Geoscientist salary in Houston, TX
Based on 74 certified H-1B filings in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Spring, The Woodlands, Sugar Land, Magnolia.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $82,597 |
| 25th | $103,500 |
| 50th (median) | $143,100 |
| 75th | $168,863 |
| 90th | $215,821 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $134,514 | $120,349 | $154,000 | 99 |
| FY2021 | $134,514 | $103,334 | $146,813 | 60 |
| FY2022 | $134,600 | $103,334 | $148,275 | 52 |
| FY2023 | $127,000 | $90,400 | $167,500 | 39 |
| FY2024 | $138,100 | $96,472 | $174,700 | 43 |
| FY2025 | $121,160 | $84,000 | $165,230 | 44 |
| FY2026 | $154,919 | $136,220 | $174,250 | 30 |
Cost of living
Houston's median Geoscientist salary of $143,100 is worth about $145,100 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Houston = 98.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers in the Houston, TX area earned a median of $174,490 in May 2025 (2,380 employed). The H-1B median here is $143,100, 18% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| BP America | $142,000 | 14 |
| Occidental Petroleum | too few | 7 |
| Schlumberger Technology | too few | 7 |
| Chevron | too few | 4 |
| Shell International Exploration and Production | too few | 4 |
| ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company | too few | 3 |
| Murphy Exploration & Production Company | too few | 3 |
| University of Houston | too few | 3 |
| Archer Oil Tools | too few | 2 |
| Borehole Seismic | 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 | $103,500 | 39 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $159,138 | 23 |
| Senior · Level III | – | 0 |
| Expert · Level IV | too few | 3 |
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 | $103,251 | $103,500 | 39 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $121,160 | $159,138 | 23 |
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.