Salary Comparison

Site Reliability Engineer Salary:
Boston, MA vs San Antonio, TX

Side-by-side gross salary, after-tax take-home pay, and purchasing power comparison. Updated June 2026.

Boston, MA
$226,490
/ year
+56%
difference
San Antonio, TX
$145,431
/ year
Bottom line: San Antonio offers better purchasing power despite Boston paying more gross. How is this calculated? โ†’
Metric
Boston
San Antonio
Median Gross Salary
Annual, before tax
$226,490โœ“ higher
$145,431
Entry Level
0โ€“2 years experience
$146,470โœ“ higher
$94,050
Senior Level
8+ years experience
$350,227โœ“ higher
$224,883
Est. Take-Home Pay
After income tax + FICA
$151,835โœ“ higher
$98,487
Purchasing Power
Equivalent in median-CoL city
$161,779
$165,263โœ“ higher
Cost of Living Index
Relative to US median (1.00)
1.40ร—
0.88ร—โœ“ lower
Percentile 10 (Low)
Bottom 10% of earners
$146,470โœ“ higher
$94,050
Percentile 90 (High)
Top 10% of earners
$350,227โœ“ higher
$224,883

What if you move from Boston to San Antonio?

Gross salary change
$81,059
56% decrease
Take-home change
$53,348
per year after tax
Purchasing power change
+$3,484
equivalent real income

Take-home pay is estimated using 2024 US federal tax brackets (single filer) + 7.65% FICA, or a blended international effective rate. Purchasing power converts gross salary to an equivalent in a US median cost-of-living city (index 1.00ร—). Full methodology โ†’

Salary Range Comparison

Boston, MA$226,490
P10: $146,470Median: $226,490P90: $350,227
San Antonio, TX$145,431
P10: $94,050Median: $145,431P90: $224,883

Frequently Asked Questions

โ–ถDoes a Site Reliability Engineer earn more in Boston or San Antonio?

The median Site Reliability Engineer salary in Boston, MA is $226,490/yr compared to $145,431/yr in San Antonio, TX. Boston pays 56% more in gross terms.

โ–ถIs a Site Reliability Engineer salary worth more in Boston or San Antonio after cost of living?

After adjusting for local cost of living, your Boston salary has the purchasing power of $161,779/yr in a median-cost city, vs $165,263/yr for San Antonio. San Antonio offers stronger real purchasing power.

โ–ถWhat is the take-home pay for a Site Reliability Engineer in Boston vs San Antonio?

After estimated taxes, a Site Reliability Engineer in Boston, MA takes home approximately $151,835/yr, vs $98,487/yr in San Antonio, TX. These are estimates based on standard federal tax rates and do not account for state/local taxes or deductions.