Materials Scientist salary in Houston, TX
Based on 117 certified H-1B filings in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Freeport, Lake Jackson, Sugar Land, The Woodlands, Sealy.
Also listed as: Research Associate Materials Science
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $58,534 |
| 25th | $75,481 |
| 50th (median) | $93,746 |
| 75th | $111,925 |
| 90th | $118,102 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $107,162 | $70,000 | $117,900 | 21 |
| FY2021 | $90,000 | $72,500 | $120,399 | 29 |
| FY2022 | $92,893 | $67,093 | $131,764 | 16 |
| FY2023 | $88,780 | $56,363 | $111,000 | 24 |
| FY2024 | $78,306 | $60,000 | $114,250 | 30 |
| FY2025 | $93,746 | $71,261 | $116,210 | 64 |
| FY2026 | $90,834 | $80,000 | $106,995 | 53 |
Cost of living
Houston's median Materials Scientist salary of $93,746 is worth about $95,000 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Houston = 98.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Materials Scientists in the Houston, TX area earned a median of $75,360 in May 2025 (90 employed). The H-1B median here is $93,746, 24% higher.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| The Dow Chemical Company | $93,746 | 58 |
| W.m. Rice University | $62,000 | 11 |
| Underwriters Laboratories | $112,000 | 10 |
| University of Houston | too few | 7 |
| Applied Optoelectronics | too few | 6 |
| Chekit Lab | too few | 2 |
| ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company | too few | 2 |
| Hailiang Copper Texas | too few | 2 |
| Huntsman International | too few | 2 |
| OYH Construction Materials | 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 | $58,530 | 20 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $75,000 | 13 |
| Senior · Level III | $93,746 | 65 |
| Expert · Level IV | $114,917 | 19 |
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 | $48,797 | $58,530 | 20 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $74,672 | $75,000 | 13 |
| Senior · Level III | $93,746 | $93,746 | 65 |
| Expert · Level IV | $106,995 | $114,917 | 19 |
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.