At a glance
The nominal median for Software Developers is $137,610 in Denver versus $134,120 in Austin, a gap of $3,490 a year.
After the BEA 2024 price adjustment the order flips and Austin leads: $136,765 versus $130,088, a gap of $6,677.
Published medians for the occupation, not an offer, take-home pay or a relocation recommendation.
Sources: BLS wages (May 2025) · BEA price parity (2024) · Census ACS (2020–2024) · metro areas, not city limits · How we calculate
Austin vs. Denver: key measures
Austin and Denver offer different mixes of nominal software wages, overall regional prices and typical metro rents. Neither figure represents a specific job offer. The figures describe metropolitan statistical areas, not city limits.
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| Measure | Austin | Denver |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile annual wage (BLS) | $96,110 | $99,700 |
| 25th percentile annual wage (BLS) | $104,000 | $123,640 |
| Annual occupational median (BLS) | $134,120 | $137,610 |
| 75th percentile annual wage (BLS) | $168,730 | $171,350 |
| 90th percentile annual wage (BLS) | $209,890 | $209,300 |
| Price-adjusted median (site calculation) | $136,765 | $130,088 |
| All-items RPP (BEA) | 98.066 | 105.782 |
| Median gross rent / month (ACS) | $1,726 | $1,874 |
| 45+ minute commute share (ACS) | 17.4% | 15.4% |
The price-adjusted wage equals the BLS May 2025 annual occupational median × 100 ÷ the BEA 2024 all-items regional price parity. Census rent, household income and commuting figures are ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. They describe different populations and do not determine take-home pay, employment prospects or individual rent. ACS gross rent includes contract rent plus estimated utility and fuel costs.
What changes when location is considered?
Denver leads on published nominal annual median pay by $3,490. Austin leads on the national-price-equivalent median by $6,677. The higher nominal wage reverses after the broad price adjustment.
These are different lenses: the nominal figures come from BLS, while the adjusted metric uses the 2024 BEA all-items regional price parity (98.1 for Austin versus 105.8 for Denver). Neither is a prediction of an actual offer.
Denver has a higher metro-wide ACS monthly median gross rent by $148. The share of workers with one-way trips of at least 45 minutes is 2.0 percentage points higher in Austin.
How Austin and Denver rank for this occupation
Out of the 75 curated metros with a reported software developers median, Austin ranks 18th on nominal median pay and 16th on price-adjusted pay. Denver ranks 14th nominal and 42nd adjusted. The middle adjusted median across all 75 metros is $130,908: Austin’s ($136,765) is 4.5% above that middle value and Denver’s ($130,088) is 0.6% below it.
Ranks compare published medians for this one occupation. See all 75 metros for software developers for the full list.
Pay at each percentile and how common the job is
After the BEA price adjustment, Austin is higher at 4 of the 5 published percentile levels and Denver at 1. The 90th percentile is 2.2× the 10th in Austin and 2.1× in Denver; the middle half of wages spans 48% of the median in Austin and 35% in Denver.
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| Percentile | Austin adjusted | Denver adjusted | Higher after adjustment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $98,005 | $94,250 | Austin |
| 25th | $106,051 | $116,882 | Denver |
| 50th (median) | $136,765 | $130,088 | Austin |
| 75th | $172,058 | $161,984 | Austin |
| 90th | $214,029 | $197,860 | Austin |
Twelve months of median gross rent equals 15% of the software developers median wage in Austin and 16% in Denver (a lens, not a budget). BLS estimates 31,960 such workers in Austin and 27,010 in Denver. Per 10,000 commuting workers that is 331.9 versus 214.9, ranking 6th and 10th of 75 metros (middle value 97.7). These are employment estimates, not open vacancies.
A role-specific offer checklist for this comparison
Match the actual work: Software developer wages vary across technology centers and broader regional labor markets. Compare the local median alongside regional price levels rather than relying on a national salary headline. Before treating the median difference as a personal salary difference, confirm that both positions share responsibilities, experience requirements and hours, and compare written offers with local rent quotes. The full checklist has the steps.
How reliable are the surrounding housing estimates?
These ACS medians are 2020–2024 five-year metro estimates with published margins of error. Household income covers households, not workers in this occupation.
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| ACS metro context | Austin | Denver |
|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent (± MOE) | $1,726 ± $11 | $1,874 ± $9 |
| Median household income (± MOE) | $100,431 ± $996 | $105,762 ± $739 |
Neither displayed rent nor income estimate crosses the site’s 30% relative-MOE caution threshold. Sampling uncertainty still applies. The 30% flag is our editorial rule, not a Census certification. See the methodology.
How should I use these figures for a relocation decision?
Start with written offers and real housing quotes, then enter them in the browser-only worksheet. Rent is already part of the price parity, so do not subtract it again from a price-adjusted salary. These comparisons are not placement, tax or financial advice.