Houston Hourly Wage & Salary 2026
Houston, TX: $23.76/hr median hourly wage, $49,410 median annual salary, cost of living index 96, and $7.25/hr minimum wage. Calculate take-home pay with federal and Texas taxes.
Houston Hourly Wage Quick Answer
The median hourly wage in Houston, TX is $23.76/hr,and the median annual wage is $49,410. Entry-level pay estimates around $14.73/hr, senior-level pay estimates around $33.74/hr, and the local minimum wage is $7.25/hr.
Median figures: BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metropolitan statistical area (3,289,720 jobs). BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city, so Houston shares this figure with the rest of its metro. Entry and senior levels are Salario estimates.
Median Salary
$49,410
$23.76/hr
Cost of Living
96
US avg = 100
Minimum Wage
$7.25
per hour
Unemployment
3.8%
rate
Houston, TX Overview
Population
2,304,580
Median Salary
$49,410
Average Salary
$67,610
Avg Commute
28 min
Median Home Price
$280,000
Median Rent
$1,350/mo
Job Growth
+2.5%
Sales Tax
8.25%
Houston is located in Texas with a population of 2,304,580. The median annual wage across all occupations is $49,410 ($23.76/hour, BLS OEWS May 2025, Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro), which is $1,570 below the national median of $50,980. The national median is the BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations median annual wage. The average commute time is 28 minutes, and the city has a job growth rate of +2.5%.
Houston Salary by Experience Level (2026)
Wage distribution in Houston, TX built around the $49,410 median salary (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro). Entry-level represents 10th–25th percentile; mid-level is the median; senior-level represents 75th–90th percentile. The non-median rows are Salario estimates.
| Experience Level | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage | Years Exp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level | $30,634 | $14.73/hr | 0–2 years |
| Mid-Level (Median) | $49,410 | $23.76/hr | 3–7 years |
| Senior-Level | $70,162 | $33.74/hr | 8–15 years |
| Top 10% (90th Percentile) | $87,950 | $42.29/hr | 15+ years / leadership |
Percentile multipliers (62%, 100%, 142%, 178%) are Salario approximations of the typical all-occupations wage spread in BLS OEWS metro tables; only the median row is a published BLS value. Specific roles vary; see jobs by city for role-specific data.
Houston Paycheck Calculator
Enter your annual salary to see your estimated take-home pay in Houston, TX, after federal, state, and local taxes.
Estimated Annual Take-Home Pay
$41,881
$3,490.08/month · $1,610.81/biweekly · Effective Rate: 15.2%
Biweekly paycheck estimate: this salary equals about $1,610.81 take-home per paycheck after estimated Texas and federal taxes. For the 26-paycheck formula, three-paycheck months, and withholding examples, see the Biweekly Paycheck Calculator.
Gross Pay
$49,410
Federal Tax
-$3,749
State Tax
$0
Local Tax
$0
FICA
-$3,780
Net Pay
$41,881
Pay Breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $4,117.50 | $49,410.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$312.43 | -$3,749.20 |
| Texas State Tax (0.00% eff.) | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$255.29 | -$3,063.42 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$59.70 | -$716.45 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $3,490.08 | $41,880.94 |
Salary Comparison: Houston vs Other Cities
See how Houston's median salary and cost of living compare to the national average and similar cities.
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adj. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston, TX | $49,410 | 96 | $51,469 |
| National Average | $50,980 | 100 | $50,980 |
| Grand Island, NE | $49,410 | 85 | $58,129 |
| Sugar Land, TX | $49,410 | 110 | $44,918 |
| Pasadena, TX | $49,410 | 88.5 | $55,831 |
| Pearland, TX | $49,410 | 98.5 | $50,162 |
Adjusted salary reflects purchasing power when cost of living is factored in. A higher adjusted salary means your money goes further.
Cost of Living in Houston
Houston's cost of living index is 96 (national average = 100). Living in Houston is 4% less expensive than the national average.
Median Home Price
$280,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,350
Annual Rent Cost
$16,200
Your Salary's Purchasing Power
Your $41,881 annual take-home pay in Houston has the purchasing power of approximately $43,626 in an average-cost US area. Your $49,410 salary stretches further here than in most US cities.
Top Industries in Houston
Houston's economy is driven by these key industries. Workers in top industries often earn significantly above the median salary of $49,410.
