Expert Validation Engineer salary in Houston, TX
Based on 16 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Sugar Land, Spring, Katy, Rosharon, Hockley.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $151,362 |
| 25th | $151,362 |
| 50th (median) | $159,474 |
| 75th | $187,954 |
| 90th | $195,711 |
Cost of living
Houston's median expert Validation Engineer salary of $159,474 is worth about $161,700 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 $159,474, 22% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| DNV Energy | 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.