Texas continues to attract advanced manufacturing investment at pace, and the competition for engineering talent has never been tighter. Here's how the four major metros look heading through 2026.
Where the demand is
- Dallas-Fort Worth: aerospace, defense, semiconductors, food and industrial equipment
- Houston: energy, petrochemical, equipment manufacturing and a growing advanced-manufacturing base
- Austin: semiconductors and advanced electronics, with major fab expansion
- San Antonio: automotive, aerospace, and food & beverage production
Base-salary ranges (direct hire)
Typical first-year base salaries we're seeing across Texas:
- Manufacturing / Process Engineers: $80,000–$120,000
- Controls & Automation Engineers: $95,000–$135,000
- Quality & Reliability Engineers: $80,000–$115,000
- Engineering / Plant Managers: $130,000–$180,000+
Ranges vary by industry, shift, and experience — reach out for a tailored benchmark on a specific role.
Skills in demand
- PLC/SCADA and automation experience (Rockwell, Siemens)
- Lean / Six Sigma and continuous improvement
- Quality standards (ISO 9001, IATF 16949, AS9100)
- Process safety (PSM) for Gulf Coast roles