Expert Systems Engineer / Architect salary in Houston, TX
Based on 376 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Spring, Katy, Richmond, Cypress, The Woodlands.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $135,512 |
| 25th | $140,005 |
| 50th (median) | $141,960 |
| 75th | $164,276 |
| 90th | $189,464 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $115,800 | $112,694 | $132,680 | 177 |
| FY2021 | $120,000 | $105,000 | $132,248 | 195 |
| FY2022 | $120,349 | $106,000 | $140,761 | 250 |
| FY2023 | $129,777 | $120,349 | $152,700 | 254 |
| FY2024 | $140,005 | $117,666 | $155,250 | 304 |
| FY2025 | $140,005 | $140,005 | $160,270 | 205 |
| FY2026 | $145,000 | $135,512 | $169,047 | 171 |
Cost of living
Houston's median expert Systems Engineer / Architect salary of $141,960 is worth about $143,900 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Houston = 98.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Computer Systems Engineers/Architects in the Houston, TX area earned a median of $105,440 in May 2025 (11,460 employed). The H-1B median here is $141,960, 35% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Cognizant | $140,005 | 35 |
| Accenture | $150,000 | 33 |
| Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company | $140,005 | 29 |
| HCLTech | $140,005 | 19 |
| Academy | $140,005 | 15 |
| Infosys | too few | 8 |
| Hp | too few | 8 |
| Salesforce | too few | 5 |
| Schlumberger Technology | too few | 5 |
| IBM | too few | 4 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $67,040 | 92 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $85,634 | 788 |
| Senior · Level III | $112,819 | 448 |
| Expert · Level IV | $141,960 | 376 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $58,448 | $67,040 | 92 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $85,634 | $85,634 | 788 |
| Senior · Level III | $108,243 | $112,819 | 448 |
| Expert · Level IV | $135,512 | $141,960 | 376 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.