AI Financial Engineer.
Houston.
$202,000
median salary, 4% below the national average
$149,000 to $259,000. Last updated April 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
The median AI Financial Engineer salary in Houston is $202,000, 4% below the national average. Entry level starts near $149,000. Experienced professionals push past $259,000. Houston's economy is deeply rooted in energy, with a growing presence in healthcare, aerospace, and technology. That spread is your negotiation window.
Salary range
Where do you fall?
Salary by experience
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $182,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$131,000
to $162,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$172,000
to $212,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$222,000
to $263,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$253,000
to $313,000
Salary trend
+6% YoYTotal compensation
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $99,000 to the total package.
Base
$202,000
Equity
$61,000
Bonus
$26,000
Signing
$12,000
Estimated total: $301,000
How Houston compares
Houston, TX
$202,000
Cost of living: 3% below average
National Average
$210,000
Houston is $8,000 below
AI Financial Engineer salary by city
Salary by role in Houston
What you should know
If you are interviewing for AI Financial Engineer roles in Houston, here is what you are walking into. Houston's economy is deeply rooted in energy, with a growing presence in healthcare, aerospace, and technology. The Texas Medical Center is the world's largest, driving massive demand for clinical and research roles. Houston's low cost of living and no state income tax make it an attractive destination for professionals seeking strong purchasing power. Pay depends on ability to apply ML models to quantitative finance problems like risk modeling, algorithmic trading, and fraud detection. Engineers combining deep finance domain expertise with advanced ML skills earn top-band compensation. Experience with real-time inference for trading systems and regulatory-compliant model development adds 20 to 30% to base salaries.
Junior quant ML engineers start at $120,000 to $150,000. AI financial engineers earn $155,000 to $210,000. Senior roles at top funds reach $250,000 to $350,000 base, and portfolio managers or heads of AI strategy at major firms command $500,000 to $1,000,000 or more in total compensation. In Houston, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. Performance bonuses at hedge funds and trading firms can range from 50 to 200% of base salary. Equity is less common in finance but deferred compensation plans are standard. Banks offer structured bonus pools tied to desk profitability. And on the tax side: texas has no state income tax, giving Houston workers strong take home pay. The city's overall cost of living is below the national average, further stretching your salary. When someone quotes you $202,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Emphasize industry specialization in energy or healthcare. Houston employers pay significant premiums for domain expertise in these sectors over generalist candidates. The range for AI Financial Engineers in Houston runs from $149,000 to $259,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: SEC filings, H-1B LCA (DOL), BLS OES, 50+ job posting platforms. COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified April 8, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- A AI Cloud Architect in Houston earns $203,000 (0% more)
- The highest-paying role in Houston is Chief AI Officer at $295,000
Common questions.
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