Software Developer Salary
The median pay for a software developers in Texas is $132,150/year ($63.54/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $83K at the entry level to $184K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $144,442 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,415/month, or 16.6% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Texas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $132K actually covers in Texas, month by month
About software developers
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What this looks like in Texas
Software developers pay in Texas tracks closely to the national median, $132K locally vs. $136K nationwide, a 3% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,415/month, 16.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Texas
Entry-level software developers (10th percentile) start around $83K. Mid-career wages sit at $132K. Top earners bring in $184K or more, a $101K spread from bottom to top.
Software Developers salary by metro in Texas
24 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $134K | +1% | 31,960 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $133K | +1% | 67,030 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $129K | -2% | 22,940 |
| Sherman-Denison | $129K | -3% | 120 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $128K | -3% | 8,010 |
| El Paso | $127K | -4% | 1,360 |
| Odessa | $127K | -4% | 110 |
| Midland | $126K | -5% | 400 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | $124K | -6% | 420 |
| Tyler | $124K | -6% | 320 |
| Corpus Christi | $124K | -6% | 520 |
| Killeen-Temple | $123K | -7% | 470 |
| Waco | $123K | -7% | 490 |
| Amarillo | $117K | -12% | 320 |
| Texarkana | $116K | -12% | 80 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | $116K | -12% | 400 |
| Lubbock | $115K | -13% | 340 |
| Laredo | $111K | -16% | 130 |
| Wichita Falls | $108K | -18% | 70 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen | $107K | -19% | 310 |
| Longview | $106K | -20% | 320 |
| Abilene | $104K | -21% | 250 |
| College Station-Bryan | $102K | -23% | 620 |
| San Angelo | $96K | -28% | 130 |
Showing 1–10 of 24 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Texas numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a software developer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Texas?
Yes — at the median salary of $132K, rent takes 16.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for software developers in Texas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new software developers typically earn — is $83K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,541/month. At HUD’s $1,415/month FMR, rent would take 26% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is software developer a high-paying job in Texas?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $132K locally vs. $136K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Texas compare to the national average for software developers?
Texas pays $132K median vs. the U.S. average of $136K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $144K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do software developers make in Texas?
The median is $132,150 a year, that works out to about $64 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $82,600, and experienced software developers can clear $183,680. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $132K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,423/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/month, which eats 16.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a software developers salary go in Texas?
Texas has a Regional Price Parity of 91.49 (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 software developers salary is worth about $144,442 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do software developers 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.