What is the cost of living adjusted Chief Data & AI Officer salary in Houston?

Houston's COL multiplier is 0.97x. The median Chief Data & AI Officer salary of $286,000 here equals about $294,845 in an average cost market.

When is the best time to job search as a Chief Data & AI Officer in Houston?

Chief Data & AI Officer hiring in Houston peaks in Q1 and early Q4. Timing your search around budget cycles maximizes negotiation leverage.

How much do Chief Data & AI Officers make in Houston compared to the national average?

The national median Chief Data & AI Officer salary is $294,845. In Houston, COL adjustments bring the median to $286,000.

What should I ask about benefits when interviewing for a Chief Data & AI Officer in Houston?

Ask about equity, bonuses, 401(k), health insurance, PTO, and remote flexibility. Benefits in Houston can add $71,500+ to base salary.

Chief Data & AI Officer.

Houston.

$286,000

median salary, 3% below the national average

$213,000 to $373,000. Updated for 2026.

Get your playbook

The numbers.

Everything you need to negotiate with confidence.

Here is what Chief Data & AI Officers actually make in Houston: $213,000 at the 25th percentile, $286,000 at the median, and $373,000 at the 75th. That is 3% below the national average. Houston's economy is deeply rooted in energy, with a growing presence in healthcare, aerospace, and technology. The number on your offer letter will depend on what you bring and how you ask.

Salary range

25th Percentile

$213,000

per year

Median

$286,000

per year

75th Percentile

$373,000

per year

Tap to place your salary

$213,000$373,000

How Houston compares

Houston, TX

$286,000

Cost of living: 3% below average

National Average

$295,000

Houston is $9,000 below

What you should know

If you are interviewing for Chief Data & AI Officer 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. Compensation scales with the breadth of the AI and data portfolio under management. Officers overseeing both revenue-generating AI products and enterprise data governance at Fortune 500 companies command premium packages. Industry vertical matters significantly, with financial services and healthcare paying 15 to 25% above median.

Most CDAIOs advance from VP of Data Science or VP of AI Engineering roles earning $200,000 to $270,000. The CDAIO role itself ranges from $220,000 to $385,000 base. Some transition to CEO or board director positions with total compensation exceeding $1,500,000 annually. 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. Total compensation typically reaches $600,000 to $1,200,000 including equity grants, performance bonuses of 40 to 60% of base, and retention packages. Board observer seats and advisory equity in portfolio companies are increasingly common. 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 $286,000, 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 Chief Data & AI Officers in Houston runs from $213,000 to $373,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.

Top industries in Houston

Energy & Oil/GasHealthcareAerospace & NASAManufacturingTechnology

Negotiating in Houston

Emphasize industry specialization in energy or healthcare. Houston employers pay significant premiums for domain expertise in these sectors over generalist candidates.

Common questions.

CDAIOs now earn comparable or higher total compensation than CTOs at many technology companies, typically within 5 to 10% of CTO packages. At companies where AI is central to revenue, CDAIOs may actually out-earn CTOs by 10 to 20%.

Equity grants typically range from 0.1 to 0.5% at public companies and 0.5 to 2.0% at growth-stage startups. Four-year vesting with a one-year cliff remains standard, though some companies offer accelerated vesting tied to AI revenue milestones.

Houston's cost of living multiplier is 0.97x the national average. The adjusted median Chief Data & AI Officer salary of $286,000 accounts for this. In practice, a Chief Data & AI Officer earning $286,000 in Houston has roughly the same purchasing power as someone earning $294,845 in an average cost market.

Hiring for Chief Data & AI Officers in Houston typically peaks in January through March and September through November. Companies finalize budgets in Q4 and open headcount in Q1. Houston's concentration of Energy & Oil/Gas and Healthcare employers creates steady year round demand. Time your search to align with budget cycles for maximum leverage.

The national median for a Chief Data & AI Officer is $294,845. In Houston, cost of living adjustments push the median to $286,000. That discount reflects Houston's lower housing, transportation, and everyday costs.

Ask about equity structure, vesting schedule, annual bonus targets, 401(k) match, health insurance premiums, PTO policy, and remote flexibility. Total compensation typically reaches $600,000 to $1,200,000 including equity grants, performance bonuses of 40 to 60% of base, and retention packages. In Houston's market, these extras can add $71,500 or more on top of the base salary.