Expert Civil Engineer salary in Houston, TX
Based on 85 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes The Woodlands, Katy, Channelview, Conroe, Spring.
Also listed as: Structural Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $120,000 |
| 25th | $130,520 |
| 50th (median) | $140,005 |
| 75th | $160,000 |
| 90th | $199,334 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $146,353 | $145,000 | $165,745 | 13 |
| FY2021 | $139,980 | $126,309 | $147,000 | 19 |
| FY2022 | $138,470 | $125,000 | $158,413 | 17 |
| FY2023 | $139,755 | $134,998 | $153,982 | 28 |
| FY2024 | $140,000 | $127,500 | $165,710 | 31 |
| FY2025 | $137,094 | $120,170 | $159,042 | 38 |
| FY2026 | $145,000 | $136,650 | $161,113 | 47 |
Cost of living
Houston's median expert Civil Engineer salary of $140,005 is worth about $142,000 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Houston = 98.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Civil Engineers in the Houston, TX area earned a median of $100,950 in May 2025 (12,140 employed). The H-1B median here is $140,005, 39% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Bechtel Energy | too few | 5 |
| Fluor Enterprises | too few | 4 |
| HDR Engineering | too few | 3 |
| Arcadis | too few | 2 |
| Ardurra Group | too few | 2 |
| Black & Veatch | too few | 2 |
| CDM Smith | too few | 2 |
| Enbridge Employee Services | too few | 2 |
| FMC Technologies | too few | 2 |
| infraTECH Engineers & Innovators | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $75,608 | 212 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $92,014 | 172 |
| Senior · Level III | $113,901 | 86 |
| Expert · Level IV | $140,005 | 85 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $64,355 | $75,608 | 212 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $82,326 | $92,014 | 172 |
| Senior · Level III | $110,261 | $113,901 | 86 |
| Expert · Level IV | $130,520 | $140,005 | 85 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.