School Counselor Salary: San Diego, CA vs Boston, MA
BLS reports this occupation as "Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors" (21-1012); every figure on this page is for that BLS occupation.
Side-by-side comparison of wages and local price levels for School Counselors in San Diego, 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 Diego, CA | Boston, MA | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Annual Salary | $83,520▲ | $80,760 | +$2,760 |
| 25th Percentile | $64,980 | $66,280▲ | -$1,300 |
| 75th Percentile | $118,310▲ | $102,500 | +$15,810 |
| 90th Percentile | $134,190▲ | $122,910 | +$11,280 |
| Price Level (BEA 2024, US = 100) | 111.9 | 108.3 | +3.6 |
| Median at National-Average Prices | $74,647▲ | $74,594 | +$53 |
| Total Employment | 3,900 | 8,170 | -4,270 |
3Summary Analysis
On paper, San Diego, CA pays $2,760 more (median: $83,520 vs $80,760). BEA's regional price parity is 111.9 in San Diego, CA and 108.3 in Boston, MA (United States = 100). At national-average prices the medians are $74,647 and $74,594, so San Diego, CA comes out ahead once local prices are counted.
5Reading This Comparison
The $2,760 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: $74,647 for San Diego and $74,594 for Boston, a difference of $53.
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; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH) and cover prices only, not taxes.
BLS estimates 3,900 School Counselor jobs in the San Diego area and 8,170 in the Boston area. For broader context, see our California overview and the full School Counselor city ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is School Counselor salary higher in San Diego, CA or Boston, MA?
San Diego, CA has the higher median wage for School Counselors ($83,520 per year, against $80,760 in Boston, MA; BLS OEWS May 2025). Restated at national-average prices using BEA regional price parities, the medians are $74,647 in San Diego, CA and $74,594 in Boston, MA.
How do prices compare between San Diego, CA and Boston, MA?
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 108.3 for the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metropolitan area, where the United States is 100. That is 11.9% above the national level for San Diego, CA and 8.3% above the national level for Boston, MA.
Which city pays School Counselors more once local prices are counted?
San Diego, CA: at national-average prices its median School Counselor wage is $74,647, against $74,594 for Boston, MA. The adjustment divides each median by the area's BEA regional price parity and covers prices only, not taxes.