Updated 28 March 2026
DevOps Salary by City
San Francisco leads at $182K average, but Austin and Atlanta offer far more purchasing power per dollar earned. Here are 20 metros ranked both ways.
Highest Raw Salary
Best After Cost of Living
Why cost-of-living adjustments matter
A DevOps engineer earning $140,000 in Austin, TX (COL index 97) keeps roughly $101,000 after taxes and housing. The same engineer earning $182,000 in San Francisco (COL index 138) keeps about $98,000. Raw salary numbers can be misleading without context, so always evaluate offers against local living costs. The table below includes both raw and adjusted figures for every metro.
All 20 Metro Areas Compared
| City | Avg Salary | COL Index | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $182,000 | 138 | $131,884 |
| Seattle, WA | $170,000 | 115 | $147,826 |
| New York City, NY | $165,000 | 130 | $126,923 |
| Boston, MA | $150,000 | 125 | $120,000 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $148,000 | 120 | $123,333 |
| Washington, DC Metro | $145,000 | 112 | $129,464 |
| Austin, TX | $140,000 | 97 | $144,330 |
| Denver, CO | $135,000 | 105 | $128,571 |
| Chicago, IL | $132,000 | 99 | $133,333 |
| San Jose, CA | $178,000 | 135 | $131,852 |
| Portland, OR | $142,000 | 112 | $126,786 |
| Atlanta, GA | $128,000 | 93 | $137,634 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth, TX | $130,000 | 94 | $138,298 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $128,000 | 101 | $126,733 |
| Raleigh-Durham, NC | $126,000 | 92 | $136,957 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $124,000 | 97 | $127,835 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $122,000 | 95 | $128,421 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $118,000 | 89 | $132,584 |
| Miami, FL | $120,000 | 108 | $111,111 |
| Remote (US-based) | $138,000 | 100 | $138,000 |
Salary Ranking Visual
Average DevOps base salary by metro area, sorted highest to lowest.
Remote DevOps Salaries and Location Bands
About 45% of DevOps job postings in 2026 are remote-eligible. However, "remote" does not always mean you get paid the same as someone in San Francisco. Here is how companies handle it.
Location-Agnostic Pay
A handful of companies pay the same rate regardless of where you live. These roles typically peg salaries to San Francisco or New York rates, meaning a DevOps engineer in Raleigh would earn $165,000 to $180,000 for the same work that pays $175,000 in NYC. Companies like GitLab and Automattic have used this model. It is the best deal for engineers in lower-cost metros.
Geo-Banded Pay (Most Common)
Most large companies sort cities into 3 to 5 pay tiers. Tier 1 (SF, NYC, Seattle) pays 100% of the reference rate. Tier 2 (Austin, Denver, Portland) pays 85 to 90%. Tier 3 (smaller metros and rural areas) pays 75 to 85%. A senior DevOps engineer earning $165,000 in Seattle might receive $140,000 for the same role from Atlanta under geo-banding.
National Rate (Flat Remote)
Some companies set a single "national" rate for all remote employees. This is typically around the 60th to 70th percentile nationally, which lands at $130,000 to $145,000 for mid-to-senior DevOps engineers. You will not earn Bay Area pay, but you avoid the cost of living penalty. For engineers in states like Texas, Georgia, or North Carolina, this can still mean excellent purchasing power.
Negotiation Tip
When evaluating a remote offer, always ask which city the compensation is pegged to. A "$150K remote role" pegged to San Francisco is worth less than a "$150K remote role" pegged to the national average, because the SF-pegged company may reduce your salary if you move to a lower-tier city.
Take-Home Pay: What You Actually Keep
State income tax and housing costs make a dramatic difference. Here is what a $140,000 DevOps salary looks like after taxes in different cities.
| City | Gross | Federal Tax | State Tax | Approx Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin, TX | $140,000 | -$24,500 | None | $104,500 |
| Seattle, WA | $170,000 | -$31,200 | None | $126,000 |
| Miami, FL | $120,000 | -$19,800 | None | $89,200 |
| San Francisco, CA | $182,000 | -$35,600 | -$17,400 | $115,000 |
| New York City, NY | $165,000 | -$31,500 | -$11,200 | $109,300 |
| Denver, CO | $135,000 | -$23,500 | -$5,900 | $94,600 |
| Chicago, IL | $132,000 | -$22,800 | -$6,500 | $91,700 |
| Atlanta, GA | $128,000 | -$21,900 | -$7,000 | $88,100 |
Estimates assume single filer, standard deduction, 2026 tax brackets. FICA and Medicare included in federal. City taxes (e.g. NYC local income tax) are included where applicable. Actual amounts vary by deductions and filing status.