Expert Mechanical Engineer salary in Houston, TX
Based on 63 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV 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 | $152,195 |
| 25th | $155,210 |
| 50th (median) | $160,000 |
| 75th | $187,567 |
| 90th | $210,454 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $137,018 | $129,204 | $156,874 | 68 |
| FY2021 | $138,923 | $127,046 | $148,359 | 44 |
| FY2022 | $140,000 | $129,948 | $157,864 | 54 |
| FY2023 | $170,000 | $149,760 | $181,000 | 31 |
| FY2024 | $152,420 | $147,568 | $176,392 | 46 |
| FY2025 | $163,034 | $152,988 | $186,843 | 31 |
| FY2026 | $160,000 | $155,210 | $188,037 | 32 |
Cost of living
Houston's median expert Mechanical Engineer salary of $160,000 is worth about $162,200 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 $160,000, 28% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Linde Engineering North America | too few | 4 |
| Ge Vernova Electrification Software Holdings | too few | 3 |
| McDermott | too few | 3 |
| Wood Group | too few | 3 |
| Bechtel Energy | too few | 2 |
| Bot Auto Ca | too few | 2 |
| Conocophillips Company | too few | 2 |
| ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company | too few | 2 |
| Fluence Energy | too few | 2 |
| Hargrove & Associates | 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 | $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.