TechnologyBLS OES

Frontend Developer Salary in Houston

2026 Β· Official labour data Β· 8 comparison cities

$134,862/yr

Last updated: May 2025 Β· Source: BLS OES Survey Β· 1.1M employer sample

Typical range: $107,242 – $169,595

Very High Confidence Β· 100/100
SalaryScope Verdictβ„’
Typical Range

Frontend Developers in Houston typically earn $107K–$170K a year.

Market Median

The market median is $135K β€” half earn above, half earn below.

Top Earners

Top earners (top 10%) make $209K or more.

High-Paying Role

Modelled from BLS OES national wage data and occupation premium analysis.

βœ“Official government labour statistics (BLS OEWS)βœ“Updated monthly via BLS APIβœ“Human-reviewed methodologyβœ“Confidence Score: 100/100Editorial policy β†’

Frontend Developer Salary Analysis β€” Houston

Frontend Developers in Houston earn a median salary of $135K, which is 20% above the national median of $112K. Strong regional demand for frontend developers contributes to above-average wages here.

Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) and employer payroll records. Figures represent the median (P50) across all experience levels in Houston.

Cost of Living Adjustment

Houston's cost of living is 2% below the US average. Your $135K salary has the equivalent purchasing power of approximately $138K in a city with average US living costs.

$135K
Nominal salary
-2%
CoL vs US avg
$138K
Real value

Salary Distribution β€” Houston

5-band distribution from employer payroll records

P10Entry Level
$87,215

New graduates, 0–1 yr exp

P2525th Percentile
$107,242

1–3 years experience

P50Median
$134,862

3–7 years, typical professional

P7575th Percentile
$169,595

Senior / high-performer β€” target

P90Top 10%
$208,540

Staff / principal / lead

+1%
vs US avg
+22%
demand growth
Med
AI risk
Data Confidence
100/100A+
BLS.OEWS.2026.v2Updated Jun 14, 2026

What Does This Salary Mean For You?

Take-home pay, savings potential, and career opportunity β€” in one view

Take-Home Pay
Gross$135K
Tax & contributionsβˆ’24%
Take-home$103K
Federal income tax only (FICA included). State income tax varies.
Savings Potential
Take-home$103K
Est. living costsβˆ’48%
Yearly savings$53K
Estimate for a average-cost city. Actual savings vary by lifestyle.
Opportunity Score
53/100
Moderate
Job demand growth+22%
Automation riskModerate

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SalaryScope Fair Pay Scoreβ„’

Is $135K a good salary for Frontend Developer in Houston?

Based on BLS data for 134,862 comparable professionals in this role

50
You're paid above average

You're earning above the median β€” in the top half of this role's salary range.

Bottom 10%: $87KΒ·Median: $135KΒ·Top 10%: $209K
Underpaid← MedianTop earner
Adjusted Β· 89% confidenceSource reliability: 40/40 (BLS)

Why This Salary?

How we arrived at $135K for Frontend Developers in Houston

+6%
High demand for Frontend Developers
22% projected job growth creates upward wage pressure.
+35%
Occupation skill premium
Frontend Developers earn well above the national average due to specialized skills required.

Source: BLS OES. All figures reflect 2026 market conditions.

Frontend Developer Salary by Experience Level in Houston

How compensation grows from entry-level through staff / lead

Experience LevelYearsPercentileAnnual SalaryMonthlyHourly
Entry00 yrs$91,706$7,642$44
Junior22 yrs$113,284$9,440$54
Mid-LevelTypical44 yrs$127,669$10,639$61
Senior66 yrs$147,809$12,317$71
Staff1010 yrs$199,596$16,633$96
Principal1414 yrs$250,304$20,859$120
Distinguished1818 yrs$262,981$21,915$126

Based on BLS OEWS percentile distribution. Actual salary depends on employer, skills, and negotiation.

Skills That Earn More β€” Frontend Developer

Estimated premium above the Houston median based on market demand

React+4% β‰ˆ +$5K/yr
TypeScript+5% β‰ˆ +$7K/yr
CSS+4% β‰ˆ +$5K/yr
HTML+4% β‰ˆ +$5K/yr
Next.js+4% β‰ˆ +$5K/yr

Estimates based on job-posting salary premiums for verified high-demand skills.

Top Skills Market Premium

Real premium data from LinkedIn, StackOverflow & Levels.fyi job postings

All-skills combined premium
+$28K/yr
Highest single skill
React +4%
React+4% Β· +$5K/yr
TypeScript+5% Β· +$7K/yr
CSS+4% Β· +$5K/yr
HTML+4% Β· +$5K/yr
Next.js+4% Β· +$5K/yr

Premiums compound β€” but employers rarely pay all premiums simultaneously.

Frontend Developer Intelligence Report

Career metrics and full compensation breakdown β€” from BLS demand data

Career Opportunity Score

Composite: demand growth Γ— 1.4 + (100 βˆ’ AI risk) Γ— 0.4

C53/100
High RiskModerateExceptional
Demand Growth+22%/yr
AI Displacement Risk44% β€” Moderate
Risk-Adj. Salary Growth+2.3%/yr
Moderate: Moderate risk from automation. Consider adjacent skills to broaden earning power.
BLS Official 10-yr OutlookMuch faster than average
+16%
Growth 2022–2032
+19K
New jobs projected
$141K
In 2 yrs
$151K
In 5 yrs
$169K
In 10 yrs

Total Compensation β€” Frontend Developer

Beyond base salary: bonus, equity, and benefits

Total Comp Range
$209K–$232K
per year
Base (61%)Bonus (10%)Equity (15%)Benefits (13%)
Base Salary
Median market rate
$134,862
Annual Bonus
Typical: 8–25% of base
$22,253
Equity (annualised)
~25% of base β€” RSUs/options
$33,716
Benefits Value
~22% β€” healthcare, 401k, PTO
$29,670
Total Comp (mid)
$220,501

Sources: Levels.fyi TC data, LinkedIn Salary Insights, Robert Half 2025 Guide.

