Salaries in Austin.

3,445 roles. One city.

Cost-of-living index: 1.03x national average. Last updated June 2026.

3,445 roles tracked

Get your playbook.

Highest Paying

$371,000

Principal AI Research Scientist

Median of All Roles

$160,000

AI Change Management Lead

Entry Level

$34,000

Hotel Clerk / Front Desk

Salary data sourced from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, H-1B Labor Condition Applications (DOL), state pay-transparency job postings, and community submissions. Ranges reflect 25th to 75th percentile for full-time positions. Cost-of-living adjustments use Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (2025 index). Last updated June 2026.

Austin, TX has a cost-of-living index of 1.03x the national average. The highest-paying role is Principal AI Research Scientist at $371,000, while the median across all 3,445 roles is $160,000. Austin has transformed into one of America's fastest growing tech hubs, attracting relocations from Apple, Tesla, Oracle, and Samsung.

About the Austin market

Austin has transformed into one of America's fastest growing tech hubs, attracting relocations from Apple, Tesla, Oracle, and Samsung. The city's combination of no state income tax, a vibrant startup scene, and a strong university pipeline makes it highly competitive. Salaries have risen sharply over the past five years, narrowing the gap with coastal cities.

TechnologySemiconductorsClean EnergyHealthcareGovernment

Top 50 salaries in Austin

#	Role	Median	Range
1	Principal AI Research Scientist	$371,000	$290,000 – $483,000
2	Principal Quantitative Researcher	$371,000	$290,000 – $483,000
3	Technical Fellow	$346,000	$270,000 – $450,000
4	Principal AI Agent Architect	$344,000	$268,000 – $447,000
5	Principal AI Safety Engineer	$340,000	$266,000 – $442,000
6	Distinguished Engineer	$337,000	$255,000 – $428,000
7	Senior VP of Security	$336,000	$262,000 – $437,000
8	SVP of Engineering	$332,000	$259,000 – $432,000
9	Staff Quantitative Researcher	$332,000	$259,000 – $432,000
10	Chief Science Officer	$332,000	$259,000 – $432,000
11	Principal Quantitative Developer	$331,000	$258,000 – $431,000
12	Senior VP of Product	$329,000	$257,000 – $428,000
13	Principal Deep Learning Engineer	$328,000	$256,000 – $427,000
14	Chief AI Officer	$326,000	$242,000 – $420,000
15	Chief Security Officer	$326,000	$254,000 – $424,000
16	Principal AI Agent Engineer	$321,000	$251,000 – $418,000
17	Principal Cryptographer	$321,000	$251,000 – $418,000
18	Principal AI Engineer	$319,000	$249,000 – $415,000
19	Principal LLM Engineer	$319,000	$249,000 – $415,000
20	Senior VP of Design	$319,000	$250,000 – $415,000
21	SVP of Product	$319,000	$249,000 – $415,000
22	Principal AI Compiler Engineer	$318,000	$248,000 – $414,000
23	Chief Machine Learning Officer	$318,000	$248,000 – $414,000
24	CTO	$318,000	$248,000 – $414,000
25	Chief Architect	$318,000	$248,000 – $414,000
26	Staff AI Research Scientist	$316,000	$247,000 – $411,000
27	L7 Software Engineer	$316,000	$247,000 – $411,000
28	SVP of Technology	$315,000	$246,000 – $410,000
29	Principal Applied Scientist	$309,000	$241,000 – $402,000
30	SVP of Sales	$309,000	$241,000 – $402,000
31	SVP of Strategy	$309,000	$241,000 – $402,000
32	Chief Transformation Officer	$308,000	$240,000 – $400,000
33	Principal Machine Learning Engineer	$307,000	$239,000 – $398,000
34	Principal Language Runtime Engineer	$307,000	$239,000 – $398,000
35	Chief Strategy Officer	$307,000	$239,000 – $398,000
36	Chief Commercial Officer	$307,000	$239,000 – $399,000
37	Senior Head of Product	$306,000	$239,000 – $398,000
38	Chief Growth Officer	$305,000	$237,000 – $396,000
39	Lead High-Frequency Trading Engineer	$303,000	$237,000 – $394,000
40	Chief Legal Officer	$303,000	$236,000 – $394,000
41	VP of AI	$302,000	$229,000 – $395,000
42	Chief Digital Officer	$302,000	$236,000 – $394,000
43	SVP of Design	$302,000	$236,000 – $394,000
44	Chief Cloud Officer	$302,000	$236,000 – $394,000
45	Principal Computer Vision Engineer	$301,000	$234,000 – $391,000
46	Principal Kernel Engineer	$301,000	$234,000 – $391,000
47	Chief Innovation Officer	$300,000	$234,000 – $390,000
48	VP of AI Research	$299,000	$233,000 – $388,000
49	Principal NLP Engineer	$298,000	$232,000 – $386,000
50	Principal AI Infrastructure Engineer	$298,000	$232,000 – $386,000

Tax considerations

Texas has no state income tax, which can mean 5 to 10% more take home pay compared to California roles. Property taxes are above average, however, running about 1.8% of home value.

Negotiating in Austin

Use the no income tax advantage as a negotiation lever. Ask employers to match 90% of a Bay Area offer and show that your net pay will actually be higher.

