Expert QA Engineer salary in Houston, TX
Based on 68 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Katy, Spring, Cypress, Fulshear, Richmond.
Also listed as: Software Tester, Test Automation Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $121,098 |
| 25th | $124,862 |
| 50th (median) | $124,952 |
| 75th | $144,612 |
| 90th | $166,244 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $112,694 | $112,694 | $125,231 | 10 |
| FY2021 | – | – | – | 6 |
| FY2022 | $117,100 | $107,697 | $132,500 | 15 |
| FY2023 | $120,000 | $112,611 | $130,000 | 33 |
| FY2024 | $128,600 | $117,471 | $141,785 | 26 |
| FY2025 | $124,883 | $124,883 | $145,483 | 37 |
| FY2026 | $130,000 | $121,098 | $142,161 | 31 |
Cost of living
Houston's median expert QA Engineer salary of $124,952 is worth about $126,700 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Houston = 98.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers in the Houston, TX area earned a median of $98,690 in May 2025 (2,420 employed). The H-1B median here is $124,952, 27% higher.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Academy | too few | 4 |
| Hp | too few | 4 |
| Accenture | too few | 3 |
| USA Waste-Management Resources | too few | 3 |
| Cognizant | too few | 2 |
| Deloitte | too few | 2 |
| IBM | too few | 2 |
| American General Life Insurance Company | too few | 2 |
| Birlasoft | too few | 2 |
| Conga | 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 | $66,811 | 44 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $84,906 | 261 |
| Senior · Level III | $110,000 | 92 |
| Expert · Level IV | $124,952 | 68 |
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 | $62,754 | $66,811 | 44 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $83,470 | $84,906 | 261 |
| Senior · Level III | $103,002 | $110,000 | 92 |
| Expert · Level IV | $121,098 | $124,952 | 68 |
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.