Starting range
Average salary
Top earners
About 14% below U.S. average
Compare to Nearby Cities
| City | Average Salary | Cost of Living Index | Real Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amarillo, TX | $78,000 | 88 | $88,636 |
| Abilene, TX | $75,000 | 85 | $88,235 |
| Austin, TX | $110,000 | 120 | $91,667 |
Local Market Outlook
Demand Level
Steady with incremental growth in healthcare, education and agricultural technology. Occasional spikes when university grants or hospital projects begin.
Top Employers
Key Industries
How Lubbock's cost of living affects a .NET developer’s purchasing power
Lubbock’s cost of living index (~86) meaningfully increases purchasing power for a . NET developer compared with larger Texas tech hubs.
Rent for a one‑bedroom apartment typically runs $650–$850 depending on neighborhood; a modest three‑bedroom rental is commonly $1,100–$1,400. Median home prices in the region are roughly half of national metro medians, so mortgage payments for buyers are substantially lower.
Commute and transport costs are low: average drive times under 20 minutes reduce fuel and time costs compared with congested metros. Groceries, utilities and local services trend below national averages, making everyday expenses manageable on an $80–85k salary.
That said, discretionary categories — dining out, niche entertainment, or frequent domestic travel — still consume a similar share of income as elsewhere. For a Lubbock .
NET developer earning the local average (~$82k), after housing and taxes the typical monthly discretionary budget often equals or exceeds what a $95k+ salary would buy in a higher‑cost city like Austin.
Why .NET salaries sit where they do in Lubbock
Salaries for . NET developers in Lubbock reflect a mix of employer types and regional demand.
Major employers such as Texas Tech University and Covenant Health hire for internal applications, research platforms and electronic medical records integrations, providing steady, benefits‑heavy roles that anchor market pay. Regional grocery and retail operations (United Supermarkets/associated IT teams) require point‑of‑sale and inventory systems often built on Microsoft stacks.
Agribusiness and agri‑tech firms are increasingly investing in data collection and farm management portals that use . NET backends or hybrid .
NET/Cloud solutions. Local consultancies and MSPs take on diverse client projects but often compete on price, which compresses wages relative to large tech metros.
The absence of large enterprise software houses and a smaller startup scene limits the top end of the salary curve, while stable public‑sector and healthcare budgets keep baseline salaries competitive for cost‑sensitive employers.
Comparing Lubbock to nearby cities: when to commute or relocate
Compared with nearby Amarillo and Abilene, Lubbock pays slightly higher or comparable base salaries for . NET developers while sharing a similar low cost of living.
Amarillo average (~$78k, COL ~88) and Abilene (~$75k, COL ~85) offer lateral moves for specialists. Midland/Odessa and Austin are different cases: Midland/Odessa (not listed above) can pay higher for niche roles tied to energy sector IT, while Austin (~$110k, COL ~120) pays significantly more but has a much higher housing cost and congestion.
Commuting to Amarillo or Abilene is feasible for short‑term contract work but impractical daily; relocation to Austin makes sense for developers targeting larger salaries, cloud‑native roles, or corporate tech teams. Remote work is increasingly viable — many regional employers accept remote or hybrid .
NET developers, and remote roles from national firms often pay closer to metro rates, making a Lubbock base attractive if you can secure remote compensation tied to national benchmarks.
Career path and how experience changes pay in Lubbock
Typical progression for a . NET developer in Lubbock follows entry → mid → senior over roughly 8–12+ years.
Entry (0–2 years) focuses on C#, ASP. NET, SQL Server fundamentals and maintenance tasks; developers often start at $50–60k.
Mid‑level (3–7 years) expands to system design, API development, cloud integrations (Azure), and occasional project leadership; salaries typically rise to $75–90k. Senior (8+ years) takes ownership of architecture, DevOps pipelines, mentor roles, and cross‑team influence; local senior pay peaks near $100–115k depending on employer.
Accelerators for faster growth locally include: obtaining Azure certifications, full‑stack skills (React/Angular + . NET), healthcare domain experience (EHR integrations), and demonstrating delivery of revenue‑impacting projects.
Moving into hybrid leadership or consultancy can also materially increase compensation because Lubbock employers value domain experience and reliability.
Negotiating salary and benefits as a .NET developer in Lubbock
Be explicit about local benchmarks: reasonable salary targets for a Lubbock . NET developer are roughly $55–65k entry, $75–90k mid, and $95–115k senior.
When negotiating, reference local comparable roles (Texas Tech, Covenant Health) and evidence of impact (reduced outage time, improved deployment frequency, measurable cost savings). Emphasize Azure certifications, full‑stack competency (JavaScript framework + .
NET), and domain experience (healthcare or agri‑tech) to justify above‑median offers. Common benefits to negotiate include flexible/hybrid remote days, professional development stipends (certifications/conferences), paid on‑call premiums, and student loan or relocation assistance.
Cultural factors: many Lubbock employers prioritize long‑term fit and community ties; demonstrating commitment to the region and to cross‑team collaboration often strengthens offers. If a cash raise is limited, negotiate for performance review timelines (6 months), signing bonuses, or equity/bonus tied to project milestones when available.
Related Tools
Sources & Methodology
How We Calculate Salary Data
Location-specific salary data is compiled from government statistics (BLS), employer-reported data, and verified employee submissions. Cost of living adjustments use COLI data from the Council for Community and Economic Research. All figures are cross-referenced across multiple sources and updated quarterly to reflect current market conditions.
Data last verified: January 2026
Data Sources
Official government occupational employment and wage statistics
Self-reported salary data from employees by location
Job posting salary data aggregated by metro area
Council for Community and Economic Research cost of living data
Regional compensation data and cost-of-living adjustments