KnowYard Community

Salary negotiation in DFW: How I got $18K more than the initial offer

Just closed a negotiation for a Senior PM role in Plano. Initial offer: $112K. Final: $130K + $5K signing bonus. Here's exactly what I did.

• Researched the role on Levels.fyi, Glassdoor, and Blind
• DFW Senior PM range: $110-145K depending on company/industry
• My target: $130K (75th percentile for the market)

Worst employers in DFW: The blacklist thread

Let's save each other time and money. Which DFW employers should people avoid?

• Share your experience, not rumors
• Be specific: what was bad and for which role/department
• It's okay to name names — this is salary transparency's cousin

Remote work in DFW: How to earn Bay Area salaries while living in Texas

The dream: Bay Area or NYC salary, DFW cost of living. Here's how to actually make it happen.

• Most companies now adjust for location. The full SF salary in DFW is rare.
• Typical adjustment: 10-20% below SF rates (still great for DFW)
• Some companies pay the same everywhere: Netflix, Airbnb, some startups

USAA in DFW: The military-adjacent employer everyone wants to work at

USAA has a massive DFW presence in Plano. Here's the inside scoop.

• Financial services for military and their families
• Plano campus: 5,000+ employees
• You do NOT need to be military to work there (common misconception)

Career pivot to tech in DFW: Realistic paths that actually work

Changed careers from teaching to software engineering in DFW. Took 14 months. Here's what actually works and what's a waste of money.

• Recommended: Tech Elevator (Dallas campus, $15K, 14 weeks)
• Also good: Coding Dojo, Hack Reactor (online)
• Timeline: 3-4 months bootcamp + 3-6 months job search

Construction and trades in DFW: The boom nobody's talking about

DFW is building faster than any metro in America. If you're in the trades, this is the place to be.

• DFW building permits 2025: 45,000+ residential units (U.S. Census)
• Commercial construction: data centers, corporate campuses, mixed-use developments
• Infrastructure: $4.5B in TxDOT projects active in DFW

Healthcare jobs in DFW: The complete guide to the biggest employer in the region

Healthcare is the #1 employer in DFW. Here's the landscape for anyone in the field or considering it.

• Largest not-for-profit health system in Texas
• RN salary range: $68-95K depending on unit and experience
• Sign-on bonuses: $5-15K for high-demand specialties (ICU, OR, ER)

Side hustle reality check: What DoorDash, Uber, and Instacart actually pay in DFW

Drove for all three platforms in DFW for 6 months. Here are the real numbers.

• Average per delivery: $6.50 (including tip)
• Average deliveries per hour: 2.5
• Gross hourly: ~$16.25

DFW tech scene: Where to work if you're a software engineer

DFW is not Austin or the Bay Area. But the tech scene is growing fast and the cost-of-living math works in your favor. Here's the landscape.

• Meta — Offices in Dallas. Infra and AR/VR teams. $180-300K TC depending on level.
• Google — Limited DFW presence but remote-friendly for TX residents.
• Amazon — Warehouse tech + some AWS roles. $130-200K TC.

Charles Schwab Westlake campus: The finance bro dream or corporate grind?

Schwab moved their HQ from San Francisco to Westlake, TX (between Southlake and Fort Worth). 18 months in, here's the review.

• Brand new. Beautiful. Feels like a tech campus in the middle of Texas ranch country.
• On-site gym, trails, cafeteria, even a putting green
• Westlake location means very low crime, great schools, but ZERO nightlife. You need a car for everything.

American Airlines Fort Worth HQ: Is it worth working there for the flight benefits?

The #1 question people ask about AA: are the flight benefits worth it? After 2 years at Skyview campus in Fort Worth, here's my answer.

• Unlimited standby flights on AA, all oneworld partners, and partner airlines
• Domestic standby: FREE. International standby: taxes only ($50-200)
• Confirmed tickets at massive discount (D2 and D3 passes)

Toyota Plano campus: Honest review after 3 years there

Moved to DFW specifically for Toyota's Plano headquarters. 3 years in, here's the real story.

• Campus is beautiful. 100 acres, on-site fitness center, cafeteria, dry cleaning, Starbucks
• Benefits are elite: pension (yes, pension in 2026), 401K match up to 6%, medical/dental/vision all excellent
• Toyota Financial Services and Toyota Connected offer tech-adjacent roles with great comp

DFW salary transparency thread: Drop your title, company, YOE, and TC

Let's normalize salary transparency in DFW. I'll start.

• Title: Senior Software Engineer
• Company: Fintech startup in Addison
• Total comp: $155K base + $20K equity = $175K TC

Avoid this staffing agency in Dallas. Complete waste of time.

Not naming the specific one because I don't want legal issues but if a staffing agency near the Galleria area promises you "$25-30/hr administrative positions" and then only sends you $14/hr warehouse jobs, you know who I'm talking about.

Doctor/dentist recs that take insurance and aren't booked 3 months out?

I've been trying to find a primary care doctor and a dentist for two months. Everyone is either not taking new patients, doesn't take my insurance, or has the next available appointment in August.

DFW commute tips: How to survive driving 30+ miles each way

The average DFW commute is 28 minutes one way. Source: US Census Bureau. Here's how to make it less miserable.

• Waze over Google Maps. Waze catches real-time incidents faster in DFW. Set departure time alerts.
• Learn the service roads. In DFW, most highways have parallel frontage/service roads. When the highway locks up, exit and use them.
• I-35E alternative: Jupiter Rd or Coit Rd run parallel through Richardson/Plano. Slower but predictable.

Best mechanic in town that won't rip you off?

I need a trustworthy mechanic. Not a dealership — they quoted me $900 for brake pads and rotors on a midsize sedan. I can buy the parts for $200.

Best gym that isn't Planet Fitness?

Planet Fitness is fine for what it is but I've outgrown it. No squat racks, no deadlift platforms, the lunk alarm is embarrassing, and the gym is packed from 5-8pm every weekday.

Who has the worst drivers -- your city or the one next door?

Every city in Texas thinks the city next to them has the worst drivers. It's like a universal Texas experience.

Best Texas road trip you've ever taken?

Looking to plan something for a long weekend. Done the usual stuff close to home but want to go further out.

Fiesta is the best citywide event in Texas and its not close

Two weeks of parades, food, music, cascarones, and an excuse to skip work. NIOSA alone is worth living in SA.

Tech salaries in DFW vs. Austin vs. Houston vs. remote — the real numbers

I collected salary data from DFW tech workers, public sources, and my professional network. Here is where DFW stands compared to other Texas metros and remote roles.

• Austin has Apple, Google, Meta, Tesla, and dozens of VC-funded startups. DFW has enterprise companies that pay well but not at FAANG levels.
• Cost of living gap is narrowing. Austin is no longer cheap. A comparable house in Austin costs 15-25% more than DFW.
• No state income tax (same as all Texas metros, but vs. remote roles that might be taxed in CA/NY)

Federal jobs at the IRS campus in Austin are remote-eligible from DFW now

PSA: The IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center and a bunch of other federal positions are now allowing full remote or hybrid from anywhere in Texas. There's a massive hiring push.

• Federal health insurance (cheapest premiums I've ever had)
• TSP retirement matching up to 5%
• 13-26 days PTO depending on tenure

[AIW] for calling the cops on a house party next door at 1 AM on a Tuesday in Arlington

I live in a residential neighborhood in south Arlington. Single-family homes, families, working people. It is not a college area.

Parks and outdoor spots that are actually worth going to?

I've been here a while but I feel like I've only scratched the surface of outdoor stuff to do. I default to the same two parks every weekend and I'm getting bored.