Houston, TX
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H1BIndex City Grade
i
B
FY 2026
2023
A
2024
A
2025
A+
City Visa Volume i
1,140
Filings in FY 2026
Median City Pay i
$106,080
Typical yearly salary
True Purchasing Power i
$114,681
Adjusted for Cost of Living
Green Card Rate i
27.20%
Transition to Residency
City Data Overview
An automated review of Houston's tech ecosystem, salaries, and residency sponsorship.High Job Volume: "B"
Employers in the city process a massive number of work visas. They filed 1,140 applications, earning an H1B Index Rating of "B".
High Remote Work
Working remotely for out-of-state companies is common here. Exactly 39.3% of sponsored workers based in Houston work for employers in other states.
Direct Hiring Market
Companies in the area build their own internal talent pools. Because of this, 75.2% of the local workforce avoids outside client work entirely.
Senior Compensation Scale
Federal data shows a clear jump in salaries. Professionals who reach senior status in Houston make about 2.2x more than entry-level workers.
Early Career Sponsorship
Employers in the local area are willing to sponsor junior workers for the long term. The average experience needed is exactly 24 months.
Normal Market Risk
Only 0.3% of active sponsors reported workforce cuts. The regional visa denial rate for the local area sits at a safe 0.4%.
Layoff Radar & Risk Indicators
Minor Displacement Notice
Slight Regional Layoffs: Data indicates a 0.3% layoff reporting rate among sponsors in the Houston area.
Top Companies
The leading companies driving the foreign talent market in Houston.The University Of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
45 Local Filings
$76,400
-28.0% City Avg
Ernst & Young U.S. LLP
42 Local Filings
$181,750
+71.3% City Avg
Infosys Limited
33 Local Filings
$83,470
-21.3% City Avg
Baylor College Of Medicine
31 Local Filings
$66,492
-37.3% City Avg
Corporate Solutions General Inc.
27 Local Filings
$90,522
-14.7% City Avg
Mphasis Corporation
24 Local Filings
$120,837
+13.9% City Avg
The University Of Texas Health Science Center At Houston
22 Local Filings
$86,760
-18.2% City Avg
The Methodist Hospital Research Institute
18 Local Filings
$70,852
-33.2% City Avg
Hiring & Green Card Data
How companies acquire and retain talent.Talent Origin Pipeline
Fresh Hires (57.0%)Transfers/Poached (43.0%)
Green Card (PERM) Conversion i
27.20% of active filings transition to residency.
10-Year Salary Trends
Tracking the 10-year salary growth for tech workers in Houston. Decade Hub Rising: +45.1%. Historical census tracking demonstrates clean wage trajectory growth within this metropolitan employment sector.
Lower Permanent Wage Baseline: -$3,226. Local data reveals current permanent residency filings match a 3.0% reduction compared to temporary contractor price values.
Most Common Job Titles i
The most frequently sponsored positions.Job Title & Market DataTotal Approvals
6.0% Share
68
3.6% Share
41
1.7% Share
19
1.6% Share
18
1.5% Share
17
O*NET Wage Level Distribution
Experience requirements matched against pay tiers.| Experience Level | Total Filings | Cohort Size | Minimum Base | Median Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry Level (Level I) | 227 | 19.9% | $34,736 | $76,400 |
| Qualified (Level II) | 435 | 38.2% | $49,202 | $105,976 |
| Experienced (Level III) | 178 | 15.6% | $60,000 | $129,862 |
| Fully Competent (Level IV) | 205 | 18.0% | $70,000 | $165,000 |
| Not Disclosed (Blank) | 95 | 8.3% | $39,000 | $99,225 |
Top Local Industries
The top sectors operating in Houston.| Economic Sector | Total Filings | Market Share | Median Pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Tech Services | 678 | 59.5% | $106,000 |
| Educational Services | 160 | 14.0% | $72,100 |
| Unspecified / Blank | 117 | 10.3% | $149,718 |
| Manufacturing | 66 | 5.8% | $130,520 |
| Finance & Insurance | 40 | 3.5% | $126,418 |
| Healthcare & Social Assistance | 19 | 1.7% | $108,118 |
| Construction | 17 | 1.5% | $105,774 |
| Wholesale Trade | 17 | 1.5% | $100,000 |
| Information & Tech | 13 | 1.1% | $135,512 |
| Retail Trade | 13 | 1.1% | $118,800 |
Law Firms & Third-Party Work i
Leading legal counsel for visas.Law Firm & Market DataTotal Approvals
9.7% Share
74
8.6% Share
66
6.5% Share
50
6.5% Share
50
3.3% Share
25
Top Third-Party End Clients i
Where consultants are deployed.End Client & Placement DataTotal Approvals
3.9% Share
11
3.5% Share
10
3.2% Share
9
2.5% Share
7
2.1% Share
6
Highest Density Zip Codes i
The most active areas for talent.Zip Code & Hub DemographicsTotal Approvals
17.2% Hub Share
196
9.8% Hub Share
112
6.6% Hub Share
75
5.5% Hub Share
63
4.6% Hub Share
52
Historical Visa Volume
10-Year Labor Condition Application history for Houston.💡 Click on the legend labels below to filter data.
