Validation Engineer salary in Houston, TX
Based on 104 certified H-1B filings in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Sugar Land, Spring, Katy, Rosharon, Hockley.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $76,939 |
| 25th | $89,500 |
| 50th (median) | $105,000 |
| 75th | $132,496 |
| 90th | $159,474 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $95,000 | $76,674 | $100,500 | 73 |
| FY2021 | $91,448 | $81,058 | $106,489 | 42 |
| FY2022 | $95,000 | $85,000 | $126,998 | 41 |
| FY2023 | $90,000 | $72,072 | $111,800 | 25 |
| FY2024 | $117,009 | $97,051 | $126,660 | 28 |
| FY2025 | $101,754 | $80,000 | $130,000 | 57 |
| FY2026 | $119,250 | $102,042 | $142,215 | 47 |
Cost of living
Houston's median Validation Engineer salary of $105,000 is worth about $106,500 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Houston = 98.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Validation Engineers in the Houston, TX area earned a median of $130,270 in May 2025 (3,490 employed). The H-1B median here is $105,000, 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.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Schlumberger Technology | too few | 8 |
| Sineng Electric | too few | 6 |
| Nabors Drilling Technologies | too few | 4 |
| Rugged Robotics | too few | 4 |
| National Oilwell Varco, L.P. | too few | 3 |
| Paladin Drones | too few | 3 |
| Tesla | too few | 3 |
| DNV Energy | too few | 2 |
| Enerflex Energy Systems | too few | 2 |
| Kide International (The States) | 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 | $79,500 | 38 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $105,000 | 31 |
| Senior · Level III | $131,768 | 13 |
| Expert · Level IV | $159,474 | 16 |
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 | $76,939 | $79,500 | 38 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $104,083 | $105,000 | 31 |
| Senior · Level III | $131,768 | $131,768 | 13 |
| Expert · Level IV | $159,474 | $159,474 | 16 |
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.