Ship Engineer Salary in Houston, TX
Ship Engineers in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area earn a median $131,260 a year — 20% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $100,982 take-home, or $8,415 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median ship engineer salary in Houston, TX. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$20,236
- Social Security (6.2%)$8,138
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,903
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$100,982
Marginal rate: 24% federal + 0.00% state
Ship Engineer pay by experience in Houston, TX
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $95,210 | $45.77 | $75,810 | $6,318 |
| 25th percentile | $116,350 | $55.94 | $90,682 | $7,557 |
| Median (50th) | $131,260 | $63.11 | $100,982 | $8,415 |
| 75th percentile | $140,070 | $67.34 | $107,004 | $8,917 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $150,730 | $72.47 | $114,290 | $9,524 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Texas resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $131,260 buys in Houston, TX
Prices in Houston, TX are 1.4% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.05× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median ship engineer's $100,982 take-home pay has the buying power of $102,386 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Houston, TX has 2.9× the national concentration of ship engineer jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for ship engineers, adjusted for cost of living
Houston, TX ranks #1 of 6 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houston, TX | $131,260 | $100,982 | $102,386 |
| 2 | Jacksonville, FL | $130,600 | $100,531 | $101,053 |
| 3 | Miami, FL | $129,700 | $99,916 | $87,527 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $122,820 | $89,007 | $79,073 |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | $108,900 | $85,441 | $76,882 |
| 6 | Virginia Beach, VA | $82,370 | $62,855 | $64,177 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 6 metros →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a ship engineer make in Houston, TX?
The median ship engineer salary in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area is $131,260 a year, or about $63.11 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $116,350 and $140,070.
What is a ship engineer’s take-home pay in Houston, TX?
On the median $131,260 salary, a single filer living in Texas takes home about $100,982 a year ($8,415 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Houston, TX a good place to work as a ship engineer?
Pay here is 20% above the national median of $109,530. Local prices are 1.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $102,386 would in a typical U.S. city. Houston, TX ranks #1 of 6 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a ship engineer afford rent in Houston, TX?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Houston, TX is $1,316 a month ($1,558 for two bedrooms) — 16% of a median ship engineer’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Houston, TX
- Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers — $239,200+
- Commercial Pilot — $131,420
- Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels — $118,830
- Transportation Inspector — $92,570
- Wellhead Pumper — $79,720
- Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers — $76,670
- Crane and Tower Operator — $75,500
- Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders — $61,220
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors — $60,760
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver — $56,840
- Sailor and Marine Oiler — $55,610
- Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity — $50,430