Computer and Information Research Scientists Salary
Computer and Information Research Scientists in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX make a median of $134,050 a year, or about $64.45 an hour. The range runs from $70K at the entry level to $200K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.63), that's roughly $135,912 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,573/month, or 18.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $134K get you in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands’s Regional Price Parity (98.63). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About computer and information research scientists
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What this looks like in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands
Computer and information research scientists pay in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands tracks closely to the national median, $134K locally vs. $140K nationwide, a 4% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,573/month, 18.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 98.63) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for computer and information research scientists in metros near Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $94K | $99K |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $127K | $130K |
| Oklahoma City | $93K | $103K |
| Albuquerque | $166K | $173K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
Entry-level computer and information research scientists (10th percentile) start around $70K. Mid-career wages sit at $134K. Top earners bring in $200K or more, a $130K spread from bottom to top.
Computer and Information Research Scientists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Computer and Information Research Scientists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $206K | +47% | 730 |
| Washington | $202K | +44% | 2,050 |
| New York | $182K | +30% | 1,950 |
| Massachusetts | $171K | +22% | 1,760 |
| New Mexico | $166K | +18% | 490 |
| California | $159K | +13% | 8,440 |
| Virginia | $157K | +12% | 3,590 |
| Maryland | $145K | +4% | 2,870 |
| District of Columbia | $144K | +3% | 330 |
| New Jersey | $141K | +0% | 1,580 |
| Illinois | $137K | -3% | 630 |
| New Hampshire | $136K | -3% | 90 |
| Minnesota | $136K | -3% | 30 |
| Ohio | $136K | -3% | 280 |
| Hawaii | $134K | -4% | 70 |
| Nevada | $134K | -4% | 80 |
| Colorado | $133K | -5% | 400 |
| Connecticut | $132K | -6% | N/A |
| Pennsylvania | $130K | -7% | 330 |
| Arizona | $130K | -8% | 360 |
| North Carolina | $128K | -9% | 600 |
| Missouri | $128K | -9% | 230 |
| South Carolina | $127K | -9% | 430 |
| Rhode Island | $121K | -13% | 500 |
| Texas | $121K | -14% | 1,960 |
| Florida | $120K | -15% | 1,070 |
| Alabama | $118K | -16% | 570 |
| Louisiana | $115K | -18% | 140 |
| Mississippi | $109K | -22% | 300 |
| Tennessee | $109K | -22% | N/A |
| Utah | $95K | -33% | 1,250 |
| Oklahoma | $93K | -34% | 590 |
| Georgia | $92K | -34% | 810 |
| Indiana | $85K | -39% | 720 |
| Michigan | $83K | -41% | 530 |
Showing 1–10 of 35 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track computer and information research scientists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a computer and information research scientist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
Yes — at the median salary of $134K, rent takes 18.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,573/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for computer and information research scientists in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new computer and information research scientists typically earn — is $70K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,190/month. At HUD’s $1,573/month FMR, rent would take 38% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is computer and information research scientist a high-paying job in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $134K locally vs. $140K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands compare to the national average for computer and information research scientists?
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands pays $134K median vs. the U.S. average of $140K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.63), the purchasing-power equivalent is $136K — below the national median.
How much do computer and information research scientists make in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX?
The median is $134,050 a year, that works out to about $64 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $69,840, and experienced computer and information research scientists can clear $199,830. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $134K enough to live in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,531/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,573/month, which eats 18.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a computer and information research scientists salary go in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands has a Regional Price Parity of 98.63 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median computer and information research scientists salary is worth about $135,912 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do computer and information research scientists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.