The Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metropolitan statistical area, as BLS defines it.
Pay data · metro area
Average Salary in Houston, TX (2026)
The average salary in the Houston metro area is $67,610 a year and the median is $49,410: 3% below the US median and 2% above Texas's (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices the median is worth $50,100, 228th of 387 metro areas.
- Average (mean) salary
- $67,610US $69,770
- Median salary
- $49,410US $50,980
- Median hourly
- $23.76BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 98.6US = 100 · BEA 2024
The spread
What workers in Houston earn
| Percentile | Houston area | Texas | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $27,380 | $27,250 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $35,640 | $35,370 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $49,410 | $48,620 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $79,260 | $77,840 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $128,040 | $125,220 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $67,610 | $65,750 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in Houston
BEA Regional Price Parities put the Houston area at 98.6 against a US average of 100. Matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $98,630 here. Compare with another city.
US = 100
- All items98.6
- Housing (rents)104.5
- Goods100.6
- Utilities95.3
- Other services95.6
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 98.6 |
| Housing (rents) | 104.5 |
| Goods | 100.6 |
| Utilities | 95.3 |
| Other services | 95.6 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Common jobs
What common jobs pay in Houston
Mean annual wage in the Houston area against the national mean for the same occupation (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Occupation | Houston area | US mean | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $100,280 | $101,420 | -1% |
| Software Developer | $133,140 | $148,100 | -10% |
| Elementary School Teacher | $62,840 | $72,650 | -14% |
| Accountant | $95,640 | $94,750 | +1% |
| Electrician | $61,460 | $71,490 | -14% |
| Truck Driver | $58,160 | $59,710 | -3% |
| Customer Service Representative | $43,390 | $46,590 | -7% |
| Retail Salesperson | $34,630 | $37,310 | -7% |
| Nursing Assistant | $40,440 | $42,700 | -5% |
| General and Operations Manager | $146,330 | $134,940 | +8% |
| Maintenance and Repair Worker, General | $51,170 | $53,780 | -5% |
| Cook, Restaurant | $32,970 | $38,730 | -15% |
The jobs
Best-paying jobs in Houston
BLS publishes estimates for 670 occupations in this metro. Highest mean pay, and the large occupations this area pays furthest above their national average.
Highest-paying jobs
Mean annual wage
- 1Psychiatrist$229,090
- 2Physicist$196,520
- 3Architectural and Engineering Manager$195,640
- 4Lawyer$193,400
- 5Financial Manager$186,560
- 6Health Specialties Teacher, Postsecondary$186,400
- 7Podiatrist$184,790
- 8IT Manager$182,210
- 9Emergency Medicine Physician$181,000
- 10Geoscientist, Except Hydrologists and Geographers$179,730
Jobs Houston pays above the national average
Occupations with 100,000+ US workers
- 1Health Specialties Teacher, Postsecondary$186,400 · +26%
- 2Chemical Equipment Operator and Tender$76,400 · +26%
- 3Mechanical Engineer$133,040 · +17%
- 4Industrial Engineer$123,180 · +12%
- 5General and Operations Manager$146,330 · +8%
- 6Aircraft Mechanic$91,640 · +8%
- 7Electrical Engineer$135,160 · +8%
- 8Architectural and Engineering Manager$195,640 · +8%
- 9Industrial Production Manager$144,250 · +8%
- 10Physical Therapist Assistant$73,860 · +7%
Compare
Other metro areas in Texas
Method
About these numbers
- All-occupations wages for the metro are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 estimates (api.bls.gov). Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed.
- Pay by occupation is the OEWS May 2025 mean for that occupation in this metro, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 prevailing-wage file. Only figures BLS estimated for this metro itself are used, never state or national fallbacks.
- Price levels are BEA Regional Price Parities for 2024. Price-adjusted pay is a NueCareer calculation (wage ÷ RPP/100).
Questions
Average salary in Houston: FAQ
What is the average salary in Houston?
Across all occupations in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area, the average (mean) annual wage is $67,610 and the median is $49,410, 3% below the US median (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 3,289,720 wage and salary jobs.
What is a good salary in Houston?
Above $49,410 out-earns half of workers in the Houston area; the top 25% start at $79,260 and the top 10% at $128,040. Prices run 1% below the national average (BEA, 2024), so matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $98,630 here.
Is Houston expensive to live in?
BEA's price level for the Houston metro is 98.6 (US = 100, 2024). Housing rents are 104.5, goods 100.6, utilities 95.3. At local prices the median wage is worth $50,100, 228th of 387 metros.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Houston?
By mean annual wage: Psychiatrist ($229,090), Physicist ($196,520), Architectural and Engineering Manager ($195,640), Lawyer ($193,400), Financial Manager ($186,560) (BLS OEWS May 2025, via the DOL wage file).