Historical Green Card Data
10-Year Permanent Residency sponsorship volume.💡 Click on the legend labels below to filter data.
Noticing a difference in dates? Salary metrics reflect real-time DOL filings, while approval metrics rely on finalized USCIS historical data. View timelines
Complete Employer List
A detailed ledger of all employers operating in Houston.| Local Employer | Total Filings | Market Share | Maximum Salary | Median Salary | Minimum Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The University Of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center | 45 | 3.9% | $273,331 | $76,400 | $50,000 |
| Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | 42 | 3.7% | $313,664 | $181,750 | $97,674 |
| Infosys Limited | 33 | 2.9% | $188,888 | $83,470 | $80,974 |
| Baylor College Of Medicine | 31 | 2.7% | $325,000 | $66,492 | $56,712 |
| Corporate Solutions General Inc. | 27 | 2.4% | $160,000 | $90,522 | $68,910 |
| Mphasis Corporation | 24 | 2.1% | $160,000 | $120,837 | $71,000 |
| The University Of Texas Health Science Center At Houston | 22 | 1.9% | $379,167 | $86,760 | $61,884 |
| The Methodist Hospital Research Institute | 18 | 1.6% | $134,821 | $70,852 | $40,000 |
| Deloitte Consulting LLP | 16 | 1.4% | $210,787 | $149,718 | $106,558 |
| Houston Independent School District | 16 | 1.4% | $90,000 | $78,875 | $65,000 |
| Ltimindtree Limited | 15 | 1.3% | $135,000 | $96,201 | $80,975 |
| Zeus Solutions Inc. | 12 | 1.1% | $144,000 | $105,976 | $67,517 |
| University Of Houston | 12 | 1.1% | $120,500 | $78,000 | $51,000 |
| Jpmorgan Chase & Co. | 12 | 1.1% | $225,000 | $157,500 | $115,029 |
| Pricewaterhousecoopers Advisory Services LLC | 12 | 1.1% | $207,000 | $173,000 | $150,000 |
| Harmony Public Schools | 12 | 1.1% | $64,730 | $53,540 | $53,540 |
| Rj Systems Inc. | 10 | 0.9% | $110,000 | $83,440 | $71,531 |
| Accenture LLP | 9 | 0.8% | $203,100 | $143,800 | $104,400 |
| Data Strategies Interchange LLC | 9 | 0.8% | $132,000 | $120,000 | $89,500 |
| Bechtel Energy Inc. | 9 | 0.8% | $202,728 | $190,488 | $95,772 |
| Wipro Limited | 8 | 0.7% | $190,000 | $106,500 | $79,102 |
| Schlumberger Technology Corporation | 8 | 0.7% | $214,680 | $136,500 | $97,350 |
| W.M. Rice University | 8 | 0.7% | $80,000 | $65,998 | $60,000 |
| Amazon.com Services LLC | 7 | 0.6% | $183,900 | $118,800 | $105,685 |
| Burns & Mcdonnell Engineering Company, Inc. | 7 | 0.6% | $178,676 | $147,202 | $99,246 |
| Wood Group USA, Inc. | 7 | 0.6% | $235,020 | $186,368 | $90,244 |
| Schrill Technologies Inc. | 6 | 0.5% | $135,600 | $107,110 | $95,597 |
| Nabors Corporate Services, Inc. | 6 | 0.5% | $205,000 | $151,680 | $140,080 |
| Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. | 6 | 0.5% | $215,000 | $166,688 | $119,838 |
| Kalpra Tech Solutions LLC | 6 | 0.5% | $105,977 | $90,896 | $84,094 |
| Woodside Energy USA Services, Inc. | 5 | 0.4% | $333,400 | $227,630 | $158,000 |
| Hollerith It Solutions LLC | 5 | 0.4% | $106,000 | $84,906 | $84,094 |
| Honeywell International Inc. | 5 | 0.4% | $168,214 | $142,745 | $125,038 |
| Stv Incorporated | 5 | 0.4% | $245,861 | $93,475 | $67,937 |
| Birlasoft Solutions, Inc. | 5 | 0.4% | $127,837 | $109,071 | $105,976 |
| Praise Consulting LLC | 5 | 0.4% | $105,977 | $84,094 | $68,000 |
