Network Engineer.
Houston.
$121,000
median salary, 7% below the national average
$95,000 to $153,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
Network Engineer pay in Houston ranges from $95,000 to $153,000 in 2026. The median is $121,000, 7% below the national average. Houston's economy is deeply rooted in energy, with a growing presence in healthcare, aerospace, and technology. Every dollar in that range is negotiable if you come prepared. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Network Engineer in Houston, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $124,900 for Computer Network Architects (SOC 15-1241) in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metropolitan area, based on 2,200 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$67,020
25th percentile
$82,550
Median
$124,900
75th percentile
$158,220
90th percentile
$171,760
Workers surveyed
2,200
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Computer Network Architects (SOC 15-1241) rather than Network Engineer specifically. The Houstonrange at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 15-1241Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $109,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$79,000
to $97,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$103,000
to $127,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$133,000
to $157,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$151,000
to $188,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $28,000 to the total package.
Base
$121,000
Equity
$16,000
Bonus
$10,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $149,000
How Houston compares.
Houston, TX
$121,000
Cost of living: 3% below average
National Average
$130,000
Houston is $9,000 below
Network Engineer salary by city.
Salary by role in Houston.
What you should know.
If you are interviewing for Network Engineer roles in Houston, here is what you are walking into. Houston's economy is deeply rooted in energy, with a growing presence in healthcare, aerospace, and technology. The Texas Medical Center is the world's largest, driving massive demand for clinical and research roles. Houston's low cost of living and no state income tax make it an attractive destination for professionals seeking strong purchasing power. CCIE certification remains the single largest salary differentiator, adding 20 to 30% to base pay. Engineers managing SD-WAN rollouts, hybrid cloud networking, or large-scale data center fabrics command premium rates. Telecom and financial services sectors consistently offer the highest compensation for network specialists.
Help desk and NOC technicians start at $50,000 to $65,000, advancing to network engineer at $78,000 to $135,000 in three to five years. Senior network architects earn $140,000 to $180,000, and director of network engineering roles reach $185,000 to $240,000. In Houston, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. Bonuses of 8 to 15% are standard, with on-call stipends adding $5,000 to $12,000 annually. Employers frequently cover CCIE lab fees and ongoing Cisco or Juniper certification renewals as part of retention packages. And on the tax side: texas has no state income tax, giving Houston workers strong take home pay. The city's overall cost of living is below the national average, further stretching your salary. When someone quotes you $121,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Emphasize industry specialization in energy or healthcare. Houston employers pay significant premiums for domain expertise in these sectors over generalist candidates. The range for Network Engineers in Houston runs from $95,000 to $153,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
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Common questions.
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