Top Software Development Companies in Dallas in 2024

The tech sector in Texas is a robust industry responsible for significant inventions like semiconductors, dating apps, handheld calculators, and more. As per 2021 LinkedIn data, Texas is the top choice for migrating tech workers. 

A huge tech workforce and software development clusters are a few reasons for the explosive growth of the sector here. Of the various regions in the Lone Star state, Dallas is a popular destination as it has top tech talent and supporting infrastructure. Businesses looking for app development can find some of the best software development companies in Dallas.

Digital solutions have become integral to businesses now. From routine operations to delivering value to customers, digitalization plays a key role. Software development is the driving force behind the digital transformation, as it can help in many ways. 

From optimizing work processes to improving communication and collaboration, the industry can provide immense benefits. Here is more on Dallas as a tech hub and a guide on top software development companies in Dallas in 2024.

Major Software Development Hubs in Dallas

Dallas in North Texas is a region that has fostered the growth of many tech hubs. The high concentration of tech workers, top-quality research universities, and technological innovation have led to the region prospering as a software development hub. Many top software development companies are in this region. Here are some of the areas in Dallas that sport tech clusters.

Irving-Las Colinas

Irving-Las Colinas is home to many services, such as software development, information services, manufacturing, and professional technical services. It also nurtures emerging technologies like next-generation wireless and broadband communications, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and gaming. 

AT&T, Oracle, Microsoft, Verizon, NEC Corporation, and TrendMicro are some industry giants present here. 

Plano 

Plano is home to many small businesses, manufacturers, and startups from diverse industries. Bank of America, Ericsson, Intuit, Texas Instruments, Rockwell Collins, and software giants like Electronic Data Systems and Perot Systems are based here. Palo Alto Networks, Tyler Technologies, Hewlett-Packard Enterprise, NTT DATA, and CA Technologies are other Plano-based companies.  

Downtown Dallas

The downtown area of Dallas-Fort Worth boasts the highest concentration of Fortune 500 companies, such as AT&T, CBRE, Southwest Airlines, Dean Foods, Energy Transfer Equity, and Jacobs Engineering. Dallas city alone has 11 Fortune 500 companies, while the DFW region has 23.

Frisco

As a part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, Frisco is a fast-growing city home to professionals working in the DFW region. It has Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 companies, including Addus Homecare, Keurig Dr Pepper, Careington International, and HCA Healthcare Centre for Clinical Advancement. 

As a rapidly developing IT hub, it houses many innovative tech companies like Magna5 and Redwood Software, as well as over 200 startups. The city focuses on innovation across various verticals like Smart city tech, fintech, cybersecurity, and esports. 

An innovation hub opening in the fourth quarter of 2023 will convene investors, startups, and business leaders to focus on innovation in many areas like healthcare, emerging tech, business, and sports.

Richardson

Richardson, home to the University of Texas, Dallas, is one of the top four tech clusters in North America. It is the Telecom hub and the international business capital of North Texas (Over 65 international companies have offices here). 

In the past decade, the region has diversified its tech clusters beyond telecom with over 500 tech-based companies like software development, semiconductors, defense contracting, financial services, data centers, cybersecurity, and many other clusters.

Dallas innovation corridor

Besides the various tech hubs, Dallas has an impressive innovation corridor that comprises startups, capital, corporations, housing, retail, and universities. 

Well-connected with trails and transit, the region is lined with parks and coffee shops, making it a vibrant place for idea generation and innovation. The Crescent and Old Parkland, UT Southwestern, Pegasus Park, SMU (a nationally ranked research university), and Deep Ellum are part of the corridor. 

Market Overview

As a continuously evolving industry, software development undergoes constant innovation, with each development focusing on revolutionized business operations. Emerging trends in the sector provide various benefits like enhanced storage, cost savings, and better access. Some of the significant trends seen in the software development industry are:

Integration of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Software development

Instead of being an additional feature, AI and ML have become essential tools for providing enhanced and beneficial features. TensorFlow, developed by Google, is a good example. This neural network development library combines with AI frameworks such as Theano to provide valuable machine learning solutions and help build and test neural networks effectively.

Extended Reality (XR)

XR is a recent innovation that transcends the features and benefits of virtual reality and augmented reality. It is a human-machine interface that helps provide an immersive experience to users. XR can provide interactive and engaging experiences to students, like access to historical events. In healthcare, surgeons can practice complicated surgeries in virtual environments to hone their skills and minimize errors.

