Database Administrator Salary: San Diego, CA vs Seattle, WA
Side-by-side comparison of wages and local price levels for Database Administrators in San Diego, CA and Seattle, WA, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data and BEA regional price parities for 2024.
1Which City Pays More?
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | San Diego, CA | Seattle, WA | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Annual Salary | $106,820 | $133,180▲ | -$26,360 |
| 25th Percentile | $73,290 | $99,040▲ | -$25,750 |
| 75th Percentile | $140,610 | $164,490▲ | -$23,880 |
| 90th Percentile | $171,120 | $181,520▲ | -$10,400 |
| Price Level (BEA 2024, US = 100) | 111.9 | 111.1 | +0.8 |
| Median at National-Average Prices | $95,471 | $119,838▲ | -$24,367 |
| Total Employment | 730 | 1,010 | -280 |
3Summary Analysis
On paper, Seattle, WA pays $26,360 more (median: $106,820 vs $133,180). BEA's regional price parity is 111.9 in San Diego, CA and 111.1 in Seattle, WA (United States = 100). At national-average prices the medians are $95,471 and $119,838, so Seattle, WA comes out ahead once local prices are counted.
5Reading This Comparison
The $26,360 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: $95,471 for San Diego and $119,838 for Seattle, a difference of $24,367.
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 (San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA) and cover prices only, not taxes.
BLS estimates 730 Database Administrator jobs in the San Diego area and 1,010 in the Seattle area. For broader context, see our California overview and the full Database Administrator city ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Database Administrator salary higher in San Diego, CA or Seattle, WA?
Seattle, WA has the higher median wage for Database Administrators ($133,180 per year, against $106,820 in San Diego, CA; BLS OEWS May 2025). Restated at national-average prices using BEA regional price parities, the medians are $95,471 in San Diego, CA and $119,838 in Seattle, WA.
How do prices compare between San Diego, CA and Seattle, WA?
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the 2024 regional price parity at 111.9 for the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metropolitan area and 111.1 for the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metropolitan area, where the United States is 100. That is 11.9% above the national level for San Diego, CA and 11.1% above the national level for Seattle, WA.
Which city pays Database Administrators more once local prices are counted?
Seattle, WA: at national-average prices its median Database Administrator wage is $119,838, against $95,471 for San Diego, CA. The adjustment divides each median by the area's BEA regional price parity and covers prices only, not taxes.