Other cities

New York San Francisco Los Angeles Chicago Seattle Boston Denver Dallas Atlanta Miami Houston Philadelphia

All Roles Interview Prep Resume Score Job Search Guide

Know the number. Get the offer.

Orbyt gives you the salary data, interview prep, and pipeline tools to negotiate from a position of strength.

Start

Salaries in Austin.

3,445 roles. One city.

Cost-of-living index: 1.03x national average. Last updated June 2026.

3,445 roles tracked

Get your playbook.

Highest Paying

$371,000

Principal AI Research Scientist

Median of All Roles

$160,000

AI Change Management Lead

Entry Level

$34,000

Hotel Clerk / Front Desk

About the Austin market

TechnologySemiconductorsClean EnergyHealthcareGovernment

Top 50 salaries in Austin

#	Role	Median	Range
1	Principal AI Research Scientist	$371,000	$290,000 – $483,000
2	Principal Quantitative Researcher	$371,000	$290,000 – $483,000
3	Technical Fellow	$346,000	$270,000 – $450,000
4	Principal AI Agent Architect	$344,000	$268,000 – $447,000
5	Principal AI Safety Engineer	$340,000	$266,000 – $442,000
6	Distinguished Engineer	$337,000	$255,000 – $428,000
7	Senior VP of Security	$336,000	$262,000 – $437,000
8	SVP of Engineering	$332,000	$259,000 – $432,000
9	Staff Quantitative Researcher	$332,000	$259,000 – $432,000
10	Chief Science Officer	$332,000	$259,000 – $432,000
11	Principal Quantitative Developer	$331,000	$258,000 – $431,000
12	Senior VP of Product	$329,000	$257,000 – $428,000
13	Principal Deep Learning Engineer	$328,000	$256,000 – $427,000
14	Chief AI Officer	$326,000	$242,000 – $420,000
15	Chief Security Officer	$326,000	$254,000 – $424,000
16	Principal AI Agent Engineer	$321,000	$251,000 – $418,000
17	Principal Cryptographer	$321,000	$251,000 – $418,000
18	Principal AI Engineer	$319,000	$249,000 – $415,000
19	Principal LLM Engineer	$319,000	$249,000 – $415,000
20	Senior VP of Design	$319,000	$250,000 – $415,000
21	SVP of Product	$319,000	$249,000 – $415,000
22	Principal AI Compiler Engineer	$318,000	$248,000 – $414,000
23	Chief Machine Learning Officer	$318,000	$248,000 – $414,000
24	CTO	$318,000	$248,000 – $414,000
25	Chief Architect	$318,000	$248,000 – $414,000
26	Staff AI Research Scientist	$316,000	$247,000 – $411,000
27	L7 Software Engineer	$316,000	$247,000 – $411,000
28	SVP of Technology	$315,000	$246,000 – $410,000
29	Principal Applied Scientist	$309,000	$241,000 – $402,000
30	SVP of Sales	$309,000	$241,000 – $402,000
31	SVP of Strategy	$309,000	$241,000 – $402,000
32	Chief Transformation Officer	$308,000	$240,000 – $400,000
33	Principal Machine Learning Engineer	$307,000	$239,000 – $398,000
34	Principal Language Runtime Engineer	$307,000	$239,000 – $398,000
35	Chief Strategy Officer	$307,000	$239,000 – $398,000
36	Chief Commercial Officer	$307,000	$239,000 – $399,000
37	Senior Head of Product	$306,000	$239,000 – $398,000
38	Chief Growth Officer	$305,000	$237,000 – $396,000
39	Lead High-Frequency Trading Engineer	$303,000	$237,000 – $394,000
40	Chief Legal Officer	$303,000	$236,000 – $394,000
41	VP of AI	$302,000	$229,000 – $395,000
42	Chief Digital Officer	$302,000	$236,000 – $394,000
43	SVP of Design	$302,000	$236,000 – $394,000
44	Chief Cloud Officer	$302,000	$236,000 – $394,000
45	Principal Computer Vision Engineer	$301,000	$234,000 – $391,000
46	Principal Kernel Engineer	$301,000	$234,000 – $391,000
47	Chief Innovation Officer	$300,000	$234,000 – $390,000
48	VP of AI Research	$299,000	$233,000 – $388,000
49	Principal NLP Engineer	$298,000	$232,000 – $386,000
50	Principal AI Infrastructure Engineer	$298,000	$232,000 – $386,000

Tax considerations

Texas has no state income tax, which can mean 5 to 10% more take home pay compared to California roles. Property taxes are above average, however, running about 1.8% of home value.

Negotiating in Austin

Use the no income tax advantage as a negotiation lever. Ask employers to match 90% of a Bay Area offer and show that your net pay will actually be higher.

Other cities

New York San Francisco Los Angeles Chicago Seattle Boston Denver Dallas Atlanta Miami Houston Philadelphia

All Roles Interview Prep Resume Score Job Search Guide

Know the number. Get the offer.

Orbyt gives you the salary data, interview prep, and pipeline tools to negotiate from a position of strength.

Start

Salaries in Austin.

About the Austin market

Top 50 salaries in Austin

Tax considerations

Negotiating in Austin

Other cities

Related

Know the number. Get the offer.

Salaries in Austin.

About the Austin market

Top 50 salaries in Austin

Tax considerations

Negotiating in Austin

Other cities

Related

Know the number. Get the offer.