Salary by Role in Texas
Monthly gross salary in USD across 15 professional roles.
| Role | Entry-level | Mid-level | Senior |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developer | $5,500-7,500 | $7,500-12,000 | $12,000-19,000 |
| QA / Test Engineer | $4,500-6,500 | $6,500-9,500 | $9,500-14,000 |
| UI/UX Designer | $4,500-6,500 | $6,500-9,500 | $9,500-15,000 |
| DevOps / Cloud Engineer | $6,000-8,500 | $8,500-13,000 | $13,000-20,000 |
| Customer Support Rep | $2,800-3,500 | $3,500-4,500 | $4,500-6,000 |
| Customer Success Manager | $4,000-5,500 | $5,500-7,500 | $7,500-10,500 |
| Executive Assistant | $3,500-5,000 | $5,000-6,500 | $6,500-9,000 |
| Bookkeeper / Accountant | $3,500-5,000 | $5,000-7,000 | $7,000-10,000 |
| Financial Analyst | $5,000-6,500 | $6,500-9,500 | $9,500-14,000 |
| Digital Marketing Manager | $4,500-6,000 | $6,000-9,000 | $9,000-12,500 |
| SEO Specialist | $3,500-5,000 | $5,000-7,000 | $7,000-10,000 |
| Graphic Designer | $3,500-5,000 | $5,000-7,000 | $7,000-10,500 |
| Content Writer / Copywriter | $3,500-5,000 | $5,000-6,500 | $6,500-9,000 |
| Operations Manager | $4,500-6,000 | $6,000-9,000 | $9,000-12,500 |
| Project Manager | $5,000-6,500 | $6,500-9,500 | $9,500-14,000 |
Salaries reflect Texas statewide ranges. Austin tech roles typically pay 15-25% above. Houston energy/engineering 10-20% above. San Antonio and rural areas 10-20% below. No state income tax is deducted.
Texas Minimum Wage
Texas follows the federal minimum wage with no state-level additions or industry-specific tiers.
Salary by Texas Region
Texas salaries vary significantly by metro area, driven by industry concentration, cost of living, and talent competition.
Tech capital of Texas. Tesla, Oracle, Apple, Google, Meta all have major presences. Cost of living rising fast but still 40-50% below Bay Area. Median home price ~$475K.
Largest metro economy in Texas. Corporate HQ hub — AT&T, Toyota NA, Charles Schwab, Deloitte. Strong financial services and telecom sectors.
Energy capital of the US. Growing healthcare and biotech sectors (Texas Medical Center). Engineering and energy roles pay 10-20% above state average.
Military and government hub (JBSA, Lackland). Growing cybersecurity corridor. Most affordable major metro in Texas. 15-20% below Austin salaries.
Lowest cost of living in Texas. Cross-border economy with Ciudad Juarez. Limited tech sector. Salaries 20-30% below state average.
Texas attracts remote workers from CA and NY due to zero state income tax. Many remote roles peg salary to national or Austin-level rates rather than local cost of living.
Employer Costs in Texas
Texas employers pay approximately 15-25% above gross salary. With no state income tax, optional workers' comp, and no mandatory paid leave, Texas has one of the lowest employer cost burdens in the US.
Texas vs California: Employer Cost Comparison
Side-by-side comparison of the two largest state economies for employers evaluating relocation or distributed hiring.
