Research Scientist (Computer Science) salary in Austin, TX
Based on 144 certified H-1B filings in the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Leander, Georgetown, Round Rock, Pflugerville, Cedar Park.
Also listed as: Machine Learning Engineer, AI Researcher
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $102,107 |
| 25th | $124,134 |
| 50th (median) | $150,000 |
| 75th | $172,250 |
| 90th | $193,040 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $115,981 | $107,526 | $139,000 | 27 |
| FY2021 | $124,800 | $106,449 | $148,591 | 35 |
| FY2022 | $124,800 | $108,482 | $144,516 | 54 |
| FY2023 | $145,080 | $126,690 | $171,000 | 49 |
| FY2024 | $153,600 | $130,100 | $179,756 | 54 |
| FY2025 | $148,415 | $128,500 | $171,500 | 78 |
| FY2026 | $151,100 | $124,134 | $172,250 | 66 |
Cost of living
Austin's median Research Scientist (Computer Science) salary of $150,000 is worth about $153,000 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Austin = 98.1).
Compared with all workers here
All Computer and Information Research Scientists in the Austin, TX area earned a median of $127,360 in May 2025 (300 employed). The H-1B median here is $150,000, 18% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $159,475 | 21 |
| Visa | $152,200 | 15 |
| NVIDIA | $160,000 | 14 |
| Meta | too few | 9 |
| webAI | too few | 7 |
| eBay | too few | 5 |
| The University of Texas at Austin | too few | 5 |
| Microsoft | too few | 4 |
| Apple | too few | 3 |
| Hp | 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 | $104,000 | 29 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $152,200 | 48 |
| Senior · Level III | $139,800 | 37 |
| Expert · Level IV | $178,600 | 30 |
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 | $76,294 | $104,000 | 29 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $102,107 | $152,200 | 48 |
| Senior · Level III | $124,134 | $139,800 | 37 |
| Expert · Level IV | $146,162 | $178,600 | 30 |
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.