Mechanical Engineers salary in Corpus Christi, TX
Median pay for mechanical engineers in Corpus Christi, TX: $119,770/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $61,030 – $155,050 · about 250 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($95,605) by +$24,165 (+25%).
What it's really worth in Corpus Christi
With Corpus Christi's cost of living at 92 (US=100), that $119,770 has the buying power of about $130,591 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $64,005 · median home $225,070 · median rent $1,408/mo.
How Corpus Christi ranks for this job
On raw pay, Corpus Christi, TX is 10th of the 180 metros we hold mechanical engineers wages for. Once Corpus Christi's cost of living is applied, it ranks 6th.
Pay and living costs are roughly in step here, so Corpus Christi sits in much the same place whether you look at raw salary or spending power.
What that salary buys in Corpus Christi
A median home in Corpus Christi, TX costs $225,070 — about 1.9× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is more attainable here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $1,408/mo works out at 14% of gross pay — inside the conventional 30% affordability ceiling.
Where mechanical engineers earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Corpus Christi.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Corpus Christi | Rent vs Corpus Christi |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $153,520 | +28% | 2.6× |
| San Francisco, CA | $136,970 | +14% | 2.3× |
| Albuquerque, NM | $133,660 | +12% | 1.1× |
| Tyler, TX | $130,720 | +9% | 1× |
Same job elsewhere in TX
| Metro | Median pay | vs Corpus Christi | Rent vs Corpus Christi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tyler, TX | $130,720 | +9% | 1× |
| Beaumont, TX | $121,470 | +1% | 0.9× |
| Houston, TX | $119,550 | +0% | 1.2× |
| Austin, TX | $102,370 | −15% | 1.2× |
Staying in TX keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires mechanical engineers around Corpus Christi
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Valero Refining · Energy
- CITGO Petroleum · Energy
Other jobs in Corpus Christi
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 180 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.