Salary Comparison

DevOps Engineer Salary:
Austin, TX vs Denver, CO

Side-by-side gross salary, after-tax take-home pay, and purchasing power comparison. Updated June 2026.

Austin, TX
$163,838
/ year
-4%
difference
Denver, CO
$170,977
/ year
Bottom line: Denver wins on all three metrics โ€” higher salary, more take-home pay, and greater purchasing power. How is this calculated? โ†’
Metric
Austin
Denver
Median Gross Salary
Annual, before tax
$163,838
$170,977โœ“ higher
Entry Level
0โ€“2 years experience
$105,953
$110,570โœ“ higher
Senior Level
8+ years experience
$253,347
$264,386โœ“ higher
Est. Take-Home Pay
After income tax + FICA
$109,596
$114,086โœ“ higher
Purchasing Power
Equivalent in median-CoL city
$146,284
$149,980โœ“ higher
Cost of Living Index
Relative to US median (1.00)
1.12ร—โœ“ lower
1.14ร—
Percentile 10 (Low)
Bottom 10% of earners
$105,953
$110,570โœ“ higher
Percentile 90 (High)
Top 10% of earners
$253,347
$264,386โœ“ higher

What if you move from Austin to Denver?

Gross salary change
+$7,139
4% increase
Take-home change
+$4,490
per year after tax
Purchasing power change
+$3,696
equivalent real income

Take-home pay is estimated using 2024 US federal tax brackets (single filer) + 7.65% FICA, or a blended international effective rate. Purchasing power converts gross salary to an equivalent in a US median cost-of-living city (index 1.00ร—). Full methodology โ†’

Salary Range Comparison

Austin, TX$163,838
P10: $105,953Median: $163,838P90: $253,347
Denver, CO$170,977
P10: $110,570Median: $170,977P90: $264,386

Frequently Asked Questions

โ–ถDoes a DevOps Engineer earn more in Austin or Denver?

The median DevOps Engineer salary in Austin, TX is $163,838/yr compared to $170,977/yr in Denver, CO. Denver pays 4% more in gross terms.

โ–ถIs a DevOps Engineer salary worth more in Austin or Denver after cost of living?

After adjusting for local cost of living, your Austin salary has the purchasing power of $146,284/yr in a median-cost city, vs $149,980/yr for Denver. Denver offers stronger real purchasing power.

โ–ถWhat is the take-home pay for a DevOps Engineer in Austin vs Denver?

After estimated taxes, a DevOps Engineer in Austin, TX takes home approximately $109,596/yr, vs $114,086/yr in Denver, CO. These are estimates based on standard federal tax rates and do not account for state/local taxes or deductions.