Expert Software Engineer salary in Austin, TX
Based on 2,478 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Leander, Round Rock, Georgetown, Liberty Hill, Pflugerville.
Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $155,709 |
| 25th | $163,108 |
| 50th (median) | $165,000 |
| 75th | $187,000 |
| 90th | $210,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $132,413 | $124,550 | $145,000 | 644 |
| FY2021 | $139,557 | $125,000 | $159,464 | 1,052 |
| FY2022 | $145,000 | $130,000 | $168,000 | 1,679 |
| FY2023 | $146,250 | $135,000 | $169,200 | 1,252 |
| FY2024 | $155,709 | $144,400 | $176,000 | 1,280 |
| FY2025 | $163,550 | $156,000 | $184,000 | 1,427 |
| FY2026 | $169,661 | $163,550 | $190,700 | 1,051 |
Cost of living
Austin's median expert Software Engineer salary of $165,000 is worth about $168,300 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Austin = 98.1).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Developers in the Austin, TX area earned a median of $134,120 in May 2025 (31,960 employed). The H-1B median here is $165,000, 23% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Apple | $163,550 | 396 |
| Visa | $163,550 | 164 |
| Charles Schwab & Company | $169,714 | 85 |
| NVIDIA | $184,000 | 70 |
| PayPal | $177,706 | 61 |
| Dell Products L.P. | $192,307 | 58 |
| Amazon | $200,100 | 55 |
| Advanced Micro Devices | $163,550 | 53 |
| Dell USA L.P. | $171,955 | 53 |
| eBay | $182,000 | 51 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $91,520 | 1,546 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $114,755 | 4,699 |
| Senior · Level III | $144,350 | 2,254 |
| Expert · Level IV | $165,000 | 2,478 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $85,384 | $91,520 | 1,546 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $114,754 | $114,755 | 4,699 |
| Senior · Level III | $132,267 | $144,350 | 2,254 |
| Expert · Level IV | $163,550 | $165,000 | 2,478 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.