Entry-level Physicist salary in Houston, TX
Based on 15 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Katy, Sugar Land, Humble, The Woodlands, Conroe.
Also listed as: Medical Physicist, Assistant Physicist
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $57,222 |
| 25th | $60,000 |
| 50th (median) | $62,000 |
| 75th | $78,698 |
| 90th | $110,640 |
Cost of living
Houston's median entry-level Physicist salary of $62,000 is worth about $62,900 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Houston = 98.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Physicists in the Houston, TX area earned a median of $199,770 in May 2025 (140 employed). The H-1B median here is $62,000, 69% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| W.m. Rice University | too few | 9 |
| Applied Optoelectronics | 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 | $62,000 | 15 |
| Mid-level · Level II | too few | 3 |
| 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 | $55,370 | $62,000 | 15 |
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.