Austin software engineer salary: rankings and context
Here is how that number compares with the rest of the United States, with TX, and with other jobs in Austin.
Austin vs the national and TX picture
On a United States league table of 21 metros, Austin comes 12th. One place higher is Chicago at US$134,380, one lower is Dallas at US$133,290, and San Jose tops the list.
Inside TX, Austin is the best-paying of 4 observed metros, 2% above their US$131,300 average. For comparison: Houston (US$129,440), San Antonio (US$128,430) and Dallas (US$133,290).
Take-home, rent and buying power for Austin software engineers
Price levels in Austin (index 100) neither inflate nor shrink the paycheck much; adjusted for costs it is worth about US$134,100.
Adjusting for prices does not move Austin in the ranking: it is 12th of 21 on both cash and buying power.
After a simplified 16% effective national income tax, the median nets about US$9,400 a month. A modeled 1-bedroom (US$1,650) takes 18% of that, leaving around US$5,930 after modeled living costs.
Austin vs nearby TX metros
A software engineer moving from Austin to Houston (also in TX) would see the median fall 3% to US$129,440, with US$300 less left over monthly in our model.
A software engineer moving from Austin to San Antonio (also in TX) would see the median fall 4% to US$128,430, with US$350 less left over monthly in our model.
New York (similar cost level, COL 100) pays US$166,830, 24% more than Austin; modeled monthly leftover is US$2,080 higher.
Software Engineer vs other occupations in Austin
Software Engineer ranks 2nd of 9 occupations with observed Austin data. Lawyer leads the city at US$153,330.
Closest neighbours in the Austin list: Data Scientist at US$127,360 (-5%).
Entry-level vs senior software engineer pay in Austin
Starting pay holds up better than senior pay here. The 10th percentile places 9th nationally among observed metros; the 90th places 10th.
For the top 10% of earners, San Jose leads with US$289,150 at the 90th percentile, +38% against Austin.
Spread between low and high software engineer pay in Austin
Pay is spread out: US$96,110 at the 10th percentile to US$209,890 at the 90th (2.2×). Level and setting matter more than the city average here.