Prevailing wage, wage year 2025-26
Data Scientists prevailing wage in Wichita Falls, TX
Short answer
For data scientists in Wichita Falls, TX, the U.S. Department of Labor prevailing wage runs from $25.91 an hour at Level 1 ($53,893 a year) to $52.15 an hour at Level 4 ($108,472 a year), wage year 2025-26. The Level 2 wage of $34.66 ranks 423 of 530 areas and is 11% below the median area ($39.14).
Wage by level
| Wage level | Per hour | Per year | Per month | Per week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | $25.91 | $53,893 | $4,491 | $1,036 |
| Level 2 | $34.66 | $72,093 | $6,008 | $1,386 |
| Level 3 | $43.40 | $90,272 | $7,523 | $1,736 |
| Level 4 | $52.15 | $108,472 | $9,039 | $2,086 |
| Published average | $43.49 | $90,459 | $7,538 | $1,740 |
Annual = hourly x 2080 hours, the convention DOL uses. Weekly = hourly x 40. Gross pay before tax. Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC), prevailing wage data, wage year 2025-26.
Minimum bill rate calculator
Start from the prevailing wage for this area, add your payroll costs and a margin.
Minimum wage
$34.66/hr
Prevailing wage for data scientists in Wichita Falls, TX
Cost with payroll costs
$37.31/hr
$34.66 plus 7.65%
Bill rate for the margin
$43.90/hr
Cost divided by 0.85
Assumes the consultant is paid the prevailing wage for every billed hour, with no bench pay or other costs. Real pay is usually above the minimum. General information, not legal advice.
How Wichita Falls, TX compares
Across 530 areas, the Level 2 wage for data scientists has a median of $39.14 an hour. Wichita Falls, TX is at $34.66, which is 11% below that median and ranks 423 of 530. Inside TX, it ranks 26 of 32 areas. The gap between Level 1 and Level 4 here is 101% ($26.24 an hour), so the level a job is filed at changes the minimum pay by about $54,579 a year.
Other TX areas for the same occupation
| Area | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $36.60 | $48.24 | $71.51 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $35.17 | $46.17 | $68.16 |
| Sherman-Denison, TX | $34.91 | $45.94 | $68.00 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $33.67 | $44.02 | $64.71 |
| Amarillo, TX | $33.99 | $43.24 | $61.74 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $32.46 | $42.97 | $63.98 |
Reading the four levels
In Wichita Falls, TX, moving a data scientists role from Level 1 to Level 2 adds $8.75 an hour (34%), from Level 2 to Level 3 adds $8.74 (25%), and from Level 3 to Level 4 adds $8.75 (20%). The biggest steps come at the senior end, so a role filed one level too low saves more on paper than it would at the entry end. At Level 1 the minimum is $4,491 a month gross; at Level 4 it is $9,039.
Areas with a Level 2 wage close to $34.66
These are the 6 areas anywhere in the country whose data scientists Level 2 wage is nearest to this one. Use them when a requirement could be worked from several places and you want the wage floor to stay about the same.
| Area | Level 2 per hour | Difference from here |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $34.64 | -$0.02 |
| Farmington, NM | $34.75 | +$0.09 |
| West Delta Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $34.55 | -$0.11 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $34.79 | +$0.13 |
| Cleveland, TN | $34.79 | +$0.13 |
| Northeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $34.52 | -$0.14 |
TX and this occupation
TX has 32 areas in the data. The state median Level 2 wage for data scientists is $38.15 an hour, and Wichita Falls, TX is below it. The highest area in TX is Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX at $48.24, and the lowest is Laredo, TX at $28.66.
Among IT occupations here
In Wichita Falls, TX, data scientists ranks 9 of 16 IT occupations by Level 2 wage. The highest is database architects at $54.64 an hour and the lowest is computer user support specialists at $17.80.
What this means for your desk
- At Level 2 the consultant must be paid at least $72,093 a year, or $6,008 a month gross, for work in Wichita Falls, TX.
- Your bill rate must cover that wage plus payroll costs and margin: try $34.66 an hour in the W2 burden rate calculator and the markup and margin calculator.
Which level applies, and what an LCA means, is explained on the prevailing wage guide. Not legal advice.
Other occupations in Wichita Falls, TX
| Occupation | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Systems Analysts | $25.58 | $31.81 | $44.28 |
| Information Security Analysts | $33.47 | $45.83 | $70.56 |
| Computer and Information Research Scientists | $33.57 | $44.59 | $66.62 |
| Computer Network Support Specialists | $22.43 | $27.34 | $37.15 |
| Computer User Support Specialists | $13.51 | $17.80 | $26.37 |
| Computer Network Architects | $35.42 | $45.64 | $66.09 |
| Database Administrators | $25.68 | $34.04 | $50.77 |
| Database Architects | $43.56 | $54.64 | $76.80 |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrators | $25.44 | $31.09 | $42.39 |
| Computer Programmers | $28.45 | $40.13 | $63.48 |
| Software Developers | $37.48 | $47.15 | $66.50 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | $26.34 | $36.68 | $57.36 |
| Web Developers | $21.61 | $28.09 | $41.05 |
| Web and Digital Interface Designers | $21.25 | $27.40 | $39.70 |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | $29.43 | $36.78 | $51.47 |
Questions
What is the prevailing wage for data scientists in Wichita Falls, TX?
$25.91, $34.66, $43.40 and $52.15 an hour for Levels 1 to 4, with a published average of $43.49, in wage year 2025-26. Multiply by 2080 hours for the annual figure.
How much more does Level 4 pay than Level 1 in Wichita Falls, TX?
$26.24 more an hour, or $54,579 more a year (101% above Level 1).
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