Entry-level Materials Engineer salary in Houston, TX

Based on 13 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Brookshire, Baytown, Rosharon, Tomball, Freeport.

Median salary$85,717
Middle 50%$80.9k–$90k
vs. all levels here−29%comparison median $120,162
Filings13FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $54,726 and $110,322.
PercentileSalary
10th$60,494
25th$80,912
50th (median)$85,717
75th$90,000
90th$99,392

Cost of living

Houston's median entry-level Materials Engineer salary of $85,717 is worth about $86,900 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Houston = 98.6).

Compared with all workers here

All Materials Engineers in the Houston, TX area earned a median of $123,250 in May 2025 (560 employed). The H-1B median here is $85,717, 30% lower.

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

EmployerMedianFilings
Apave Americatoo few4
University of Houstontoo few3
Fluor Enterprisestoo few2

Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I $85,717 13
Mid-level · Level II – 0
Senior · Level III too few 2
Expert · Level IV – 0

Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.

Minimum H-1B salary by level

Wage levelPrevailing wage (most common)Median offered salaryFilings
Entry-level · Level I$80,912$85,71713

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.