Quick answer: Texas employs about 22,080 mechanical engineers (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing runs through your state engineering licensing board. Programs, the careers this degree opens, and what they pay are below.
Licensing and Credentials in Texas
Mechanical engineering follows the same Professional Engineer path the state boards administer: an ABET-accredited degree, the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering exam, qualifying experience, then the PE exam in mechanical engineering. What differs from civil is how often the license is actually needed. Many mechanical engineers work in manufacturing and product design under what is commonly called the industrial exemption and never license, while those who seal building systems drawings or hold responsible charge do. Whether a state accepts an ABET ETAC (engineering technology) degree toward licensure varies, and so do comity rules between states.
Requirements are set at state level and are amended periodically. Before you enroll in any program, confirm with your state engineering licensing board that the specific program you are considering satisfies the education requirement, and ask what it accepts from any training you have already completed. Get the answer in writing.
Earning the Degree While You Work
Most people reading this already have a job in the field, and the practical question is whether the credential can be earned without leaving it. Programs designed for working adults deliver the academic portion online or in the evening, while any labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience happen in person and locally. Prior college credit, military training, apprenticeship coursework and industry certifications can all shorten the path, so request a written transfer credit evaluation before you commit to any school.
Schools Near You
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 10 schools
within 147 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
10 of them carry a score.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal
about the institution rather than about this subject.
Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from
this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
Mechanical Engineers in Texas earn a median $112,410 per year, above the national median of $104,110 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Mechanical Engineering Pay and Employment in Texas at a Glance
Metric
Texas
National
Source
Median annual wage
$112,410
$104,110
BLS OEWS, May 2025
10th percentile
$75,810
$73,990
BLS OEWS, May 2025
25th percentile
$91,420
$84,130
BLS OEWS, May 2025
75th percentile
$145,090
$132,590
BLS OEWS, May 2025
90th percentile
$175,210
$164,340
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Employment
22,080
296,810
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location quotient
0.82
1.00
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Projected change (2024-34)
not published by state
9.1%
BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34
How Texas Pay Compares to the Rest of the Country
The Texas median of $112,410 sits above the national median of $104,110 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Percentiles matter more than the midpoint when you are deciding whether a degree pays for itself: the 10th percentile is roughly where people start, and the 90th is what the top of the local market looks like after years of experience.
A location quotient of 0.82 puts Texas below the national average, so the occupation is less concentrated here than in the typical state. Expect a thinner local job market and fewer employers to move between (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The measure compares how concentrated the occupation is here against the national average of 1.00.
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Mechanical engineering demand follows the region’s mix of manufacturing plants, building systems design and energy work, so the local picture can differ sharply from the national one.
Mechanical Engineers Wages by Metro Area in Texas
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), mechanical engineers wages in Texas vary by metro area.
Metro Area
Employment
Median Annual Wage
Avg. Annual Wage
Entry Level (10th pctile)
Experienced (90th pctile)
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands
8,310
$125,350
$133,040
$79,470
$198,730
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
5,600
$105,420
$114,530
$76,530
$167,140
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos
1,790
$106,690
$118,640
$68,080
$173,210
San Antonio-New Braunfels
1,480
$104,620
$117,050
$74,340
$159,670
Beaumont-Port Arthur
470
$122,280
$124,940
$77,030
$191,580
Corpus Christi
280
$124,340
$124,680
$77,320
$160,490
Midland
250
$125,200
$136,650
$78,280
$227,830
Brownsville-Harlingen
230
$102,350
$101,570
$72,700
$133,110
Longview
230
$100,230
$105,150
$66,830
$144,670
El Paso
200
$91,430
$98,210
$55,470
$155,310
Waco
200
$96,680
$107,110
$68,750
$156,520
Tyler
160
$106,240
$121,250
$79,990
$168,820
Amarillo
130
$98,830
$100,040
$76,380
$126,140
Lubbock
130
$91,110
$98,010
$65,160
$137,710
Odessa
120
$111,700
$119,750
$75,910
$173,140
Killeen-Temple
110
$94,520
$104,990
$60,730
$160,940
College Station-Bryan
100
$83,760
$91,970
$53,710
$134,260
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission
90
$80,500
$91,700
$55,970
$132,180
San Angelo
90
$75,930
$84,200
$63,350
$121,130
Sherman-Denison
70
$90,070
$106,860
$61,510
$165,050
Texarkana
70
$106,330
$103,060
$62,200
$166,430
Wichita Falls
60
$95,710
$92,880
$59,550
$124,000
Abilene
50
$99,460
$107,000
$68,460
$153,340
Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do mechanical engineers make in Texas?
The median annual wage for mechanical engineers in Texas is $112,410, above the national median of $104,110 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $91,420 at the 25th percentile to $145,090 at the 75th.
How many mechanical engineers work in Texas?
Texas holds about 22,080 mechanical engineer jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Nationally the occupation employs 296,810, and BLS projects about 18,100 openings per year through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34).
Do I need a license to work as a mechanical engineer in Texas?
Mechanical engineering follows the same Professional Engineer path the state boards administer: an ABET-accredited degree, the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering exam, qualifying experience, then the PE exam in mechanical engineering. What differs from civil is how often the license is actually needed. Many mechanical engineers work in manufacturing and product design under what is commonly called the industrial exemption and never license, while those who seal building systems drawings or hold responsible charge do. Whether a state accepts an ABET ETAC (engineering technology) degree toward licensure varies, and so do comity rules between states. Requirements are set at the state level and change periodically, so confirm the current rules with your state engineering licensing board before you enroll in any program.
Can I earn an ABET-accredited BSME online while working in Texas?
Often yes. Programs built for working adults deliver coursework online or in the evenings, though any required labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience are completed in person. Confirm that the program's accreditation satisfies your state engineering licensing board.
What is the highest-paying area of Texas for mechanical engineers?
Among Texas metro areas with published data, Houston reports the highest median at $125,350 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Is Texas a good state for mechanical engineers?
On pay, the state median of $112,410 sits above the national $104,110 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 0.82 means the occupation is less concentrated here than in the average state. Weigh that against cost of living and how concentrated the work is near where you actually want to live.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Mechanical Engineers (SOC 17-2141), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
