Expert Database Administrator salary in San Diego, CA
Based on 15 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Carlsbad, Vista, San Marcos.
Also listed as: DBA
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $133,182 |
| 25th | $135,949 |
| 50th (median) | $138,000 |
| 75th | $191,594 |
| 90th | $196,520 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $127,920 | $118,019 | $139,339 | 13 |
| FY2021 | $134,920 | $118,019 | $145,000 | 17 |
| FY2022 | $135,629 | $120,746 | $140,000 | 22 |
| FY2023 | $148,500 | $129,500 | $171,000 | 13 |
| FY2024 | – | – | – | 8 |
| FY2025 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2026 | – | – | – | 6 |
Cost of living
San Diego's median expert Database Administrator salary of $138,000 is worth about $123,300 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Diego = 111.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Database Administrators in the San Diego, CA area earned a median of $106,820 in May 2025 (730 employed). The H-1B median here is $138,000, 29% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Costar Realty Information | too few | 2 |
| ServiceNow | too few | 2 |
| Sony Interactive Entertainment | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | too few | 2 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $93,500 | 30 |
| Senior · Level III | $129,348 | 16 |
| Expert · Level IV | $138,000 | 15 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-level · Level II | $89,586 | $93,500 | 30 |
| Senior · Level III | $111,384 | $129,348 | 16 |
| Expert · Level IV | $135,949 | $138,000 | 15 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.