Senior Systems Engineer / Architect salary in Houston, TX
Based on 448 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Spring, Katy, Richmond, Cypress, The Woodlands.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $108,243 |
| 25th | $108,243 |
| 50th (median) | $112,819 |
| 75th | $128,000 |
| 90th | $146,502 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $95,000 | $94,120 | $108,186 | 204 |
| FY2021 | $91,600 | $84,490 | $110,000 | 170 |
| FY2022 | $95,000 | $88,000 | $120,000 | 204 |
| FY2023 | $107,672 | $94,619 | $140,000 | 212 |
| FY2024 | $112,819 | $94,598 | $126,007 | 264 |
| FY2025 | $112,819 | $112,819 | $128,000 | 267 |
| FY2026 | $108,243 | $108,243 | $128,000 | 181 |
Cost of living
Houston's median senior Systems Engineer / Architect salary of $112,819 is worth about $114,400 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 $112,819, 7% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Infosys | $108,243 | 78 |
| Cognizant | $112,819 | 67 |
| HCLTech | $122,869 | 29 |
| Wipro | $112,819 | 11 |
| LTIMindtree | $112,819 | 10 |
| Kaar Technologies | too few | 9 |
| Mphasis | too few | 9 |
| Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company | too few | 6 |
| Microsoft | too few | 5 |
| New Math Data | too few | 5 |
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.