Ship Engineers Salary in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
The median pay for a ship engineers in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX is $130,180/year ($62.59/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $98K at the entry level to $146K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.63), that's roughly $131,988 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,573/month, or 18.7% of estimated take-home pay.
AffordMap analysis of BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (latest release, May 2024)
So what does $130K get you in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
About ship engineers
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
Entry-level ship engineers (10th percentile) start around $98K. Mid-career wages sit at $130K.Top earners bring in $146K or more - a $48K spread from bottom to top.
Ship Engineers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $171K | +68% | 100 |
| Massachusetts | $136K | +34% | 90 |
| California | $135K | +33% | 430 |
| New York | $132K | +30% | 600 |
| Rhode Island | $124K | +22% | 40 |
| Texas | $122K | +21% | 870 |
| New Jersey | $117K | +16% | 170 |
| Illinois | $112K | +10% | 130 |
| Florida | $111K | +9% | 910 |
| Hawaii | $110K | +9% | 60 |
| Kentucky | $102K | +0% | 240 |
| Tennessee | $101K | -0% | 180 |
| Indiana | $100K | -1% | 180 |
| South Carolina | $100K | -2% | 60 |
| Washington | $96K | -5% | 910 |
Track ship engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do ship engineers make in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX?
The median is $130,180 a year - that works out to about $62.59 an hour. The range is wide: entry-level workers start around $98,030, and experienced ship engineers can clear $146,400. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $130K enough to live in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,311/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,573/month (HUD Fair Market Rent), which eats 18.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a ship engineers salary go in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands has a Regional Price Parity of 98.63 (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 ship engineers salary is worth about $131,988 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do ship 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.