Senior Data Engineer salary in Houston, TX
Based on 47 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Katy, Spring, Richmond, Sugar Land, Fulshear.
Also listed as: Database Architect, Data Architect
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $127,379 |
| 25th | $127,500 |
| 50th (median) | $136,386 |
| 75th | $153,184 |
| 90th | $178,200 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 2 |
| FY2021 | $86,809 | $84,490 | $114,240 | 16 |
| FY2022 | $105,186 | $96,900 | $127,500 | 15 |
| FY2023 | $116,085 | $105,186 | $140,000 | 19 |
| FY2024 | $139,566 | $133,500 | $145,450 | 14 |
| FY2025 | $145,600 | $136,386 | $155,000 | 23 |
| FY2026 | $127,740 | $127,379 | $148,597 | 24 |
Cost of living
Houston's median senior Data Engineer salary of $136,386 is worth about $138,300 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Houston = 98.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Database Architects in the Houston, TX area earned a median of $139,100 in May 2025 (780 employed). The H-1B median here is $136,386, 2% lower.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| IBM | too few | 3 |
| Boyd Watterson Asset Management | too few | 2 |
| Capco Consulting Services | too few | 2 |
| Cigna-Evernorth Services | too few | 2 |
| Compunnel Software Group | too few | 2 |
| Experis | too few | 2 |
| Mphasis | too few | 2 |
| Spurcroft | too few | 2 |
| Techwave Consulting | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $94,100 | 16 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $115,700 | 82 |
| Senior · Level III | $136,386 | 47 |
| Expert · Level IV | $159,245 | 47 |
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 | $90,688 | $94,100 | 16 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $102,294 | $115,700 | 82 |
| Senior · Level III | $127,379 | $136,386 | 47 |
| Expert · Level IV | $152,485 | $159,245 | 47 |
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.