Expert Engineering Director salary in Houston, TX
Based on 29 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes The Woodlands, Katy, Spring, Stafford, Richmond.
Also listed as: Architectural and Engineering Manager, Manager Hardware Engineering
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $223,550 |
| 25th | $225,000 |
| 50th (median) | $235,000 |
| 75th | $301,900 |
| 90th | $347,180 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $227,500 | $224,250 | $238,141 | 10 |
| FY2021 | – | – | – | 4 |
| FY2022 | – | – | – | 4 |
| FY2023 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2024 | $226,100 | $214,542 | $238,050 | 10 |
| FY2025 | $280,000 | $225,000 | $325,000 | 13 |
| FY2026 | $230,000 | $224,707 | $238,750 | 16 |
Cost of living
Houston's median expert Engineering Director salary of $235,000 is worth about $238,300 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Houston = 98.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Architectural and Engineering Managers in the Houston, TX area earned a median of $172,020 in May 2025 (5,330 employed). The H-1B median here is $235,000, 37% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Venture Global LNG | too few | 4 |
| Low Carbon Infrastructure | too few | 2 |
| Occidental Petroleum | 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 | $137,615 | 35 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $166,730 | 34 |
| Senior · Level III | $200,000 | 13 |
| Expert · Level IV | $235,000 | 29 |
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 | $115,752 | $137,615 | 35 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $149,947 | $166,730 | 34 |
| Senior · Level III | $190,237 | $200,000 | 13 |
| Expert · Level IV | $223,829 | $235,000 | 29 |
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.