Senior Database Administrator salary in San Jose, CA
Based on 73 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III 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 | $147,950 |
| 25th | $150,000 |
| 50th (median) | $171,811 |
| 75th | $191,000 |
| 90th | $212,977 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $115,000 | $110,240 | $130,863 | 51 |
| FY2021 | $140,566 | $140,566 | $148,041 | 24 |
| FY2022 | $150,000 | $143,333 | $162,764 | 25 |
| FY2023 | $135,000 | $123,080 | $173,000 | 35 |
| FY2024 | $161,250 | $126,715 | $195,736 | 40 |
| FY2025 | $171,732 | $157,450 | $191,904 | 48 |
| FY2026 | $171,811 | $147,950 | $187,196 | 25 |
Cost of living
San Jose's median senior Database Administrator salary of $171,811 is worth about $155,600 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 $171,811, 24% 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 | $186,035 | 29 |
| Tesla | too few | 6 |
| too few | 4 | |
| Amazon | too few | 3 |
| Intuitive Surgical Operations | too few | 2 |
| Rocket Limited Partnership | too few | 2 |
| ServiceNow | too few | 2 |
| Walmart | 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.