SOC 17-2141 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Mechanical Engineers — Houston
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX · 10 metro areas compared
Median pay for this occupation in Houston, TX comes to $125,350 a year, ahead of the national median of $104,110 by 20.4%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow faster than average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +9.1%
- Openings per year
- 18,100
- Typical entry-level education
- Bachelor's degree
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
Median pay for this occupation in Houston, TX comes to $125,350 a year, ahead of the national median of $104,110 by 20.4%. Pay ranges from under $79,470 at the tenth percentile to more than $198,730 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $99,080 to $164,640.
Employment stands at 8,310, or 2.5 jobs per thousand held locally. Within the state, Midland records the highest median at $125,200. Of the 699 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 58th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $79,470 | −23.7% |
| 25th | $99,080 | −4.8% |
| Median (50th) | $125,350 | +20.4% |
| 75th | $164,640 | +58.1% |
| 90th | $198,730 | +90.9% |
| Mean | $133,040 | +27.8% |
Other metro areas in Texas
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Midland | $125,200 | 250 | |
| 2 | Corpus Christi | $124,340 | 280 | |
| 3 | Beaumont | $122,280 | 470 | |
| 4 | Odessa | $111,700 | 120 | |
| 5 | Austin | $106,690 | 1,790 | |
| 6 | Texarkana | $106,330 | 70 | |
| 7 | Tyler | $106,240 | 160 | |
| 8 | Dallas | $105,420 | 5,600 | |
| 9 | San Antonio | $104,620 | 1,480 | |
| 10 | Brownsville | $102,350 | 230 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Houston sit close to the national average, so $125,350 is worth roughly its face value against pay elsewhere.
Published median
$125,350as reported by BLSLocal price level
98.6US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$127,130US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $125,350 a year, 20.4% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $79,470 to $198,730 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 8,310 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Midland, at $125,200.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Mechanical Engineers in Houston, TX?
The median annual wage is $125,350, or $60.27 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $104,110, so pay in Houston, TX is 20.4% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Houston, TX earns more than $198,730 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $79,470 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Midland, at $125,200 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 8,310 jobs in this occupation in Houston, TX. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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