Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX · CBSA 26420
Mechanical Engineer Salary in Houston
VerifiedPublished metro-area wages for mechanical engineers in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, from the BLS OEWS May 2024 release — with the local distribution set against Texas and the national benchmark.
Mechanical Engineers in Houston earn a median of $126,870 per year, per BLS OEWS May 2024. The middle 50% earn $97,990–$161,420; the top 10% earn $195,310. That is 24% above the national median and 17% above the Texas median. BLS reports 7,010 employed locally.
Median wage
Verified$126,870
+24% vs national
Top 10% earn
$195,310
90th percentile
Employed in metro
7,010
Reliability Good (7.5% RSE)
Mechanical Engineer pay — Houston vs Texas vs national
All three distributions are published BLS percentiles on a single shared scale.
| Percentile | Annual wage | vs national |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentileentry / low | $77,980 | +13% |
| 25th percentile | $97,990 | +20% |
| Median50th percentile | $126,870 | +24% |
| 75th percentile | $161,420 | +24% |
| 90th percentiletop earners | $195,310 | +21% |
| Meanaverage | $131,270 | +19% |
How concentrated mechanical engineers are in Houston
Location quotient compares local concentration to the national rate. Above 1.00 means this metro employs the occupation more densely than the country overall.
Location quotient
1.16
Jobs per 1,000
2.16
Metro rank (pay)
#8 of 342
All engineering roles
$123,124
Houston employs mechanical engineers at close to the national rate (location quotient 1.16).
Frequently asked questions
How much does a mechanical engineer make in Houston?
Does Houston pay more than the rest of Texas?
Where does Houston rank nationally for mechanical engineers?
Source details
Published wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 17-2141 (Mechanical Engineers), Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX (metro area).
Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →