Aerospace AI Engineer.
Houston.
$135,000
median salary, at the national average
$100,000 to $180,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
The median Aerospace AI Engineer salary in Houston is $135,000, right at the national average. Entry level starts near $100,000. Experienced professionals push past $180,000. Houston's economy is deeply rooted in energy, with a growing presence in healthcare, aerospace, and technology. That spread is your negotiation window. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Aerospace AI Engineer in Houston, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $133,970 for Aerospace Engineers (SOC 17-2011) in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metropolitan area, based on 1,890 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$80,850
25th percentile
$101,990
Median
$133,970
75th percentile
$167,600
90th percentile
$195,190
Workers surveyed
1,890
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Aerospace Engineers (SOC 17-2011) rather than Aerospace AI Engineer specifically. The Houston range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 17-2011Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $121,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$88,000
to $108,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$115,000
to $142,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$149,000
to $176,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$169,000
to $209,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $38,000 to the total package.
Base
$135,000
Equity
$22,000
Bonus
$13,000
Signing
$3,000
Estimated total: $173,000
How Houston compares.
Houston, TX
$135,000
Cost of living: 3% below average
National Average
$135,000
Same as local rate
Aerospace AI Engineer salary by city.
Salary by role in Houston.
What you should know.
If you are interviewing for Aerospace AI Engineer roles in Houston, here is what you are walking into. Houston's economy is deeply rooted in energy, with a growing presence in healthcare, aerospace, and technology. The Texas Medical Center is the world's largest, driving massive demand for clinical and research roles. Houston's low cost of living and no state income tax make it an attractive destination for professionals seeking strong purchasing power. Compensation reflects specialization depth, production deployment scale, and the maturity of the AI systems being built. Aerospace AI Engineers who have shipped models serving millions of users command the highest premiums. Employer type matters significantly: AI labs and foundation model companies pay 20% to 40% more than enterprises adopting AI for internal use.
Entry-level Aerospace AI Engineers start near $168,000. Mid-career professionals with three to five years of experience reach $215,000 to $280,000. Senior-level roles command $275,000 to $333,000. Management transitions to director-level positions offer $355,000 and above. In Houston, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity at top-tier companies adds 30% to 60% above base salary. Annual bonuses of 15% to 25% are standard. Signing bonuses of $25,000 to $75,000 are common when changing roles. Refresher equity grants vest annually. Relocation packages and executive benefits like financial planning are typical. And on the tax side: texas has no state income tax, giving Houston workers strong take home pay. The city's overall cost of living is below the national average, further stretching your salary. When someone quotes you $135,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Emphasize industry specialization in energy or healthcare. Houston employers pay significant premiums for domain expertise in these sectors over generalist candidates. The range for Aerospace AI Engineers in Houston runs from $100,000 to $180,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- A Computer Vision Engineer in Houston earns $134,000 (1% less)
- The highest-paying role in Houston is CTO at $285,000
- See all ai industrial roles tracked in Orbyt Intelligence
Common questions.
Aerospace AI Engineer salary in other cities.
Other salaries in Houston.
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Aerospace AI Engineer Salary in Houston, TX." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/aerospace-ai-engineer/houston
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