Edge computing

Edge computing shifts computation nearer to the consumption or generation of data in cloud computing. The proximity accelerates data processing and reduces network traffic and latency. Businesses can see a marked improvement in performance, quicker decision-making, and faster response times.

Low or No-code development

LCNC (Low-code/no-code) solutions are popular now, as they provide easier access to programming without the need for complex coding knowledge. Wix, WordPress, Weebly, and Squarespace are examples of low-code apps. 

5G in software development

With 5G ushering in the next level of internet connectivity, developers stand to benefit via better user connectivity and enhanced implementation of AR and machine learning in apps. 5G architectures use software for networking functionality, so with the enhanced user access capabilities of 5G combined with cloud tech, virtualization, and automation, users can have rapid and agile access. 

Dallas's position in the national and global software development market

Dallas-Fort Worth region offers a huge base of computer and tech talent with over 85,000 computer programmers, system analysts, engineers, and computer support specialists. The University of Texas at Dallas hosts one of the biggest computer science programs in the country. 

From the data released by the Dallas Regional Chamber, the region has 23 Fortune 500 companies and 42 Fortune 1000 companies in sectors like professional services, transportation, trade, and public administration. 

Low taxes, affordable living costs, warm weather, and work flexibility with more companies offering remote positions make the region a favorable market for tech companies. Further, the region has been adding incubators, accelerators, and enablers at a rapid rate, resulting in 40 accelerators, 64 coworking spaces, and 24 corporate innovation centers formed in the region in 2020. From 2020 to 2021, the number of residents in Dallas increased by 97,000, with nearly two-thirds due to relocation from regions like Silicon Valley and California. 

Technical Expertise of Dallas-based Developers

With many big names in the IT field, like Cisco, Infosys, and IBM, setting up offices where top professionals experiment with new technologies, Dallas provides exciting opportunities. The best software development companies in Dallas have developers skilled in all the latest technologies, including cloud computing and advancements in telecommunication.

Popular technologies and frameworks used by them in 2024 include:

• JavaScript: This is a scripting language for dynamic content updating, image animation, multimedia control, and more. 
• HTML: HTML is a markup language used to add meaning to web content. It helps define paragraphs, images, data, videos, and more on a web page.
• Python: Python is a programming language that helps create a wide range of applications, including software and web development, data science, automation, and more.
• Blockchain: Blockchain is an advanced database system enabling transparent sharing of data in a business network. It helps record transactions and track assets inside a business network.
• SQL: SQL (structured query language) allows access and manipulation of databases. It can execute queries, retrieve data, insert records, update them, delete, or create new databases.

Some of the popular frameworks that top software development companies in Dallas use are:

• Django: As an open-source back-end framework, Django is built on Model-view-template architecture. It is ideal for developing complex apps and those that are database-driven. 
• Angular JS: This is a structural framework used for creating single-page applications and dynamic web pages. It is a front-end or client-side framework.
• React: React is a popular framework used for creating component-based architecture and serves as a front-end and back-end framework with its rich user interface library. 
• React Native: This is a popular software development framework used in native application creation for iOS and Android. It supports third-party plugins and platform-specific versions.
• Scrum: Scrum is an agile framework that breaks down a complex project into multiple parts for efficient management. 

Disciplined Agile (DA) is a process-decision agile framework that focuses on individual professionals initially and later provides guidance for the entire team in project optimization.

Case studies showcasing successful software projects

The favorable tech climate of Dallas has made many companies shift their base here. JPMorgan Chase has one of the tech centers based in Dallas-Fort Worth. Its facility in Plano has the needed technology and infrastructure for its digital experience solutions. The products from Chase support nearly 50 percent of households in the country. 

Salesforce, which is behind the leading global customer relationship management software, chose Dallas as its central US headquarters due to its diverse talent pool and highly skilled developers. Cisco has around 1500 employees working in the region. It has partnered with Dallas City to install Wi-Fi hotspots outside four of the libraries in the region as part of a local initiative. 

Education and Talent Pool

The continuing growth of the IT sector in Dallas is directly due to the excellent educational facilities available here. Universities in the region that offer courses in computer science, including cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and data science, include

• University of Texas, Dallas, 
• Southern Methodist University
• University of Dallas Irving
• Dallas Baptist University 

The constant stream of graduates from Dallas-based universities is a chief reason for the thriving tech industry in the region. Most educational institutions here have forged partnerships with tech businesses, enabling the exchange of expertise and information.

