Data Scientist Salary in Houston, TX
Data Scientists in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area earn a median $106,750 a year — 11% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $83,929 take-home, or $6,994 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median data scientist salary in Houston, TX. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$14,655
- Social Security (6.2%)$6,619
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,548
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$83,929
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 0.00% state
Data Scientist pay by experience in Houston, TX
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $62,980 | $30.28 | $52,784 | $4,399 |
| 25th percentile | $81,300 | $39.09 | $66,025 | $5,502 |
| Median (50th) | $106,750 | $51.32 | $83,929 | $6,994 |
| 75th percentile | $141,290 | $67.93 | $107,838 | $8,986 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $167,230 | $80.40 | $125,568 | $10,464 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Texas resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $106,750 buys in Houston, TX
Prices in Houston, TX are 1.4% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.05× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median data scientist's $83,929 take-home pay has the buying power of $85,095 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Data Scientist jobs are less concentrated in Houston, TX than nationally (location quotient 0.73), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for data scientists, adjusted for cost of living
Houston, TX ranks #27 of 72 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $164,740 | $123,866 | $111,457 |
| 2 | San Jose, CA | $185,080 | $122,415 | $110,860 |
| 3 | Austin, TX | $127,360 | $98,317 | $100,256 |
| 4 | Charlotte, NC | $132,460 | $97,026 | $99,669 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $170,110 | $113,734 | $98,375 |
| 6 | Dallas, TX | $127,750 | $98,583 | $95,628 |
| 7 | Jacksonville, FL | $122,680 | $95,118 | $95,611 |
| 8 | Bridgeport, CT | $141,760 | $101,803 | $95,264 |
| 27 | Houston, TX | $106,750 | $83,929 | $85,095 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 72 metros →
Data Scientist salaries elsewhere in Texas
- Austin, TX — $127,360
- Dallas, TX — $127,750
- San Antonio, TX — $103,290
Frequently asked questions
How much does a data scientist make in Houston, TX?
The median data scientist salary in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area is $106,750 a year, or about $51.32 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $81,300 and $141,290.
What is a data scientist’s take-home pay in Houston, TX?
On the median $106,750 salary, a single filer living in Texas takes home about $83,929 a year ($6,994 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Houston, TX a good place to work as a data scientist?
Pay here is 11% below the national median of $120,230. Local prices are 1.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $85,095 would in a typical U.S. city. Houston, TX ranks #27 of 72 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a data scientist afford rent in Houston, TX?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Houston, TX is $1,316 a month ($1,558 for two bedrooms) — 19% of a median data scientist’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Houston, TX
- Database Architect — $139,100
- Software Developer — $129,440
- Information Security Analyst — $126,370
- Computer Network Architect — $124,900
- Database Administrator — $116,030
- Computer Systems Analyst — $113,440
- Computer Occupations, All Other — $105,440
- Network and Computer Systems Administrator — $101,430
- Software Quality Assurance Analyst and Tester — $98,690
- Web and Digital Interface Designer — $96,750
- Computer Programmer — $96,440
- Web Developer — $89,040