Database Administrator Salary: San Francisco, CA vs Boston, MA
Side-by-side comparison of wages and local price levels for Database Administrators in San Francisco, CA and Boston, MA, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data and BEA regional price parities for 2024.
1Which City Pays More?
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | San Francisco, CA | Boston, MA | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Annual Salary | $127,760 | $132,370▲ | -$4,610 |
| 25th Percentile | $92,810 | $96,010▲ | -$3,200 |
| 75th Percentile | $163,940▲ | $160,060 | +$3,880 |
| 90th Percentile | $210,810▲ | $176,570 | +$34,240 |
| Price Level (BEA 2024, US = 100) | 115.6 | 108.3 | +7.3 |
| Median at National-Average Prices | $110,507 | $122,264▲ | -$11,757 |
| Total Employment | 1,470 | 1,910 | -440 |
3Summary Analysis
On paper, Boston, MA pays $4,610 more (median: $127,760 vs $132,370). BEA's regional price parity is 115.6 in San Francisco, CA and 108.3 in Boston, MA (United States = 100). At national-average prices the medians are $110,507 and $122,264, so Boston, MA comes out ahead once local prices are counted.
5Reading This Comparison
The $4,610 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: $110,507 for San Francisco and $122,264 for Boston, a difference of $11,757.
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 Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH) and cover prices only, not taxes.
BLS estimates 1,470 Database Administrator jobs in the San Francisco area and 1,910 in the Boston 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 Francisco, CA or Boston, MA?
Boston, MA has the higher median wage for Database Administrators ($132,370 per year, against $127,760 in San Francisco, CA; BLS OEWS May 2025). Restated at national-average prices using BEA regional price parities, the medians are $110,507 in San Francisco, CA and $122,264 in Boston, MA.
How do prices compare between San Francisco, CA and Boston, MA?
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the 2024 regional price parity at 115.6 for the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metropolitan area and 108.3 for the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metropolitan area, where the United States is 100. That is 15.6% above the national level for San Francisco, CA and 8.3% above the national level for Boston, MA.
Which city pays Database Administrators more once local prices are counted?
Boston, MA: at national-average prices its median Database Administrator wage is $122,264, against $110,507 for San Francisco, CA. The adjustment divides each median by the area's BEA regional price parity and covers prices only, not taxes.