Salary Comparison

Site Reliability Engineer Salary:
Denver, CO vs San Antonio, TX

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

Denver, CO
$186,824
/ year
+28%
difference
San Antonio, TX
$145,431
/ year
Bottom line: San Antonio offers better purchasing power despite Denver paying more gross. How is this calculated? โ†’
Metric
Denver
San Antonio
Median Gross Salary
Annual, before tax
$186,824โœ“ higher
$145,431
Entry Level
0โ€“2 years experience
$120,818โœ“ higher
$94,050
Senior Level
8+ years experience
$288,890โœ“ higher
$224,883
Est. Take-Home Pay
After income tax + FICA
$124,862โœ“ higher
$98,487
Purchasing Power
Equivalent in median-CoL city
$163,881
$165,263โœ“ higher
Cost of Living Index
Relative to US median (1.00)
1.14ร—
0.88ร—โœ“ lower
Percentile 10 (Low)
Bottom 10% of earners
$120,818โœ“ higher
$94,050
Percentile 90 (High)
Top 10% of earners
$288,890โœ“ higher
$224,883

What if you move from Denver to San Antonio?

Gross salary change
$41,393
28% decrease
Take-home change
$26,375
per year after tax
Purchasing power change
+$1,382
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

Denver, CO$186,824
P10: $120,818Median: $186,824P90: $288,890
San Antonio, TX$145,431
P10: $94,050Median: $145,431P90: $224,883

Frequently Asked Questions

โ–ถDoes a Site Reliability Engineer earn more in Denver or San Antonio?

The median Site Reliability Engineer salary in Denver, CO is $186,824/yr compared to $145,431/yr in San Antonio, TX. Denver pays 28% more in gross terms.

โ–ถIs a Site Reliability Engineer salary worth more in Denver or San Antonio after cost of living?

After adjusting for local cost of living, your Denver salary has the purchasing power of $163,881/yr in a median-cost city, vs $165,263/yr for San Antonio. San Antonio offers stronger real purchasing power.

โ–ถWhat is the take-home pay for a Site Reliability Engineer in Denver vs San Antonio?

After estimated taxes, a Site Reliability Engineer in Denver, CO takes home approximately $124,862/yr, vs $98,487/yr in San Antonio, TX. These are estimates based on standard federal tax rates and do not account for state/local taxes or deductions.