| Seatrium Letourneau USA, Inc. | 5 | 0.4% | $88,067 | $70,782 | $62,213 |
| Cognizant Technology Solutions Us Corp. | 5 | 0.4% | $135,512 | $135,512 | $103,002 |
| Sci Shared Resources, LLC | 5 | 0.4% | $181,900 | $135,512 | $84,094 |
| Hcl America Inc. | 4 | 0.4% | $135,512 | $117,291 | $108,243 |
| Capgemini America Inc. | 4 | 0.4% | $170,825 | $138,883 | $122,218 |
| Chevron Corporation | 4 | 0.4% | $241,323 | $199,662 | $150,395 |
| USA Waste-Management Resources, LLC | 4 | 0.4% | $206,430 | $139,806 | $122,984 |
| Texas Children'S Hospital | 4 | 0.4% | $192,000 | $117,488 | $73,986 |
| Worley Group, Inc. | 4 | 0.4% | $215,592 | $140,785 | $100,388 |
| Compunnel Software Group, Inc. | 4 | 0.4% | $160,000 | $109,500 | $73,000 |
| Fluor Enterprises, Inc. | 4 | 0.4% | $121,820 | $108,124 | $84,298 |
| F & W Plastics, LLC | 4 | 0.4% | $100,000 | $77,500 | $59,000 |
| Matrix Tech Solutions Inc. | 4 | 0.4% | $105,977 | $95,035 | $84,094 |
| Strategic Staffing Solutions, L.C. | 4 | 0.4% | $187,200 | $141,440 | $135,200 |
Complete Salary Matrix by Job Title
Salary breakdown across all job titles in this city.| Local Job Title | Total Filings | Salary Variance | Maximum Salary | Median Salary | Minimum Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developer | 68 | $80,149 | $160,000 | $105,976 | $79,851 |
| Software Engineer | 41 | $131,090 | $200,000 | $105,976 | $68,910 |
| Postdoctoral Fellow | 19 | $23,200 | $74,200 | $69,900 | $51,000 |
| Assistant Professor | 18 | $297,567 | $379,167 | $122,652 | $81,600 |
| Research Scientist | 17 | $28,967 | $93,600 | $80,000 | $64,633 |
| Postdoctoral Associate/Fellow | 16 | $16,248 | $72,960 | $64,104 | $56,712 |
| Instructor | 16 | $93,000 | $160,000 | $76,400 | $67,000 |
| Manager | 16 | $83,442 | $190,000 | $163,000 | $106,558 |
| Data Engineer | 13 | $77,483 | $145,000 | $89,378 | $67,517 |
| Project Manager | 12 | $65,000 | $150,000 | $128,298 | $85,000 |
| Data Scientist | 8 | $112,760 | $188,888 | $117,605 | $76,128 |
| Business Analyst | 7 | $90,000 | $160,000 | $88,130 | $70,000 |
| Math Teacher | 6 | $15,960 | $69,500 | $53,540 | $53,540 |
| Technology Consultant 2 | 6 | $40,566 | $121,540 | $80,974 | $80,974 |
| Senior Associate | 6 | $350,000 | $445,000 | $114,500 | $95,000 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | 6 | $1 | $96,201 | $96,200 | $96,200 |
| Java Developer | 6 | $21,840 | $106,080 | $105,976 | $84,240 |
| Specialist Master | 5 | $43,160 | $149,718 | $149,718 | $106,558 |
| Senior Electrical Engineer | 5 | $201,042 | $353,600 | $159,637 | $152,558 |
| Validation Engineer | 5 | $25,771 | $116,480 | $97,760 | $90,709 |
| Architect | 5 | $56,875 | $136,125 | $80,987 | $79,250 |
| Business Development Specialist | 4 | $21,424 | $56,160 | $45,448 | $34,736 |
| Senior Technical Lead | 4 | $4,817 | $110,793 | $107,524 | $105,976 |
| Senior Manager | 4 | $83,325 | $210,787 | $206,500 | $127,462 |
| Associate | 4 | $229,000 | $310,000 | $148,675 | $81,000 |
| Technical Lead | 4 | $79,026 | $160,000 | $135,859 | $80,974 |
| Principal Consultant - Asset And Maintenance Management | 4 | $28,599 | $218,599 | $192,500 | $190,000 |
| It Project Manager | 4 | $14,026 | $95,000 | $95,000 | $80,974 |
| Data Analyst | 4 | $30,378 | $89,378 | $81,022 | $59,000 |
