Electrical Engineering Salary in Texas: Is It a Good Career?
Texas · 2026 BLS salary data
Electrical Engineering pay in Texas
The median wage is $129,450/yr — 7% above the national median. Among U.S. states, Texasranks #6 of 49 states by median pay.
The numbers in Texas
Real BLS state-level figures for Electrical Engineering.
- Median salary
- $129,450/yr
- Pay range (25th–75th)
- $95,130 – $164,730
- National median
- $120,630/yr
- Employed in Texas
- 20,870
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS), state estimates, May 2025 release.
What that pay is really worth in Texas
Salary alone can mislead — Texas costs 3% less than the U.S. average. Here's the median adjusted for local prices (real purchasing power).
- Cost of living (US=100)
- 97.1
- Nominal median
- $129,450
- Adjusted for cost of living
- ≈ $133,316
- State income tax
- None
Texas levies no state income tax, so more of that pay stays in your pocket than in high-tax states.
Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities (all items, US=100), 2024. Adjusted pay = nominal median ÷ (RPP/100) — purchasing power vs the U.S. average. State income tax = top marginal rate on wage income (Tax Foundation, 2025); your effective rate is lower and depends on income and deductions.
FAQ
How much do electrical engineering professionals make in Texas?
The median annual wage is $129,450 (BLS OEWS, state estimates), with the middle 50% earning between $95,130 and $164,730. That's 7% above the national median.
Is Texas a good state for electrical engineering?
By raw pay, Texas ranks #6 of 49 states by median pay. Adjusted for cost of living (Texas costs 3% less than the U.S. average), that median is worth about $133,316. And with no state income tax, more of that pay stays in your pocket.
Are electrical engineering professionals in demand in Texas?
About 20,870 people work in this field in Texas (BLS OEWS). Nationally, BLS projects +7.2% employment growth for this field from 2024 to 2034.
The verdict
Yes — electrical engineering offers high pay from a bachelor's degree and demand riding the chip, energy, and electrification booms. It's one of the harder degrees, but the payoff and stability are excellent.
- Worth it If you want high pay from a bachelor's in a growing field
- Worth it If you're strong in math and can handle a rigorous degree
- Not worth it If you struggle with heavy math or want an easy path
Pros & cons
Pros
- High pay from a bachelor's degree
- Demand from chips, energy, and electrification
- Versatile across hardware, power, and embedded systems
- Faster-than-average projected growth
- Strong path into specialized, high-paying niches
Cons
- One of the most rigorous, math-heavy degrees
- Steep learning curve
- Some roles require on-site or lab work
- PE license needed for certain positions
Who it's for
✓ A good fit if…
- Strong math students who like abstract systems
- People wanting high pay from a bachelor's
- Anyone drawn to electronics, power, or hardware
✗ Probably not if…
- People who struggle with heavy math
- Those wanting a low-effort degree
What people are actually asking
Real Reddit discussions on whether Electrical Engineering is worth it — titles link to the original threads.
- “Is electrical engineering a good career?”r/ElectricalEngineeringquestioning
- “Is it worth becoming an electrical engineer?”r/ElectricalEngineeringquestioning
- “Is electrical engineering as fun and interesting when you ...”r/ElectricalEngineeringmixed
- “Is EE degree overrated or no how is the pay and are you ...”r/ElectricalEngineeringmixed
- “Future outlook of Electrical Engineering”r/ElectricalEngineeringfuture/AI-anxiety
- “Do you guys feel like electrical engineering is a good ...”r/ElectricalEngineeringmixed
- “Pros and cons of studying EE?”r/ElectricalEngineeringnegative/caution