Expert Data Scientist salary in Houston, TX
Based on 146 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Katy, Spring, Sugar Land, Richmond, Cypress.
Also listed as: Machine Learning Scientist
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $129,251 |
| 25th | $133,100 |
| 50th (median) | $143,234 |
| 75th | $164,308 |
| 90th | $185,428 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 5 |
| FY2021 | – | – | – | 7 |
| FY2022 | $140,000 | $115,000 | $150,700 | 17 |
| FY2023 | $150,000 | $136,635 | $165,700 | 33 |
| FY2024 | $132,950 | $120,000 | $155,000 | 56 |
| FY2025 | $144,398 | $130,000 | $164,647 | 63 |
| FY2026 | $143,000 | $134,007 | $163,520 | 83 |
Cost of living
Houston's median expert Data Scientist salary of $143,234 is worth about $145,200 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Houston = 98.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Data Scientists in the Houston, TX area earned a median of $106,750 in May 2025 (4,060 employed). The H-1B median here is $143,234, 34% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hp | too few | 4 |
| National Oilwell Varco, L.P. | too few | 4 |
| Solar Service Experts | too few | 4 |
| IBM | too few | 3 |
| JPMorgan Chase | too few | 3 |
| ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company | too few | 3 |
| SCI Shared Resources | too few | 3 |
| The Methodist Hospital Research Institute | too few | 3 |
| Siemens | too few | 2 |
| Aveva Software | 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 | $67,517 | 249 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $89,967 | 422 |
| Senior · Level III | $118,893 | 157 |
| Expert · Level IV | $143,234 | 146 |
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 | $58,677 | $67,517 | 249 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $89,378 | $89,967 | 422 |
| Senior · Level III | $111,218 | $118,893 | 157 |
| Expert · Level IV | $133,078 | $143,234 | 146 |
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.