Computer Programmers Salary
Computer Programmers in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX make a median of $96,440 a year, or about $46.36 an hour. The range runs from $56K at the entry level to $146K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.63), that's roughly $97,780 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,573/month, or 24.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $96K 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 programmers
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What this looks like in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands
Computer programmers pay in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands tracks closely to the national median, $96K locally vs. $100K nationwide, a 4% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,573/month, 24.8% 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 programmers in metros near Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $101K | $103K |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $102K | $99K |
| El Paso | $65K | $73K |
| Lubbock | $70K | $77K |
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 programmers (10th percentile) start around $56K. Mid-career wages sit at $96K. Top earners bring in $146K or more, a $89K spread from bottom to top.
Computer Programmers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Computer Programmers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | $134K | +33% | 1,650 |
| Massachusetts | $128K | +28% | 1,930 |
| Washington | $126K | +25% | 2,540 |
| Maryland | $126K | +25% | 2,490 |
| Virginia | $122K | +21% | 3,070 |
| Hawaii | $118K | +18% | 450 |
| California | $117K | +16% | 11,340 |
| Arkansas | $112K | +11% | 1,050 |
| Minnesota | $107K | +7% | 2,070 |
| New Jersey | $105K | +5% | 3,930 |
| Utah | $105K | +4% | 690 |
| Colorado | $105K | +4% | 930 |
| New York | $104K | +4% | 7,020 |
| Maine | $102K | +1% | 450 |
| Oklahoma | $100K | -1% | 990 |
| South Carolina | $100K | -1% | 790 |
| Oregon | $100K | -1% | 1,370 |
| Texas | $99K | -1% | 7,620 |
| Georgia | $98K | -2% | 1,890 |
| Indiana | $97K | -3% | 1,520 |
| Rhode Island | $96K | -4% | 250 |
| Nebraska | $95K | -5% | 1,090 |
| Kentucky | $95K | -6% | 950 |
| Alabama | $94K | -7% | 890 |
| Nevada | $94K | -7% | 840 |
| Florida | $93K | -7% | 4,760 |
| Kansas | $93K | -7% | 460 |
| North Dakota | $92K | -8% | 190 |
| Alaska | $92K | -9% | 530 |
| Missouri | $90K | -10% | 1,520 |
| Montana | $90K | -10% | N/A |
| Vermont | $90K | -11% | 170 |
| Pennsylvania | $89K | -11% | 3,120 |
| Idaho | $89K | -11% | N/A |
| Arizona | $89K | -11% | 1,560 |
| Ohio | $85K | -15% | 2,100 |
| Mississippi | $85K | -15% | 1,170 |
| New Mexico | $84K | -17% | 600 |
| Wyoming | $82K | -19% | 60 |
| North Carolina | $81K | -19% | 4,120 |
| Iowa | $79K | -21% | 950 |
| New Hampshire | $74K | -26% | N/A |
| Illinois | $73K | -28% | 1,280 |
| Michigan | $66K | -34% | 4,400 |
| West Virginia | $65K | -35% | 140 |
| South Dakota | $58K | -42% | 70 |
Showing 1–10 of 46 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track computer programmers 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 programmer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
Yes — at the median salary of $96K, rent takes 24.8% 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 programmers in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new computer programmers typically earn — is $56K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,371/month. At HUD’s $1,573/month FMR, rent would take 47% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is computer programmer a high-paying job in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $96K locally vs. $100K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands compare to the national average for computer programmers?
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands pays $96K median vs. the U.S. average of $100K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.63), the purchasing-power equivalent is $98K — below the national median.
How much do computer programmers make in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX?
The median is $96,440 a year, that works out to about $46 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $56,180, and experienced computer programmers can clear $145,510. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $96K enough to live in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,353/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,573/month, which eats 24.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a computer programmers 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 programmers salary is worth about $97,780 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do computer programmers 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.