Mechanical Engineer Salary in Texas (2026)

Typical pay is $112,410 a year, with most mechanical engineers in Texas earning between $91,420 and $145,090. Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Salary Calculator›Mechanical Engineer›Texas

The typical mechanical engineer in Texas earns $112,410 a year, 8% more than the national median. Early-career pay starts around $91,420, experienced mechanical engineers earn $145,090 or more, and the top 10% make over $175,210. About 22,080 people work in this occupation in Texas.

Mechanical Engineer salary in Texas

Annual pay, BLS survey of May 2025

Early career$91,42025th percentile · newer to the role
Typical$112,410Median · middle of the market
Experienced$145,09075th percentile · deep experience or specialist skills
Check another role or city in the salary calculator →

What mechanical engineers do

Mechanical engineers design, analyze and test machines, thermal systems and mechanical components, from HVAC and plumbing systems in buildings to production equipment, vehicles and consumer products. Most hold a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, use CAD and simulation tools such as SolidWorks, Creo or ANSYS, and those who sign off on building designs need a Professional Engineer (PE) license.

Mechanical engineering recruiters at Apollo Technical →

Mechanical Engineer pay by metro area in Texas

Typical annual pay in each Texas metro area where BLS publishes figures for mechanical engineers.

Metro areaTypicalEarly careerExperienced
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX$125,350$99,080$164,640
Midland, TX$125,200$99,270$168,850
Corpus Christi, TX$124,340$95,620$153,070
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX$122,280$97,200$156,770
Odessa, TX$111,700$89,950$143,160
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX$106,690$92,130$145,090
Texarkana, TX-AR$106,330$78,470$115,440
Tyler, TX$106,240$96,610$140,680
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$105,420$87,200$132,840
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX$104,620$93,360$134,890
Brownsville-Harlingen, TX$102,350$79,280$133,110
Longview, TX$100,230$81,210$125,780
Abilene, TX$99,460$79,730$123,900
Amarillo, TX$98,830$79,170$119,170
Waco, TX$96,680$83,160$127,220
Wichita Falls, TX$95,710$73,680$104,980
Killeen-Temple, TX$94,520$79,260$127,640
El Paso, TX$91,430$63,870$119,440
Lubbock, TX$91,110$76,090$120,740
Sherman-Denison, TX$90,070$78,040$127,500
College Station-Bryan, TX$83,760$61,590$112,290
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX$80,500$71,430$115,720
San Angelo, TX$75,930$63,350$98,590
United States$104,110$84,130$132,590

Other engineering, design and supply chain salaries in Texas

Mechanical Engineer salary FAQs

How much does a mechanical engineer make in Texas?

The typical (median) mechanical engineer in Texas earns $112,410 a year, or about $54.04 an hour (BLS, May 2025). Half earn more and half earn less.

What is the entry-level salary for a mechanical engineer in Texas?

Early-career mechanical engineers in Texas typically earn around $91,420 (the 25th percentile), and the lowest-paid 10% earn under $75,810. Degree, internships, licenses and the industry all move starting pay.

How much do experienced mechanical engineers earn in Texas?

Experienced mechanical engineers in Texas earn $145,090 or more (the 75th percentile), and the top 10% earn over $175,210.

Do mechanical engineers earn more in Texas than the national average?

The typical mechanical engineer in Texas earns 8% more than the national median of $104,110. Prices in Texas are 2.9% below the US average (BEA, 2024), so the same salary goes a little further there.

Are mechanical engineers in demand?

BLS projects employment in this occupation to grow 11.2% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% for all jobs, with about 17,800 openings a year nationally as people retire, change jobs or the field grows.

Hiring mechanical engineers in Texas?

Where these numbers come from

Pay figures come from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program (OEWS), which surveys about 1.1 million employer locations and is the government's main source of pay by occupation and location. This page uses the May 2025 survey, released in 2026, and updates itself when BLS publishes the next year's figures. Job outlook comes from the BLS Employment Projections for 2025–35. Cost of living comes from the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities for 2024, where the US average is 100.

Pay is base wages and salary before tax. It does not include bonuses, overtime, benefits or equity. Early career is the 25th percentile (a quarter of workers earn less), Typical is the median and Experienced is the 75th percentile. The bar shows the full range from the 10th to the 90th percentile. The salary rank check estimates a percentile by drawing straight lines between those five published points.

BLS groups some job titles together. Controls engineers, for example, are counted with electrical engineers, and CAD designers with drafters. Each result names the BLS occupation it uses so you can see exactly what is being measured. BLS does not publish every occupation in every area, for example when too few people in a job were surveyed or when a figure does not meet its reliability standards. When a metro figure is missing, the calculator shows the state figure, or the national figure if the state is also missing, and says so.

BLS occupation used on this page: Mechanical Engineers (SOC 17-2141).