasing to $15,000 in 2024, where it has remained through 2026.
When the auto allowance is included, total compensation for the county judge rose from $122,660 in 2017 to $160,030 in 2026, an increase of $37,370, or 30.47%. Total compensation for each commissioner rose from $106,280 in 2017 to $139,311 in 2026, an increase of $33,031, or 31.08%.
Current Salaries
The county judge currently earns a base salary of $145,030, plus a $15,000 auto allowance, for total compensation of $160,030. Each of the four county commissioners currently earns a base salary of $124,311, plus a $15,000 auto allowance, for total compensation of $139,311.
Source – Hidalgo County Department of Budget and Management, Actual Salary Schedules 2017–2026