Environmental Engineer.
Houston.
$98,000
median salary, 6% below the national average
$76,000 to $123,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
Houston is 3% cheaper than the national average. For Environmental Engineers, that shakes out to a median of $98,000, with the full range spanning $76,000 to $123,000. PE licensure, specialization in water treatment or air quality, and experience with EPA regulatory compliance drive the biggest salary differences. Know the range before you walk in. 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 Environmental 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 $127,340 for Environmental Engineers (SOC 17-2081) in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metropolitan area, based on 690 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$78,120
25th percentile
$101,660
Median
$127,340
75th percentile
$156,030
90th percentile
$181,910
Workers surveyed
690
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Environmental Engineers (SOC 17-2081) rather than Environmental 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 17-2081Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $88,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$64,000
to $78,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$83,000
to $103,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$108,000
to $127,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$123,000
to $152,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $26,000 to the total package.
Base
$98,000
Equity
$15,000
Bonus
$9,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $124,000
How Houston compares.
Houston, TX
$98,000
Cost of living: 3% below average
National Average
$104,000
Houston is $6,000 below
Environmental Engineer salary by city.
Salary by role in Houston.
What you should know.
The Environmental Engineer landscape in Houston is not what most salary sites will tell you. 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, specialization in water treatment or air quality, and experience with EPA regulatory compliance drive the biggest salary differences. Engineers working on remediation of contaminated sites or in the oil and gas sector earn premiums for hazardous conditions expertise.
Junior Environmental Engineers earn $70,000 to $80,000. Mid-career engineers with PE licensure reach $88,000 to $105,000. Senior Engineers and Project Managers command $105,000 to $130,000, while Principal Engineers and Directors at consulting firms exceed $145,000. 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. PE-licensed engineers receive immediate salary bumps of 10 to 15%. Annual bonuses of 5 to 12% are typical at consulting firms. Government roles offer pension benefits and strong job security, though base salaries trend 10 to 15% lower than private sector. 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 $98,000, 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 Environmental 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
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Common questions.
Environmental Engineer salary in other cities.
Other salaries in Houston.
Related salary pages
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Environmental Engineer Salary in Houston, TX." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/environmental-engineer/houston
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