Tech Salaries⏱ 7 min
Average Software Engineer Salary in 2026
A 130K offer in Houston has far more purchasing power than the same offer in San Francisco. Here is what the data shows.
Read article →Data updated quarterly from BLS & O*NET
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Know your true worth.
Free salary data and cost of living comparisons for every job title and city in the US — powered by BLS, O*NET, and H-1B disclosures.
343+
Job titles tracked
245+
Cities covered
32
Industries
Free
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Explore by city
View all cities →Houston
Texas
No state income tax: ✓ Yes
Dallas
Texas
No state income tax: ✓ Yes
Austin
Texas
No state income tax: ✓ Yes
Los Angeles
California
No state income tax: No
Miami
Florida
No state income tax: ✓ Yes
Chicago
Illinois
No state income tax: No
Seattle
Washington
No state income tax: ✓ Yes
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Browse by industry
Salary data across 32 industries and 343+ job titles
Accounting
8 roles
$275K+ median
Agriculture
7 roles
$132K+ median
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7 roles
$155K+ median
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7 roles
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$212K+ median
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9 roles
$250K+ median
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$400K+ median
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10 roles
$102K+ median
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Cost of Living Calculator
Does your Houston salary
beat San Francisco's?
Texas has no state income tax. That $130K salary in Austin may go further than a $190K salary in San Francisco. See the real numbers.
Try the calculatorHouston, TX
$130K salary · no income tax
≈ $130K
Houston equiv.
Austin, TX
$155K salary · no income tax
≈ $134K
Houston equiv.
San Francisco, CA
$190K salary
≈ $118K
Houston equiv.
New York, NY
$175K salary
≈ $101K
Houston equiv.
Where our data comes from
SalaryOptics aggregates official government and employer-reported data — updated quarterly.
BLS OES
Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics — 800+ roles, MSA-level geography.
O*NET
Detailed job descriptions, required skills, and education requirements for every occupation.
H-1B Disclosures
Employer-reported salaries from DOL visa applications — especially accurate for tech roles.
C2ER COL Index
Cost of living breakdown by city covering housing, groceries, transport, healthcare, and utilities.
Frequently asked questions
Is SalaryOptics free?
Yes — all salary data is completely free. Some advanced tools (COL PDF report, AI salary estimator) require a free email signup.
How current is the data?
Data is refreshed quarterly. BLS OES is updated annually in May; H-1B disclosure data is updated quarterly by the DOL. Each page shows the last updated date.
Does Texas really have an advantage over California?
For most roles, yes. Texas has no state income tax (saving 5–9% vs California). Combined with a COL index of 87–110 versus California's 150–224, the real purchasing power advantage is significant — especially for mid-level roles.
Can I use SalaryOptics for salary negotiation?
Absolutely. Every salary page includes a "negotiation guide" section and an AI-powered email template generator (free with email signup) that uses the local data to help you make the case.
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Is 100K a Good Salary? It Depends on Where You Live
In some cities 100K is upper middle class. In others it barely covers rent. Here is the full breakdown.
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