Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary in Houston, TX
Based on 140 certified H-1B filings in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Prairie View, Galveston, Meadows Place, Stafford, Sugar Land.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $63,179 |
| 25th | $67,550 |
| 50th (median) | $76,348 |
| 75th | $101,500 |
| 90th | $122,746 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $61,000 | $53,172 | $76,114 | 49 |
| FY2021 | $68,848 | $57,456 | $82,752 | 69 |
| FY2022 | $66,087 | $61,401 | $90,000 | 80 |
| FY2023 | $61,992 | $55,080 | $90,000 | 81 |
| FY2024 | $67,799 | $60,000 | $91,500 | 93 |
| FY2025 | $74,200 | $67,481 | $100,255 | 93 |
| FY2026 | $79,997 | $70,000 | $107,500 | 47 |
Cost of living
Houston's median Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary of $76,348 is worth about $77,400 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Houston = 98.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Molecular and Cellular Biologists in the Houston, TX area earned a median of $86,440 in May 2025 (530 employed). The H-1B median here is $76,348, 12% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center | $111,143 | 30 |
| Baylor College of Medicine | $72,405 | 29 |
| The Methodist Hospital Research Institute | $71,215 | 27 |
| The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston | $68,971 | 10 |
| W.m. Rice University | too few | 6 |
| University of Houston | too few | 5 |
| Lonza Houston | too few | 4 |
| CellChorus | too few | 3 |
| Prairie View A&M University | too few | 3 |
| Texas A&M University | too few | 3 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $69,816 | 43 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $80,000 | 27 |
| Senior · Level III | $105,000 | 15 |
| Expert · Level IV | $103,126 | 11 |
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 | $58,469 | $69,816 | 43 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $64,813 | $80,000 | 27 |
| Senior · Level III | $72,405 | $105,000 | 15 |
| Expert · Level IV | $79,373 | $103,126 | 11 |
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.