Mechanical Engineer salary in Houston, TX
Based on 508 certified H-1B filings in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Sugar Land, Waller, Baytown, The Woodlands, Katy.
Also listed as: Mechanical Design Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $81,736 |
| 25th | $88,895 |
| 50th (median) | $106,925 |
| 75th | $131,834 |
| 90th | $155,216 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $91,000 | $75,932 | $117,832 | 473 |
| FY2021 | $92,830 | $83,628 | $113,125 | 363 |
| FY2022 | $101,733 | $86,888 | $123,418 | 308 |
| FY2023 | $104,000 | $85,504 | $125,868 | 279 |
| FY2024 | $101,887 | $88,483 | $130,769 | 292 |
| FY2025 | $103,000 | $87,017 | $128,388 | 299 |
| FY2026 | $110,000 | $90,084 | $135,954 | 209 |
Cost of living
Houston's median Mechanical Engineer salary of $106,925 is worth about $108,400 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Houston = 98.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Mechanical Engineers in the Houston, TX area earned a median of $125,350 in May 2025 (8,310 employed). The H-1B median here is $106,925, 15% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Schlumberger Technology | $101,205 | 24 |
| Colonial Staffing Group | $87,360 | 11 |
| Daikin Comfort Technologies Manufacturing, L.P. | $89,193 | 10 |
| FMC Technologies | $120,000 | 10 |
| Linde Engineering North America | too few | 9 |
| OneSubsea | too few | 9 |
| Quest Global Services- | too few | 9 |
| Bechtel Energy | too few | 7 |
| Siemens Energy | too few | 7 |
| Smith International | too few | 7 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $84,275 | 191 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $111,000 | 150 |
| Senior · Level III | $135,000 | 70 |
| Expert · Level IV | $160,000 | 63 |
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 | $80,683 | $84,275 | 191 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $106,850 | $111,000 | 150 |
| Senior · Level III | $125,008 | $135,000 | 70 |
| Expert · Level IV | $155,210 | $160,000 | 63 |
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.