Software Developer Salary in Houston, TX
Software Developers in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area earn a median $129,440 a year — 5% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $99,738 take-home, or $8,312 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median software developer salary in Houston, TX. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$19,800
- Social Security (6.2%)$8,025
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,877
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$99,738
Marginal rate: 24% federal + 0.00% state
Software Developer pay by experience in Houston, TX
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $80,400 | $38.65 | $65,391 | $5,449 |
| 25th percentile | $101,190 | $48.65 | $80,017 | $6,668 |
| Median (50th) | $129,440 | $62.23 | $99,738 | $8,312 |
| 75th percentile | $159,450 | $76.66 | $120,250 | $10,021 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $181,770 | $87.39 | $135,506 | $11,292 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Texas resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $129,440 buys in Houston, TX
Prices in Houston, TX are 1.4% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.05× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median software developer's $99,738 take-home pay has the buying power of $101,125 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Software Developer jobs are less concentrated in Houston, TX than nationally (location quotient 0.64), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for software developers, adjusted for cost of living
Houston, TX ranks #30 of 184 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $213,110 | $140,222 | $126,987 |
| 2 | Manchester, NH | $162,090 | $122,055 | $115,520 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $167,280 | $125,602 | $113,019 |
| 4 | Boulder, CO | $164,560 | $117,211 | $111,415 |
| 5 | El Paso, TX | $127,310 | $98,282 | $109,310 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $166,090 | $116,704 | $107,794 |
| 7 | Ames, IA | $129,440 | $95,471 | $107,476 |
| 8 | Bridgeport, CT | $162,650 | $114,828 | $107,453 |
| 30 | Houston, TX | $129,440 | $99,738 | $101,125 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 184 metros →
Software Developer salaries elsewhere in Texas
- El Paso, TX — $127,310
- Austin, TX — $134,120
- Killeen, TX — $123,320
- San Antonio, TX — $128,430
- Corpus Christi, TX — $123,580
- Waco, TX — $123,080
- Dallas, TX — $133,290
- College Station, TX — $101,910
Frequently asked questions
How much does a software developer make in Houston, TX?
The median software developer salary in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area is $129,440 a year, or about $62.23 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $101,190 and $159,450.
What is a software developer’s take-home pay in Houston, TX?
On the median $129,440 salary, a single filer living in Texas takes home about $99,738 a year ($8,312 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Houston, TX a good place to work as a software developer?
Pay here is 5% below the national median of $135,980. Local prices are 1.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $101,125 would in a typical U.S. city. Houston, TX ranks #30 of 184 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a software developer afford rent in Houston, TX?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Houston, TX is $1,316 a month ($1,558 for two bedrooms) — 16% of a median software developer’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Houston, TX
- Database Architect — $139,100
- Information Security Analyst — $126,370
- Computer Network Architect — $124,900
- Database Administrator — $116,030
- Computer Systems Analyst — $113,440
- Data Scientist — $106,750
- Computer Occupations, All Other — $105,440
- Network and Computer Systems Administrator — $101,430
- Software Quality Assurance Analyst and Tester — $98,690
- Web and Digital Interface Designer — $96,750
- Computer Programmer — $96,440
- Web Developer — $89,040