Some of the boot camps in the region that offer software development courses are

• Bootcamps offered by the Southern Methodist University are top-rated and include courses in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Bootstrap, jQuery, node.JS, and machine learning.
• Tech Talent South offers part-time and full-time programs in domain modeling, HTML/CSS, HTTP, JavaScript, Ajax, and RESTful design.
• Coding Dojo offers an onsite coding boot camp.
• Software Engineering Immersive by General Assembly
• Web development immersive by DevMountain
• Full-Stack web development by Noble Desktop
• Python programming course by General Assembly

Availability of skilled software developers

Due to the region's innovation initiatives and the presence of top-quality institutions offering software development courses, Dallas contributes to a big chunk of the software developers in the state. Texas has the second largest number of software engineers in the country, with 324,717, next only to California, which boasts 628,414 engineers. 

The DFW region has the 5th largest concentration of High-Tech jobs (278,057) in the country, next only to New York-New Jersey, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, Los Angeles-Long Beach, and San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley regions. 

The presence of highly skilled software developers in the region is proven by the region harboring companies like Accenture, Cognizant, Deloitte, Infosys, IBM, Intuit, Salesforce, Oracle, Trend Micro, Wipro, Microsoft, and McAfee. 

Salaries and Compensation

As per the Dallas Regional Chamber, the region has 46,946 software developer jobs with an hourly wage of $57.46. The average salary of a software developer here is $104,232, which is the same as the national average. Experienced developers can earn around $130,000.

Arlington is the top-paying city, with a salary of $122,186 per year. The salary is $98,329 per year in Houston, Texas.

Comparatively, a software engineer in San Francisco, California, earns $157,763 per year, while the salary is $144,992 per year in New York, NY and $135,368 per year in Seattle, WA.

Cost of Living in Dallas

The Dallas-Fort Worth region is one of the most affordable areas in the country. With the national cost of living index average of 100, Dallas has a 102.5 cost of living rating, while neighboring Fort Worth has a value of 95.1. New York has the highest cost of living index of 228. Housing costs in Dallas are lower than those in Boston (by 57%), Los Angeles (60%), New York (80%), Seattle (54%), and San Francisco (69%).

The Dallas-Fort Worth area boasts a low cost of living, providing a competitive advantage to companies looking for low labor costs and the best talent. Employees enjoy a better standard of living thanks to the low cost of housing, groceries, transportation, and health care. The housing prices are 50% lower than the other metropolitan areas in the country. 

Businesses looking to open office spaces will also benefit from the low housing and living costs, as these have a direct impact on project costs. As per the Dallas Chamber report, doing business in the region is more affordable than in other major business centers in the country. The local and state taxes are low, and the rent and labor are also less than in other major markets in the country, making it an attractive place to relocate or expand.

Why Choose Dallas for Software Development?

Dallas has undergone phenomenal growth and transformation in recent years, leading to a burgeoning talent pool, technical expertise, and innovation. Due to the local tech talent, it is easy to find the best software development companies in Dallas. The presence of big names in tech like AT&T, Amazon, Capital One, Texas Instruments, Salesforce, and Southwest Airlines is solid proof of the region's development. Dallas has many advantages in its favor, like

• A promising startup ecosystem
• Favorable business atmosphere
• Solid infrastructure
• Diverse talent pool

New research indicates that the region leads the country in the increase in tech jobs, as per DRC (Dallas Regional Chamber), with the number of jobs increasing by 9,784 from 2021 to 2022. As per a CBRE report, companies looking to relocate find the Dallas region favorable as it boasts high-quality tech talent, favorable taxes, affordable real estate in the residential and commercial sector, and significant millennial population growth. 

The presence of a millennial tech workforce in the region makes it easy for top software development companies in Dallas to hire locally. The combined value and quality that the region provides sets Dallas apart from other cities and makes it a rapidly growing market.

Conclusion

Dallas is a prime location for software development in 2024 as it is a hub for technological solutions, providing companies with the impetus needed for their growth. With Dallas fostering many innovation hubs like the Dallas Innovation Alliance, it leverages digital transformation to remain competitive. Not only the top software development companies in Dallas but also companies across all industries can use the tech talent in the region to optimize their operations, reduce costs, and enhance customer experience. 

With the DRC reporting that the tech sector will add 20,000 new jobs in 2023, tech professionals with skills in software development, among other areas such as cybersecurity and data analytics, have excellent opportunities. With a growth rate of 4% annually, the tech sector is the fastest growing in Dallas. For top software development companies, Dallas is a powerhouse of talent and a favorable business environment.