Database Administrator Salary: Boston, MA vs Austin, TX
Side-by-side comparison of wages and local price levels for Database Administrators in Boston, MA and Austin, TX, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data and BEA regional price parities for 2024.
1Which City Pays More?
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Boston, MA | Austin, TX | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Annual Salary | $132,370▲ | $123,830 | +$8,540 |
| 25th Percentile | $96,010▲ | $93,210 | +$2,800 |
| 75th Percentile | $160,060▲ | $141,030 | +$19,030 |
| 90th Percentile | $176,570▲ | $162,800 | +$13,770 |
| Price Level (BEA 2024, US = 100) | 108.3 | 98.1 | +10.2 |
| Median at National-Average Prices | $122,264 | $126,272▲ | -$4,008 |
| Total Employment | 1,910 | 1,110 | +800 |
3Summary Analysis
On paper, Boston, MA pays $8,540 more (median: $132,370 vs $123,830). BEA's regional price parity is 108.3 in Boston, MA and 98.1 in Austin, TX (United States = 100). At national-average prices the medians are $122,264 and $126,272, so Austin, TX comes out ahead once local prices are counted.
5Reading This Comparison
The $8,540 gap between the two medians is a gap in dollars, not in what those dollars buy. Dividing each median by its area's regional price parity restates it at national-average prices: $122,264 for Boston and $126,272 for Austin, a difference of $4,008.
The price levels come from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, which describes them this way: “Regional price parities (RPPs) measure the differences in price levels across states and metropolitan areas for a given year and are expressed as a percentage of the overall national price level.” The figures used here are the all-items index for each whole metropolitan area (Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH; Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX) and cover prices only, not taxes.
BLS estimates 1,910 Database Administrator jobs in the Boston area and 1,110 in the Austin area. For broader context, see our Massachusetts overview and the full Database Administrator city ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Database Administrator salary higher in Boston, MA or Austin, TX?
Boston, MA has the higher median wage for Database Administrators ($132,370 per year, against $123,830 in Austin, TX; BLS OEWS May 2025). Restated at national-average prices using BEA regional price parities, the medians are $122,264 in Boston, MA and $126,272 in Austin, TX.
How do prices compare between Boston, MA and Austin, TX?
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the 2024 regional price parity at 108.3 for the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metropolitan area and 98.1 for the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX metropolitan area, where the United States is 100. That is 8.3% above the national level for Boston, MA and 1.9% below the national level for Austin, TX.
Which city pays Database Administrators more once local prices are counted?
Austin, TX: at national-average prices its median Database Administrator wage is $126,272, against $122,264 for Boston, MA. The adjustment divides each median by the area's BEA regional price parity and covers prices only, not taxes.