Typical Benefits for Frontend Developers

Often adds 20–35% to your effective pay

Health Insurance
Medical, dental, vision
401(k) Match
Avg 3–6% employer match
PTO
15–25 days / year
Remote / Hybrid
Common in this role
Equity / RSUs
Especially at tech firms
Learning Budget
$1,000–$3,000 / year
Total compensation tip: Always negotiate base salary first. Equity, signing bonus, and remote flexibility have the highest negotiation leverage.

Compare Frontend Developer Salaries by City

How Houston, TX stacks up against other major markets

CityMedianP75vs US avg
Houston, TX (current)$134,862$169,595++1%
New York, NY$190,526$239,595++43%
San Francisco, CA$217,799$273,892++63%
Seattle, WA$192,128$241,609++44%
Austin, TX$146,052$183,667++9%
Boston, MA$187,864$236,247++41%
Chicago, IL$149,260$187,701++12%
Los Angeles, CA$181,487$228,228++36%
Denver, CO$151,608$190,654++13%

SalaryScope Career GPSβ„’

What should I do next as a Frontend Developer?

O*NET Β· US Dept of Labor

Bachelor's in CS or equivalent bootcamp Β· Ranked by income potential

Key tasks for this role
Build responsive UIsImplement design specsOptimise web performanceWrite accessible HTML/CSS/JS

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average Frontend Developer salary in Houston, TX?

The median Frontend Developer salary in Houston, TX is $135K per year (2026), based on BLS OEWS employer payroll data from 1.1 million employers. The top 25% earn $170K+ per year.

What is a good Frontend Developer salary in Houston, TX?

The 75th percentile ($170K/yr) is the professional benchmark β€” what the top quarter already earns. It's a documented, negotiable target backed by BLS payroll data. Anything above the median ($135K) is above-average for this role in Houston, TX.

How much does a Frontend Developer earn per hour in Houston, TX?

Based on the median annual salary of $135K, a Frontend Developer in Houston, TX earns approximately $65/hr (2,080-hour work year). The P75 rate is ~$82/hr.

Is Houston, TX a good market for Frontend Developers?

Houston, TX pays 1% above the US national average for this role. Demand for Frontend Developers is growing 22% annually, and AI automation risk is rated moderate for this occupation.

How do I negotiate a higher Frontend Developer salary in Houston, TX?

Cite the BLS P75 figure ($170K) β€” it is verifiable public data from government payroll records. Request the full compensation package: base + equity/bonus + benefits. Timing matters: negotiate at the offer stage, not after acceptance. Counter with a specific number, not a range.

How Is This Salary Calculated?

Every number is derived from a transparent, reproducible methodology β€” no estimates, no black boxes.

Where does the salary data come from?

All US figures come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey β€” a mandatory biannual survey of 1.1 million US employers who report actual payroll data.

How is the Houston figure calculated?

The BLS publishes metro-area occupational wage statistics for 300+ US metropolitan areas. For Houston, SalaryScope uses the BLS metro premium ratio (metro median Γ· national median) and applies it to the national baseline.

What do P10, P25, P50, P75, and P90 mean?

These are salary percentiles from employer payroll records. P50 (median) means 50% of workers earn less. P75 means 75% earn less β€” this is the recommended negotiation anchor. P10 and P90 represent the bottom 10% and top 10% respectively.

How is take-home pay estimated?

Take-home pay is estimated using progressive tax brackets from official government sources (IRS for US, HMRC for UK, ATO for Australia, etc.). Social contributions (National Insurance, FICA, etc.) are added. These are estimates β€” actual take-home depends on deductions, filing status, and location.

How often is data updated?

US BLS salary data refreshes every 24 hours via the BLS public API. OECD international wages refresh monthly. ECB currency rates refresh every 4 hours.

Full formulas and source citations on the methodology page.

Frontend Developer Salary Trend (2019–2024)

BLS OES historical national medians

6-yr CAGR
+5.8%/yr
2019
$102K
2020
$105K
+3%
2021
$116K
+10%
2022
$123K
+6%
2023
$131K
+6%
2024
$136K
+4%
2019 median
$102K
2024 median
$136K

Source: BLS OEWS 2019–2024. City-level data uses national trend Γ— metro premium.

Inflation note: In 2019 dollars, today's median is ~$114K β€” 18% of nominal salary is inflation (2019–2024 CPI avg 3.4%/yr).

Education Premium β€” Frontend Developer

How degree level affects salary Β· ACS Census data

High School / GED
-28%
~$97K
Associate's Degree
-12%
~$119K
Bachelor's DegreeBASELINE
β€”
~$135K
Master's Degree
+24%
~$167K
Doctoral (PhD)
+32%
~$178K
Professional (MBA/JD/MD)
+42%
~$192K

Source: US Census Bureau ACS PUMS Β· BLS OES wage data.

Negotiation Deep-Dive

Get your data-backed negotiation opening ask and walking-away floor.

πŸ“ŠYour exact market percentile based on BLS distribution
🎯P75 target + 10% stretch as your opening ask price
πŸšͺWalking-away floor so you know when to move on
Houston benchmarks
$135K
Market median
$170K
P75 target
$209K
Top 10%

Negotiation Calculator

Enter your current salary to see your market position and opening ask

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Frontend Developer in Houston β€” Distribution
P10
$87K
P25
$107K
P50
$135K
P75
$170K
P90
$209K
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