.NET Developer Salary in Houston: $75,000-$140,000 (2026)

Houston’s cost-of-living index (~96) means a . NET developer’s dollars stretch further here than in higher-cost tech hubs.

For a mid-level . NET engineer earning around $100k, typical rent for a central 1-bedroom (e.

g. , Midtown, Montrose) is about $1,200–$1,600/month; suburban areas (Sugar Land, The Woodlands) drop to $900–$1,300.

Housing is the biggest driver: median single-family prices remain lower than Austin or California metros, lowering monthly mortgage and property-tax pressures. Commute costs vary: many tech teams cluster around Energy Corridor, downtown, and the Medical Center; average commute-related expenses (fuel, tolls, insurance) are moderate compared with long commutes common in sprawling metros.

For lifestyle, dining, gyms, and childcare are generally more affordable, so a Houston . NET dev on a $105k salary typically achieves higher discretionary savings or can allocate more to retirement contributions versus peers in Austin or San Francisco.

Keep in mind neighborhood choice (Galleria vs. Inner Loop) materially affects disposable income.

Local demand for . NET skills is driven by Houston’s strong energy, healthcare, and industrial base undergoing digital modernization.

Large employers such as Shell, Chevron, and ExxonMobil run enterprise . NET applications for trading, telemetry, and internal systems, while healthcare providers (Houston Methodist, Baylor St.

Luke’s) need . NET expertise for EMR integrations and backend services.

Regional tech and managed-services firms (HPE, Leidos, consulting boutiques) staff sustained hiring for modernization, cloud migration (Azure . NET workloads), and ISV product work.

The energy sector’s capital cycles cause hiring bumps—when projects ramp (digital twins, IoT ingestion, low-latency trading tools) demand increases and mid-senior salaries rise. Simultaneously, cloud adoption (Azure, .

NET Core/. NET 6+) pushes premium for developers with both legacy .

NET Framework knowledge and modern cloud-native skills. Overall the market balances a strong enterprise base with an increasing number of startups and product companies, keeping salaries competitive but below coastal tech markets.

Compared with Austin (higher COL ~110 and average . NET pay around $115k), Houston offers lower nominal pay but better effective purchasing power due to cheaper housing and lower everyday costs.

Dallas (COL ~102, avg . NET ~$108k) is closer in both pay and costs; commuting or relocating between Dallas and Houston is common for senior roles when compensation or specific employer prestige matters.

San Antonio has lower pay (~$95k) and slightly lower COL, making it less attractive for senior talent unless lifestyle or family reasons apply. Consider remote work: many Houston employers now permit hybrid or fully remote roles, enabling developers to capture higher pay from out-of-market employers while living in Houston, but remote roles often target senior/specialized engineers.

If your priorities are higher nominal salary and startup culture, Austin or remote-first companies may be better; if cost-efficiency and energy/healthcare opportunities matter, Houston is strong.

Entry-level . NET developers (0–2 years) generally start on application maintenance, internal tools, and smaller feature work—expect salaries around $65k–$75k.

Progression to mid-level (3–7 years) typically requires ownership of service components, CI/CD familiarity, and Azure/. NET Core proficiency; timeframe averages 3–5 years with salary moving to $95k–$110k.

Senior engineers (8+ years) lead architecture, mentor teams, and drive cloud migrations; in Houston, moving to senior often requires demonstrated domain knowledge (energy trading, healthcare integrations) plus system design experience—salaries $120k–$145k. To accelerate growth: obtain certifications (Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer), contribute to cross-functional projects (data pipelines, microservices), and gain domain knowledge (energy markets, HL7/FHIR for healthcare).

Transitioning into hands-on tech lead, principal engineer, or engineering manager roles typically increases compensation by 20–40% over senior IC pay in this market.

When negotiating in Houston, be concrete about local comparables: cite regional average ($100k–$110k for mid-level) and reference nearby offers (Dallas/Austin) if applicable. For entry roles expect $65k–$80k; mid-level $90k–$115k; senior $115k–$145k depending on domain.

Emphasize Azure/. NET Core, cloud migration experience, and any energy or healthcare domain knowledge—these command premiums.

Ask about total compensation beyond base: bonus structure (common in energy firms), retention equity or RSUs (more common at startups/tech firms), signing bonuses, and relocation/hybrid stipends. Push for flexible remote/hybrid scheduling and paid training (Azure certs), as Houston employers often budget for upskilling.

Cultural note: many large Houston employers use formal salary bands—if bumped to the top of a band ask for a clear timeline for band advancement. For smaller consultancies, negotiate bill-rate-driven raises and performance-based bonuses tied to project delivery.