Civil Engineer.
Houston.
$96,000
median salary, 4% below the national average
$76,000 to $123,000. Last updated August 2026.
Get the job.
Data points to own the conversation.
If you are evaluating a Civil Engineer offer in Houston, TX, here is the reality: $76,000 to $123,000, with $96,000 as the midpoint. 4% below the national average. PE licensure is nearly essential for advancement and adds significant salary premium. Do not accept the first number. 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 Civil 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 $100,950 for Civil Engineers (SOC 17-2051) in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metropolitan area, based on 12,140 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$67,250
25th percentile
$80,010
Median
$100,950
75th percentile
$130,990
90th percentile
$168,240
Workers surveyed
12,140
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Civil Engineers (SOC 17-2051) rather than Civil 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 17-2051Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $87,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$62,000
to $77,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$82,000
to $101,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$106,000
to $125,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$120,000
to $149,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $25,000 to the total package.
Base
$96,000
Equity
$14,000
Bonus
$9,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $121,000
How Houston compares.
Houston, TX
$96,000
Cost of living: 3% below average
National Average
$100,000
Houston is $4,000 below
Civil Engineer salary by city.
Salary by role in Houston.
What you should know.
Here is what the Civil Engineer market actually looks like in Houston. 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. PE licensure is nearly essential for advancement and adds significant salary premium. Specialization in transportation, water resources, or geotechnical engineering pays more than general site development. Geographic demand driven by infrastructure spending varies widely, with high-growth Sun Belt metros offering the best compensation packages.
Entry-level civil engineers (EIT) start at $68,000 to $78,000. Licensed PEs earn $86,000 to $112,000 after four to six years. Project managers reach $110,000 to $145,000, with principals at engineering firms earning $150,000 to $200,000 or more. 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. Consulting firms offer bonuses of 5 to 10% tied to project billing targets. Government civil engineers receive pension benefits, step increases, and strong job security. Many firms cover PE exam costs and provide annual professional development stipends. 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 $96,000, 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 Civil Engineers in Houston runs from $76,000 to $123,000. 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 Physical Therapist in Houston earns $95,000 (1% less)
- The highest-paying role in Houston is CTO at $285,000
Common questions.
Civil Engineer salary in other cities.
Other salaries in Houston.
Related salary pages
Jump to nearby roles and cities most relevant to Civil Engineers in Houston.
Related tools.
Do you work as a civil engineer in Houston?
Your individual figure is never published. Submissions appear only as aggregate percentiles, and nothing is shown for a role and city until at least five people have reported. It is stored against your account, which is what keeps the dataset clean.
Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Civil Engineer Salary in Houston, TX." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/civil-engineer/houston
Want this data on your site? Embed the salary widget. One script tag, free forever.
Related tools