| Package Consultant 2 | 4 | $40,853 | $121,827 | $80,974 | $80,974 |
| Science Teacher | 4 | $11,460 | $65,000 | $53,540 | $53,540 |
| Sr Is Analyst | 3 | Flat Rate | $153,247 | $153,247 | $153,247 |
| Assistant Project Manager | 3 | $44,250 | $119,250 | $99,200 | $75,000 |
| Workday Consultant | 3 | $43,800 | $149,800 | $128,000 | $106,000 |
| Managing Director | 3 | $39,213 | $250,000 | $210,787 | $210,787 |
| Director, Data Center Engineering | 3 | Flat Rate | $260,000 | $260,000 | $260,000 |
| Financial Analyst Iii | 3 | $13,115 | $118,800 | $105,685 | $105,685 |
| Experienced Staff - Audit & Assurance | 3 | $14,768 | $77,168 | $77,168 | $62,400 |
| Accountants And Auditors - Kbgfjg02359-16 | 3 | Flat Rate | $173,823 | $173,823 | $173,823 |
| Geoscience Application Support Professional | 3 | Flat Rate | $119,240 | $119,240 | $119,240 |
| Infrastructure Project Lead 2 | 3 | $29,513 | $137,756 | $108,243 | $108,243 |
| Dentist | 3 | $185,000 | $349,000 | $316,160 | $164,000 |
| Manager, Data Engineering | 3 | $30,700 | $210,000 | $179,300 | $179,300 |
| Research Assistant Ii | 3 | $10,898 | $60,100 | $49,202 | $49,202 |
| Electrical Engineer | 3 | $34,225 | $129,281 | $120,000 | $95,056 |
| Full Stack Developer | 3 | $23,670 | $112,923 | $90,000 | $89,253 |
| Vice President | 3 | $90,000 | $250,000 | $175,000 | $160,000 |
| Cloud Data Engineer | 3 | $6,790 | $110,000 | $103,210 | $103,210 |
| Senior Director - Energy & Infrastructure | 3 | Flat Rate | $138,632 | $138,632 | $138,632 |
| Sap Associate | 3 | Flat Rate | $120,000 | $120,000 | $120,000 |
Historical Compensation Averages
Year-over-year salary data comparing historical averages.| Fiscal Year | YoY Growth | Maximum | Median | Average | Minimum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | In Progress | $445,000 | $105,976 | $110,993 | $35,360 |
| 2025 | +3.7% | $757,400 | $101,982 | $106,219 | $18,720 |
| 2024 | +5.4% | $778,054 | $98,301 | $101,998 | $31,200 |
| 2023 | +0.2% | $750,000 | $93,226 | $101,480 | $35,360 |
| 2022 | +1.1% | $780,000 | $93,000 | $100,033 | $29,120 |
| 2021 | +1.0% | $564,000 | $92,000 | $96,862 | $37,440 |
| 2020 | +3.1% | $540,000 | $91,104 | $94,733 | $31,200 |
| 2019 | +2.8% | $400,000 | $88,400 | $89,659 | $43,680 |
| 2018 | +11.3% | $411,999 | $86,000 | $86,802 | $29,120 |
| 2017 | +5.8% | $750,000 | $77,250 | $81,498 | $16,640 |
| 2016 | - | $750,000 | $73,033 | $78,731 | $20,800 |
Recent Visa Applications (FY 2026)
Raw, unedited federal disclosures showing individual labor applications filed in this city.City Specific Intelligence (FAQ)
Common questions and insights about Houston.What is the average base pay for work visas in Houston?
Sponsored workers in Houston earn a median salary of $106,080. Compensation for highly experienced talent can easily exceed $144,007.
Is the cost of living in Houston affordable for sponsored workers?
Once you factor in local rent and state taxes, the actual spending value of an average salary in Houston equates to roughly $114,681.
Who is the top employer for foreign talent in Houston, TX?
With 45 recent visa approvals, The University Of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center is the primary employer acquiring foreign talent in this metro area.