| Texas | California | What it means | |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Income Tax | 0% | 1-13.3% | Employees keep more take-home pay in TX. No withholding burden for employers. |
| Minimum Wage | $7.25/hr | $16.90-20/hr | TX follows federal rate. CA has industry-specific tiers up to $20+/hr. |
| Payroll Taxes (SUI) | 0.31-6.31% | 1.5-6.2% + ETT | TX wage base is $9K vs CA $7K, but CA has additional ETT (0.1%). |
| Workers' Comp | Optional | Mandatory | TX is the only state where private employers can opt out entirely. |
| Overtime Rules | Federal (40hr/wk) | Daily (8hr/day) | CA requires OT after 8hrs/day, not just 40hrs/week. Double time after 12hrs. |
| Pay Transparency | Not required | Required (SB 1162) | CA employers must post salary ranges. TX has no such requirement. |
| Exempt Salary Threshold | $35,568/yr (federal) | $70,304/yr | CA's threshold is 2x federal. More employees qualify for overtime in CA. |
| Paid Family Leave | None | Up to 8 weeks | CA mandates partial wage replacement. TX has no state program. |
Texas vs International Salary Comparison
The same roles that cost $3,500-12,000/month in Texas can be hired at 65-90% lower cost through international markets. Monthly gross salary comparison for mid-level professionals.
| Role | Texas | Philippines | Indonesia | India | Colombia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developer (Mid) | $7,500-12,000 | $1,200-2,800 | $1,000-2,500 | $1,000-2,800 | $2,500-5,000 |
| Customer Support | $3,500-4,500 | $400-700 | $350-650 | $300-550 | $700-1,200 |
| Executive Assistant | $5,000-6,500 | $550-1,100 | $500-950 | $400-750 | $800-1,500 |
| Bookkeeper | $5,000-7,000 | $550-1,100 | $450-950 | $400-750 | $800-1,400 |
| Digital Marketing Mgr | $6,000-9,000 | $800-1,600 | $650-1,400 | $600-1,300 | $1,200-2,500 |
Compare Texas Costs to Other Markets
Common Questions About Texas Salaries
Salary benchmarks, no income tax advantage, employer costs, and how Texas compares to California and offshore markets.
The average full-time salary in Texas is approximately $64,800 per year (~$5,400/month). Austin tech professionals average $82,400, while San Antonio and rural areas average 15-25% below the state mean. Texas salaries are 5-10% below California but the zero state income tax and lower cost of living often result in higher take-home pay.
No. Texas is one of 9 US states with no state income tax. This means employees keep 100% of their gross salary minus federal taxes and FICA. For a $100,000 salary, this translates to roughly $5,000-9,000 more in annual take-home pay compared to California or New York.
Texas follows the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hr. The state has not adopted a higher rate. However, market wages in major metros are significantly higher — most entry-level positions in Austin, Dallas, and Houston start at $14-18/hr due to competition for labor.
Software developers in Texas earn $5,500-7,500/month at entry level, $7,500-12,000/month at mid-level, and $12,000-19,000/month at senior level. Austin developers command the highest salaries, typically 15-25% above the state average. Major tech employers like Tesla, Apple, Google, and Oracle drive Austin compensation.
Texas employers pay approximately 15-25% on top of gross salary. This includes FICA (7.65%), TX State Unemployment Insurance (0.31-6.31% on $9,000), and optional workers' compensation. Texas has no state income tax to withhold and no mandatory disability or family leave programs, making it one of the simplest payroll environments in the US.
Texas is significantly cheaper for employers. No state income tax (vs CA's 1-13.3%), federal minimum wage of $7.25/hr (vs CA's $16.90+), optional workers' comp (vs CA mandatory), no daily overtime rules, and no paid family leave mandate. Total employer cost savings range from 15-30% for comparable roles.
Texas salaries, while lower than California, are still 3-10x higher than equivalent roles in Southeast Asia and Latin America. A mid-level developer costing $7,500-12,000/month in Texas can be hired for $1,000-2,800/month in the Philippines, India, or Indonesia — a 65-85% cost reduction even before accounting for lower employer taxes.
Austin has the highest average salaries at $5,800-7,500/month for professional roles, driven by the tech sector. Houston follows closely at $5,400-7,000/month (boosted by energy/engineering). Dallas-Fort Worth averages $5,200-6,800/month. San Antonio ($4,200-5,500) and El Paso ($3,500-4,800) are the most affordable metros.
