Civil Engineers Salary
Civil Engineers in Texas make a median of $96,860 a year, or about $46.57 an hour. The range runs from $63K at the entry level to $164K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $105,869 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,415/month, or 21.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Texas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $97K get you in Texas?
About civil engineers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Texas
Civil engineers pay in Texas tracks closely to the national median, $97K locally vs. $101K nationwide, a 4% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,415/month, 22.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Texas
Entry-level civil engineers (10th percentile) start around $63K. Mid-career wages sit at $97K. Top earners bring in $164K or more, a $101K spread from bottom to top.
Civil Engineers salary by metro in Texas
25 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $101K | +4% | 12,140 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $100K | +4% | 4,940 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $97K | +0% | 8,010 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | $96K | -1% | 720 |
| Midland | $95K | -1% | 230 |
| Corpus Christi | $95K | -2% | 820 |
| Killeen-Temple | $93K | -4% | 270 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $88K | -9% | 2,230 |
| Sherman-Denison | $87K | -10% | 70 |
| Longview | $87K | -10% | 180 |
| Tyler | $85K | -12% | 250 |
| College Station-Bryan | $82K | -15% | 250 |
| Lubbock | $82K | -16% | 250 |
| Texarkana | $81K | -17% | 60 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | $79K | -18% | 350 |
| El Paso | $79K | -18% | 550 |
| Odessa | $79K | -19% | 130 |
| Victoria | $79K | -19% | 50 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen | $78K | -20% | 170 |
| Wichita Falls | $77K | -21% | 90 |
| Laredo | $77K | -21% | 130 |
| Amarillo | $76K | -22% | 150 |
| Waco | $75K | -22% | 200 |
| San Angelo | $75K | -23% | 120 |
| Abilene | $74K | -24% | 150 |
Showing 1–10 of 25 metros
Compare to other states
Track civil engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Texas numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a civil engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Texas?
Yes — at the median salary of $97K, rent takes 22.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for civil engineers in Texas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new civil engineers typically earn — is $63K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,794/month. At HUD’s $1,415/month FMR, rent would take 37% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is civil engineer a high-paying job in Texas?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $97K locally vs. $101K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Texas compare to the national average for civil engineers?
Texas pays $97K median vs. the U.S. average of $101K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $106K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do civil engineers make in Texas?
The median is $96,860 a year, that works out to about $47 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $63,240, and experienced civil engineers can clear $164,330. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $97K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,377/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/month, which eats 22.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a civil engineers salary go in Texas?
Texas has a Regional Price Parity of 91.49 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median civil engineers salary is worth about $105,869 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do civil engineers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.