Compare salaries.
Pick any two role and city combinations, and see how they stack up side by side.
Free side-by-side salary comparison for any two roles and U.S. cities: median estimate, range, experience bands, and cost-of-living adjustment, with no signup required.
Software Engineer
San Francisco, CA
$178,000
median base salary
$138,000 to $226,000 range
Software Engineer
Austin, TX
$138,000
median base salary
$107,000 to $176,000 range
Head to head
A green dot marks the better side. For cost index, lower is better.
| Measure | San Francisco | Austin |
|---|---|---|
| Base pay | ||
| Median | $178,000, higher | $138,000 |
| Range | $138,000 to $226,000 | $107,000 to $176,000 |
| By experience | ||
| Entry0 to 2 years | $116,000 to $142,000 | $90,000 to $110,000 |
| Mid3 to 5 years | $151,000 to $187,000 | $117,000 to $145,000 |
| Senior6 to 9 years | $196,000 to $231,000 | $152,000 to $179,000 |
| Lead10+ years | $223,000 to $276,000 | $173,000 to $214,000 |
| Total compensation | ||
| Total | $217,000, higher | $169,000 |
| Equity | $21,000, higher | $17,000 |
| Bonus | $14,000, higher | $11,000 |
| Signing | $4,000, higher | $3,000 |
| Cost of living | ||
| Cost index | 1.35x | 1.03x, lower is better |
| Purchasing power | $131,852 | $133,981, higher |
The salary figures on this page are computed estimates, not observed wages. Each one is a national role baseline scaled by a Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parity cost-of-living multiplier (2025 index) and rounded to the nearest $1,000. No published wage percentile is consulted and no wage survey response enters the calculation, so an Orbyt estimate must not be cited as a Bureau of Labor Statistics figure or as measured pay.
Verdict
San Francisco pays 29% more base, but Austin has 2% better purchasing power.
Ready to negotiate with real data?
Start tracking your offers