Salary Tips for Houston Workers
- No state income tax advantage. Texas has no state income tax, which means more of your paycheck stays in your pocket. Invest the savings in a Roth IRA or 401(k) for long-term growth.
- Research top industries. Houston's top industries include Energy, Healthcare, Aerospace. Targeting roles in these sectors can help you earn above the $49,410 median salary.
- Review your W-4 withholding. If you regularly receive large tax refunds, adjust your W-4 to increase your per-paycheck take-home pay instead of giving the government an interest-free loan.
Job Salaries in Houston, TX
Browse occupation-specific salaries for Houston. Figures marked BLS are the BLS OEWS May 2025 median annual wage for that occupation in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area (86 of 338); the rest are Salario estimates adjusted for Houston's cost of living. Each page connects the benchmark with local take-home pay and market context.
Other Cities in Texas
Huntsville
Hurst
Irving
Keller
Killeen
Kyle
La Porte
Lancaster
Laredo
League City
Lewisville
Longview
Methodology & Local Economy Data Sources
How we calculate Houston salary data: The median annual wage, median hourly wage and mean wage are the official BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations values for the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metropolitan statistical area, retrieved from the BLS Public Data API on September 17, 2026. BLS does not publish city-level wages, so every city inside that metro shows the same figure. The entry/senior/top-10% rows, the paycheck estimate and the purchasing-power conversion are Salario calculations built on that median. Cost-of-living adjustments use the C2ER Cost of Living Index baseline of 100 (national average), with Houston indexed at 96.
- Median salary: $49,410 annual, $23.76 hourly, BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX MSA (3,289,720 jobs surveyed). Mean wage $67,610 (BLS). Salario's previous modeled median for Houston was $65,000.
- Tax burden reflects Texas 2026 state income tax brackets and standard deduction (top rate 0%) (no local income tax), sales tax (8.25%), and federal taxes per IRS 2026 brackets.
- Unemployment rate for Houston: 3.8%, sourced from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
- Top industries: Energy, Healthcare, Aerospace, based on QCEW employment concentration data.
- Job growth: 2.5% projected through 2034, derived from BLS Employment Projections program for Texas.
- Housing context: median home price $280,000, median rent $1,350/mo, sourced from Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Authoritative US data sources for Houston, TX:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), metropolitan area salary data
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Houston unemployment rate
- U.S. Census Bureau, Houston QuickFacts, population, housing, demographics
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), county-level industry employment
- BLS Economy at a Glance, Texas, state economic indicators
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), local GDP and personal income data
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), regional inflation tracking
Disclaimer: Salary and cost data are estimates for general guidance. Individual compensation varies by employer, experience, education, negotiation, and skills. Houston's rapidly changing economy can shift these baselines, always verify with current job listings, employer offers, and recent Texas labor market reports for the most current figures.
Reviewed by Harlan Voss · Last updated September 17, 2026 · Wage figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 release (published May 2026) · Census data current as of latest releases
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hourly wage in Houston, TX?
The median hourly wage in Houston, TX is $23.76 per hour, the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for all occupations in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metropolitan area, and the BLS median annual wage is $49,410. Entry-level workers are estimated around $14.73/hr, while senior-level workers are estimated around $33.74/hr before overtime, bonuses, or benefits (Salario estimates, not BLS percentiles).
What is the median salary in Houston, TX?
The median salary in Houston, TX is $49,410 per year, or $23.76 per hour (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area). The BLS mean salary is $67,610. This is $1,570 below the BLS national median of $50,980.
What is the cost of living in Houston, TX?
Houston's cost of living index is 96 (national average = 100), meaning it is 4% less expensive compared to the national average. The median home price is $280,000 and the median monthly rent is $1,350.
What are the best industries in Houston?
The top industries in Houston, TX include Energy, Healthcare, Aerospace. The city has a job growth rate of 2.5% and an unemployment rate of 3.8%. Workers in these industries often earn above the city's median salary of $49,410.
How does Houston's salary compare to other cities?
Houston's median salary of $49,410 is 3.1% below the national median of $50,980. However, when adjusted for cost of living (index: 96), the real purchasing power is approximately $51,469.
What is the minimum wage in Houston, TX?
The minimum wage in Houston, TX is $7.25 per hour. This equals approximately $15,080 per year for a full-time worker (40 hours/week). This matches the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour.