Software Developer in Frisco, TX

As a career analyst who’s lived in North Texas for over a decade, I’ve watched Frisco transform from a commuter suburb into a tech and sports destination. For software developers, the calculus of moving here isn’t just about salary—it’s about lifestyle, commute, and long-term growth. This guide cuts through the promotional fluff and gives you the data-driven reality of building a career in Frisco.

The Salary Picture: Where Frisco Stands

Frisco’s tech market is robust, driven by a mix of corporate HQs, healthcare systems, and sports-tech innovation. The median salary for a software developer here is $128,519/year, or $61.79/hour. This sits just above the national average of $127,260, but the real value comes when you factor in Texas’s zero state income tax.

Breaking it down by experience level is crucial. These are realistic local estimates based on current job postings and recruiter data:

Experience Level	Typical Frisco Salary Range	Key Responsibilities
Entry-Level (0-2 yrs)	$85,000 - $105,000	Feature development, bug fixes, unit testing, working within established codebases.
Mid-Level (3-5 yrs)	$110,000 - $140,000	Full feature ownership, mentoring juniors, system design for small modules, API integration.
Senior (6-9 yrs)	$140,000 - $170,000	Leading projects, architectural decisions, performance optimization, cross-team collaboration.
Expert/Staff+ (10+ yrs)	$170,000 - $220,000+	Setting technical strategy, large-scale system design, mentoring senior engineers, influencing org-level decisions.

Frisco’s salary is highly competitive within the DFW metro, but it’s important to see how it stacks up against other major Texas tech hubs. The cost of living, however, is a key differentiator.

City	Median Software Developer Salary	Cost of Living Index (US Avg = 100)	Key Driver
Frisco, TX	$128,519	103.3	Corporate HQs, Sports Tech, Family-Centric
Austin, TX	$132,000 - $140,000	119.5	Startup Ecosystem, Tech Talent Density
Dallas, TX	$125,000 - $135,000	105.8	Finance, Logistics, Large Enterprise
Houston, TX	$120,000 - $130,000	96.5	Energy, Healthcare, Aerospace

Insider Tip: While Austin’s salary ceiling is higher, the cost of living is significantly steeper. Frisco offers a "sweet spot" for developers in the mid-to-senior range who want a high salary without the premium costs of Austin or coastal cities. The 10-year job growth of 17% for the metro area indicates sustained demand, outpacing many national markets.

The Real Take-Home: After Taxes and Rent

Let’s get practical. A median salary of $128,519 looks great on paper, but what’s the monthly reality? Texas has no state income tax, but you’ll pay federal taxes and FICA (7.65%). For a single filer with no dependents, standard deduction, and 401(k) contributions, your monthly take-home pay would be approximately $8,200 - $8,400.

Now, let's build a monthly budget for a software developer earning the median salary. We'll use Frisco’s average 1BR rent of $1,291/month.

Category	Estimated Monthly Cost	Notes
Take-Home Pay (after taxes & 401k)	$8,300	Conservative estimate
Rent (1BR Average)	$1,291	Varies by neighborhood (see below)
Utilities (Elec, Water, Internet)	$250	Texas electricity can spike in summer.
Groceries & Household	$600	Frisco has standard grocery costs.
Car Payment & Insurance	$700	Commuting is car-dependent.
Gas & Maintenance	$250	Average 15-20 mile commute.
Health Insurance (Employer Plan)	$400	Varies widely by employer.
Discretionary (Dining, Entertain.)	$1,000	Frisco has an active food/entertainment scene.
Savings/Investments	$3,809	~46% of take-home is possible.
Remaining Buffer	$0	Tight, but manageable with discipline.

Can they afford to buy a home? Yes, but with caveats. The median home price in Frisco is approximately $575,000. A 20% down payment is $115,000. With a monthly budget that allows for ~$3,800 in savings, saving for a down payment would take roughly 2.5 years. However, a more common path is saving for a 5-10% down payment and paying PMI, which pushes the monthly mortgage (including taxes and insurance) to around $3,500-$4,000. This is feasible on a $128,519 salary, especially for dual-income households, but it will be the largest single expense and requires budgeting discipline.

Where the Jobs Are: Frisco's Major Employers

Frisco’s job market isn’t defined by one giant tech company. It’s a mosaic of corporate HQs, healthcare, sports, and supporting tech services. Here are the key players hiring software developers:

1. The Dallas Cowboys (The Star): More than a football team, this is a massive tech operation. They hire developers for their fan-facing apps, stadium operations software, data analytics for player performance, and their media production arm. Hiring is steady, with peaks around the season.
2. Comerica Bank: Their Frisco campus is a major hub for financial technology. They actively recruit for backend Java/.NET developers, cloud engineers (AWS/Azure), and data engineers to support their banking platforms. Stable, enterprise-level work.
3. Texas Health Resources (Texas Health Frisco): Healthcare IT is a huge, growing field. They need developers for electronic health record (EHR) systems, patient portal apps, internal workflow tools, and data security. Expect a focus on compliance (HIPAA) and reliability.
4. Toyota Motor North America (Plano Adjacent): While technically in Plano, its headquarters is a 5-minute drive from Frisco’s border. They hire for their connected vehicle platform, internal logistics software, and AI/ML roles for autonomous driving research. A major source of automotive tech jobs.
5. Highland Capital Management (Dallas Office): As a major investment firm, they need quant developers, data scientists, and backend engineers for their trading and risk management systems. Requires strong algorithmic and financial domain knowledge.
6. Service Link (Frisco HQ): A tech-enabled property services company. They hire full-stack developers for their core platform that connects homeowners with contractors. This is a mid-size company with a fast-paced, product-focused environment.
7. Medical City Healthcare (Multiple Frisco Locations): Similar to Texas Health, they need developers for patient care systems, telemedicine platforms, and internal hospital management software. Good for developers interested in healthcare tech.

Hiring Trends: There’s a strong demand for developers with cloud expertise (AWS, Azure), especially for companies transitioning from on-premise systems. Cybersecurity roles are also growing, particularly in the financial and healthcare sectors. For the sports tech roles (Cowboys), mobile development (iOS/Android) and real-time data systems are key.

Getting Licensed in TX

For software developers, Texas does not have a state-specific license or certification required to practice. The field is governed by professional standards, not a state board like for lawyers or doctors. This makes the barrier to entry very low.

However, there are important certifications and registrations that hold weight:

• Professional Certifications: While not "licenses," certifications from cloud providers (AWS Certified Solutions Architect, Microsoft Azure Fundamentals) or frameworks (Google Cloud Professional Developer) are highly valued by employers. Cost: $100 - $300 per exam.
• Texas State Business Registration: If you plan to freelance or start an LLC, you’ll need to register with the Texas Secretary of State. The filing fee for an LLC is $300. This is a one-time cost.
• Background Checks: Most corporate employers will conduct a standard criminal background check. There’s no state-specific software developer registry.

Timeline to Get Started: There is no formal "licensing timeline." You can start applying for jobs immediately. If you need to upskill or get certified, a 3-6 month period of focused study (e.g., for an AWS certification) is a common and effective investment.

Best Neighborhoods for Software Developers

Frisco is vast and sprawling. Your choice of neighborhood dramatically impacts your commute, lifestyle, and rent. Here are top picks:

Neighborhood	Vibe & Commute	Avg. 1BR Rent Estimate	Best For...
Downtown Frisco / Historic	Walkable, older charm, lively with events. Close to The Star.	$1,450 - $1,600	Developers who want to be near the action and avoid driving for dinner.
The Star District	New, modern apartments, directly across from the Cowboys HQ. Ultra-convenient.	$1,600 - $1,850+	Tech workers at The Star or Comerica who want a 5-minute walk to work.
Prestwick / Stonebriar	Established, upscale, near major shopping (Stonebriar Centre). Quiet.	$1,300 - $1,500	Those seeking suburban peace, good schools, and a short drive to major employers.
Frisco Square	Family-oriented, community events, lots of new townhomes.	$1,250 - $1,450	Developers planning to start a family or who prefer a community vibe.
West Frisco / Panther Creek	More affordable, closer to the Dallas North Tollway for an easier commute to Plano/Dallas.	$1,100 - $1,350	Commuters to Plano/Dallas offices or budget-conscious developers.

Insider Tip: Traffic on the Dallas North Tollway (DNT) and US-75 is brutal during rush hour. If you work at Toyota in Plano, living in West Frisco or Panther Creek can cut your commute from 45 minutes to 15. If you work at The Star, living in The Star District or Downtown is a game-changer for quality of life.

The Long Game: Career Growth

Your career trajectory in Frisco is about specialization and leveraging the local ecosystem.

• Specialty Premiums:

  • Cloud & DevOps: Developers with certified AWS/Azure experience and CI/CD pipeline knowledge can command a 15-20% premium over generalists. This is the #1 demand area.
  • Cybersecurity: In financial (Comerica) and healthcare (Texas Health) sectors, security-focused developers can see salary bumps of 10-15%.
  • Data Engineering: With the influx of data from sports, healthcare, and finance, data engineers (SQL, Python, ETL, data warehousing) are in high demand and can earn 10-20% above the median.

• Advancement Paths:

  1. Technical Track: Engineer -> Senior Engineer -> Staff Engineer -> Principal Engineer. This is the standard path for deep technical experts.
  2. Management Track: Engineer -> Tech Lead -> Engineering Manager -> Director. Requires strong soft skills and people management.
  3. Specialist Track: Developer -> Solutions Architect, Data Scientist, or DevOps Specialist. Leverages deep domain knowledge.

• 10-Year Outlook: The 17% job growth for the metro is strong. Frisco’s growth is tied to its status as a "sports and entertainment hub" (The Star, RoughRiders, future developments) and its proximity to corporate HQs in Plano and Dallas. The rise of AI/ML will create new roles, but the core demand for cloud, security, and full-stack developers will remain robust. The key risk is a national tech downturn, but Frisco’s diversified economy (sports, healthcare, finance) provides a buffer.

The Verdict: Is Frisco Right for You?

Frisco isn’t for everyone. It’s a specific lifestyle choice that appeals to a certain type of developer.

Pros	Cons
Strong, stable salary ($128,519) with no state income tax.	Car-dependent city. Walkability is limited outside a few pockets.
10-year job growth of 17% indicates a healthy market.	Homogeneous suburban culture. Lacks the dense, urban vibe of Austin or Deep Ellum (Dallas).
Diverse employer base beyond pure tech (sports, healthcare, finance).	Rent and home prices are rising, though still below Austin.
Excellent for families. Top-rated schools (Frisco ISD), safe, and abundant parks.	Traffic congestion on major arteries (DNT, US-75) is significant.
Access to DFW airport for business travel.	Social scene can be quieter; requires active effort to network.

Final Recommendation: Frisco is an excellent choice for mid-to-senior level software developers, especially those with families, who value stability over startup chaos, and who can leverage cloud or security specializations. It’s also ideal for developers who work at The Star, Comerica, or remote roles and want a high quality of life in a modern suburb. For entry-level developers or those seeking a vibrant, 24/7 urban tech scene, Dallas's Uptown or Oak Lawn might be a better fit initially.

FAQs

1. Is the "no state income tax" a real benefit?
Yes, absolutely. On a $128,519 salary, you save ~$6,000-$8,000 per year compared to states like California or New York with 5-8% state income taxes. This directly boosts your take-home pay and ability to save or invest.

2. How competitive is the job market for a mid-level developer?
It's competitive but healthy. With 1,350 jobs in the metro and steady growth, opportunities exist. However, you must be proactive. The best jobs are often filled through referrals (especially at companies like Comerica or Toyota) or by recruiters on LinkedIn. Tailor your resume to the local employer needs (e.g., highlight cloud projects for healthcare/finance roles).

3. Do I need a car in Frisco?
Yes, unequivocally. Public transportation (DART) is limited and doesn't serve most of Frisco effectively. A reliable car is a non-negotiable necessity for commuting, grocery shopping, and daily life. Budget accordingly for car payments, insurance, and gas.

4. What’s the best way to network as a new developer in Frisco?
Look for local tech meetups (often hosted at The Star or local libraries), join the "DFW Tech" or "Frisco Tech" groups on LinkedIn, and attend events at the Frisco Economic Development Corporation. Also, connect with developers working at your target employers (like Texas Health or the Cowboys) on LinkedIn.

5. Is the cost of living truly manageable on the median salary?
It is, but with constraints. The budget breakdown shows you can have a healthy savings rate, but buying a home will require significant upfront savings or a dual-income household. The key is managing the "big three" expenses: rent/mortgage, car, and healthcare. Frisco is more affordable than Austin but less than Houston. The Cost of Living Index of 103.3 is only 3.3% above the national average, which is very reasonable for a high-growth suburb.