Develop solutions to environmental problems including pollution control and waste management. Median salary in Houston: $109K/year. Data from BLS, O*NET, and H-1B disclosures.
Figures represent annual base salary in Houston, Texas. Reviewed by SalaryOptics Editorial · How we calculate this →
Analysis derived from the salary, COL, tax, and labor-market figures above — specific to this role and city.
Environmental Engineers in Houston earn approximately 18% higher than the US national median for this role — a $17,000 premium on annual base salary. This reflects Houston's position as a higher-cost labor market where employers must match local wage norms.
Adjusted for Houston's cost-of-living index (91), the median Environmental Engineer salary buys the equivalent of $119,780 in a US-average-cost city. That's $27,780 more purchasing power than the national median — a meaningful real-wage advantage.
Texas has no state income tax, which is worth roughly $10,137 per year at this salary level compared to a California Environmental Engineer on the same gross pay. A Houston Environmental Engineer would need to earn $120,176 in California to net the same take-home.
Based on BLS 2022–2032 Employment Projections and WEF Future of Jobs Report 2026. At current growth rates, median salary reaches $109K by 2030.
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The median Environmental Engineer salary in Houston, TX is $109,000 per year as of Q1 2026. This figure represents the midpoint of all reported compensation for this role in the Houston–TX metropolitan area, based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics, H-1B visa disclosures from the Department of Labor, and O*NET occupational data.
Entry-level Environmental Engineers in Houston with 0–2 years of experience typically earn between $80,000 and $109,000 annually. Mid-career professionals with 3–7 years command $109,000 to $142,000, while senior-level practitioners with 8+ years of experience regularly earn $142,000 to $179,000 or more.
Houston has a cost of living index of 91 compared to the US national average of 100. This means your salary goes approximately 9% further in Houston than the national average. Crucially, Texas has no state income tax — giving Houston-based Environmental Engineers an immediate 5–7% take-home pay advantage over workers in states like California (9.3%) or New York (6.85%).
Bachelor's in Environmental Engineering; PE license. 28% of these roles offer some remote flexibility.