Senior Software Engineer salary in Austin, TX
Based on 2,254 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III 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 | $132,267 |
| 25th | $139,152 |
| 50th (median) | $144,350 |
| 75th | $161,571 |
| 90th | $180,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $113,499 | $108,035 | $130,000 | 853 |
| FY2021 | $115,000 | $106,747 | $132,000 | 1,022 |
| FY2022 | $121,000 | $110,000 | $144,500 | 1,458 |
| FY2023 | $125,000 | $114,400 | $145,713 | 1,179 |
| FY2024 | $135,000 | $120,864 | $157,341 | 1,246 |
| FY2025 | $143,142 | $132,267 | $161,290 | 1,378 |
| FY2026 | $145,324 | $139,152 | $161,610 | 876 |
Cost of living
Austin's median senior Software Engineer salary of $144,350 is worth about $147,200 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 $144,350, 8% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $169,662 | 251 |
| Apple | $132,267 | 156 |
| Charles Schwab & Company | $150,000 | 90 |
| PayPal | $144,950 | 72 |
| Advanced Micro Devices | $142,076 | 48 |
| Microsoft | $163,350 | 43 |
| $173,000 | 41 | |
| Expedia | $132,267 | 41 |
| EY | $169,391 | 39 |
| Visa | $132,267 | 30 |
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.