Entry-level Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary in Houston, TX
Based on 43 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I 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 | $60,000 |
| 25th | $63,600 |
| 50th (median) | $69,816 |
| 75th | $80,000 |
| 90th | $106,200 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $56,880 | $50,097 | $67,100 | 15 |
| FY2021 | $56,850 | $50,938 | $62,085 | 15 |
| FY2022 | $63,000 | $58,760 | $64,813 | 21 |
| FY2023 | $56,281 | $50,000 | $68,180 | 34 |
| FY2024 | $73,000 | $59,952 | $93,910 | 35 |
| FY2025 | $69,816 | $63,473 | $78,763 | 34 |
| FY2026 | – | – | – | 9 |
Cost of living
Houston's median entry-level Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary of $69,816 is worth about $70,800 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 $69,816, 19% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center | $99,664 | 14 |
| The Methodist Hospital Research Institute | $67,836 | 11 |
| University of Houston | too few | 5 |
| Lonza Houston | too few | 2 |
| Prairie View A&M University | too few | 2 |
| Texas A&M University | too few | 2 |
| W.m. Rice University | 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 | $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.