Technology Houston, TX Pop. 2,304,580

Data Engineer Salary in Houston, Texas

The median data engineer salary in Houston, TX is $127,500 per year, which is 2.0% above the national median and 4.1% above the Texas state average.

City Median
$127,500
vs State Avg
+$5,000
vs National
+$2,500
Cost of Living
96%

Data Engineer Pay in Houston: What to Expect (2026)

Houston offers a median data engineer salary of $127,500, which is $5,000 above the Texas state average of $122,500. Compared to the national median of $125,000, Houston pays above average for this role.

Houston's cost of living is 96% of the national average, meaning salary figures here closely reflect actual purchasing power. This makes direct comparisons to other cities straightforward.

The salary range for data engineers in Houston spans from $79,560 at the 10th percentile to $193,800 at the 90th percentile — a $114,240 spread. Entry-level professionals start around $81,600, while senior data engineers with 8+ years of experience can earn up to $183,600. As a major metro area with a population of 2,304,580, Houston typically offers more job opportunities and employer competition, which can drive salaries higher.

Data Engineer Salary in Houston by Experience

In Houston, an entry-level data engineer earns around $81,600, while experienced professionals earn up to $183,600 per year. The local cost of living index is 96% of the national average.

Entry Level (0-2 yrs)
$81,600
+$1,600 vs national
Mid Level (3-7 yrs)
$129,540
+$2,540 vs national
Senior Level (8+ yrs)
$183,600
+$3,600 vs national

Salary Percentiles in Houston, TX

Percentile Houston
10th Percentile $79,560
25th Percentile $102,000
Median (50th) $127,500
75th Percentile $161,160
90th Percentile $193,800

Data Engineer Salary in Other Texas Cities

Austin, TX
$138,750
Pop. 978,908
Dallas, TX
$132,500
Pop. 1,304,379
Fort Worth, TX
$122,500
Pop. 918,915
San Antonio, TX
$117,500
Pop. 1,434,625

How to Become a Data Engineer in Houston

Education

Most data engineer positions require a bachelor's degree. Houston and the surrounding Texas area have institutions offering relevant programs.

Key Skills

PythonSQLSparkAirflowAWS/GCPData Modeling

Job Outlook

Nationally, data engineer employment is projected to grow 28% over the next decade (much faster than average). Demand in Houston may vary based on local industry and population growth.

Find Data Engineer Jobs in Houston

Browse open data engineer positions in Houston, TX:

Indeed → LinkedIn → ZipRecruiter → Glassdoor →

Frequently Asked Questions: Data Engineer Salary in Houston

How much does a Data Engineer make in Houston, TX? ▼
The median data engineer salary in Houston, Texas is $127,500 per year, which is 2.0% above the national median of $125,000. Salaries range from $79,560 (10th percentile) to $193,800 (90th percentile).
How much does a Data Engineer make per hour in Houston? ▼
Based on the median annual salary of $127,500, a data engineer in Houston earns approximately $61 per hour assuming a standard 2,080-hour work year.
How does Houston compare to the Texas state average for data engineer pay? ▼
Houston's median data engineer salary of $127,500 is 4.1% above the Texas state average of $122,500. The local cost of living index is 96% of the national average.
What is the cost of living in Houston, TX? ▼
Houston has a cost of living index of 96% compared to the national average. This means a data engineer salary of $127,500 in Houston has more purchasing power than the same salary in an average-cost city.
What qualifications do I need to become a data engineer in Houston? ▼
Most data engineer positions in Houston require a bachelor's degree. Key skills include Python, SQL, Spark, Airflow. The job market is projected to grow 28% nationally over the next decade.