Expert Database Administrator salary in San Jose, CA
Based on 68 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Milpitas, Palo Alto.
Also listed as: DBA
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $176,637 |
| 25th | $177,258 |
| 50th (median) | $196,579 |
| 75th | $213,000 |
| 90th | $246,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $148,500 | $135,512 | $168,813 | 25 |
| FY2021 | $169,000 | $168,813 | $179,814 | 15 |
| FY2022 | $178,800 | $171,787 | $214,943 | 31 |
| FY2023 | $159,799 | $150,696 | $179,750 | 30 |
| FY2024 | $176,634 | $159,598 | $196,050 | 28 |
| FY2025 | $180,232 | $176,638 | $207,500 | 29 |
| FY2026 | $208,000 | $180,550 | $218,467 | 39 |
Cost of living
San Jose's median expert Database Administrator salary of $196,579 is worth about $178,000 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Jose = 110.4).
Compared with all workers here
All Database Administrators in the San Jose, CA area earned a median of $138,620 in May 2025 (580 employed). The H-1B median here is $196,579, 42% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| EY | $220,000 | 13 |
| too few | 7 | |
| Apple | too few | 5 |
| NVIDIA | too few | 4 |
| ServiceNow | too few | 4 |
| PayPal | too few | 3 |
| Kai Cyber | too few | 3 |
| IBM | too few | 2 |
| Intuitive Surgical Operations | too few | 2 |
| Sage Intacct | 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 | $92,040 | 68 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $125,000 | 256 |
| Senior · Level III | $171,811 | 73 |
| Expert · Level IV | $196,579 | 68 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $89,357 | $92,040 | 68 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $120,245 | $125,000 | 256 |
| Senior · Level III | $148,429 | $171,811 | 73 |
| Expert · Level IV | $177,258 | $196,579 | 68 |
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.