Supply Chain AI Optimization Engineer.
Houston.
$203,000
median salary, 1% below the national average
$158,000 to $264,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
Orbyt estimates Supply Chain AI Optimization Engineer pay in Houston at $203,000, within a range of $158,000 to $264,000. That is 1% below the national average. Houston's economy is deeply rooted in energy, with a growing presence in healthcare, aerospace, and technology. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Supply Chain AI Optimization Engineer in Houston, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $86,380 for Operations Research Analysts (SOC 15-2031) in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metropolitan area, based on 2,500 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$60,120
25th percentile
$71,190
Median
$86,380
75th percentile
$111,420
90th percentile
$171,580
Workers surveyed
2,500
Why this differs from the estimate above. The Orbyt estimate of $203,000 is 135% higher than this published figure. That is usually not an error in either number: BLS reports by occupation code, and Operations Research Analysts covers a different population than the Supply Chain AI Optimization Engineer title as it is typically advertised. Both are shown, unreconciled, so you can judge which one describes the job you mean.
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Operations Research Analysts (SOC 15-2031) rather than Supply Chain AI Optimization Engineer specifically. The Houston range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 15-2031Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $183,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$132,000
to $162,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$173,000
to $213,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$223,000
to $264,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$254,000
to $315,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $44,000 to the total package.
Base
$203,000
Equity
$24,000
Bonus
$16,000
Signing
$4,000
Estimated total: $247,000
How Houston compares.
Houston, TX
$203,000
Cost of living: 3% below average
National Average
$205,000
Houston is $2,000 below
Supply Chain AI Optimization Engineer salary by city.
Salary by role in Houston.
What you should know.
Before you negotiate a Supply Chain AI Optimization Engineer offer in Houston, understand the terrain. 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. The gap between theoretical knowledge and production deployment experience is the single largest salary differentiator. Supply Chain AI Optimization Engineers who can optimize inference costs, reduce model latency, and handle scale reliably earn significantly more. Published research or open source contributions to widely adopted frameworks create additional leverage in negotiations.
Entry-level Supply Chain AI Optimization Engineers start near $160,000. Mid-career professionals with three to five years of experience reach $205,000 to $267,000. Senior-level roles command $262,000 to $318,000. Management transitions to director-level positions offer $338,000 and above. 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. Equity at top-tier companies adds 30% to 60% above base salary. Annual bonuses of 15% to 25% are standard. Signing bonuses of $25,000 to $75,000 are common when changing roles. Refresher equity grants vest annually. Relocation packages and executive benefits like financial planning are typical. 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 $203,000, 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 Supply Chain AI Optimization Engineers in Houston runs from $158,000 to $264,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
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Common questions.
Supply Chain AI Optimization Engineer salary in other cities.
Other salaries in Houston.
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Supply Chain AI Optimization Engineer Salary in Houston, TX." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/supply-chain-ai-optimization-engineer/houston
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