The Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metropolitan statistical area, as BLS defines it.
Pay data · metro area
Average Salary in Santa Maria, CA (2026)
The average salary in the Santa Maria metro area is $71,660 a year and the median is $51,690: 1% above the US median and 11% below California's (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices the median is worth $47,510, 322nd of 387 metro areas.
- Average (mean) salary
- $71,660US $69,770
- Median salary
- $51,690US $50,980
- Median hourly
- $24.85BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 108.8US = 100 · BEA 2024
The spread
What workers in Santa Maria earn
| Percentile | Santa Maria area | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $35,620 | $35,950 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $38,840 | $41,600 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $51,690 | $58,240 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $82,590 | $97,880 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $131,760 | $159,080 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $71,660 | $80,690 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in Santa Maria
BEA Regional Price Parities put the Santa Maria area at 108.8 against a US average of 100. Matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $108,800 here. Compare with another city.
US = 100
- All items108.8
- Housing (rents)151.4
- Goods105.2
- Utilities149.8
- Other services100.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 108.8 |
| Housing (rents) | 151.4 |
| Goods | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 149.8 |
| Other services | 100.3 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Common jobs
What common jobs pay in Santa Maria
Mean annual wage in the Santa Maria area against the national mean for the same occupation (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Occupation | Santa Maria area | US mean | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $134,680 | $101,420 | +33% |
| Software Developer | $158,230 | $148,100 | +7% |
| Elementary School Teacher | $94,060 | $72,650 | +29% |
| Accountant | $98,360 | $94,750 | +4% |
| Electrician | $78,440 | $71,490 | +10% |
| Truck Driver | $56,640 | $59,710 | -5% |
| Customer Service Representative | $52,600 | $46,590 | +13% |
| Retail Salesperson | $41,680 | $37,310 | +12% |
| Nursing Assistant | $47,510 | $42,700 | +11% |
| General and Operations Manager | $135,600 | $134,940 | 0% |
| Maintenance and Repair Worker, General | $57,030 | $53,780 | +6% |
| Cook, Restaurant | $43,580 | $38,730 | +13% |
The jobs
Best-paying jobs in Santa Maria
BLS publishes estimates for 421 occupations in this metro. Highest mean pay, and the large occupations this area pays furthest above their national average.
Highest-paying jobs
Mean annual wage
- 1Chief Executive$237,600
- 2IT Manager$208,790
- 3General Internal Medicine Physician$203,740
- 4Architectural and Engineering Manager$201,470
- 5Natural Sciences Manager$188,640
- 6Economics Teacher, Postsecondary$182,030
- 7Marketing Manager$181,920
- 8Lawyer$178,730
- 9Computer Science Teacher, Postsecondary$176,910
- 10Human Resources Manager$176,050
Jobs Santa Maria pays above the national average
Occupations with 100,000+ US workers
- 1Career/Technical Education Teacher, Secondary School$111,070 · +53%
- 2Construction and Building Inspector$116,130 · +49%
- 3First-Line Supervisor of Police and Detectives$164,840 · +47%
- 4Public Safety Telecommunicator$81,790 · +44%
- 5Kindergarten Teacher$98,850 · +42%
- 6Police Officer$112,440 · +42%
- 7Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operator$88,190 · +41%
- 8Psychiatric Technician$64,900 · +39%
- 9Firefighter$87,650 · +38%
- 10Librarian$99,340 · +36%
Compare
Other metro areas in California
Method
About these numbers
- All-occupations wages for the metro are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 estimates (api.bls.gov). Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed.
- Pay by occupation is the OEWS May 2025 mean for that occupation in this metro, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 prevailing-wage file. Only figures BLS estimated for this metro itself are used, never state or national fallbacks.
- Price levels are BEA Regional Price Parities for 2024. Price-adjusted pay is a NueCareer calculation (wage ÷ RPP/100).
Questions
Average salary in Santa Maria: FAQ
What is the average salary in Santa Maria?
Across all occupations in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro area, the average (mean) annual wage is $71,660 and the median is $51,690, 1% above the US median (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 200,760 wage and salary jobs.
What is a good salary in Santa Maria?
Above $51,690 out-earns half of workers in the Santa Maria area; the top 25% start at $82,590 and the top 10% at $131,760. Prices run 9% above the national average (BEA, 2024), so matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $108,800 here.
Is Santa Maria expensive to live in?
BEA's price level for the Santa Maria metro is 108.8 (US = 100, 2024). Housing rents are 151.4, goods 105.2, utilities 149.8. At local prices the median wage is worth $47,510, 322nd of 387 metros.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Santa Maria?
By mean annual wage: Chief Executive ($237,600), IT Manager ($208,790), General Internal Medicine Physician ($203,740), Architectural and Engineering Manager ($201,470), Natural Sciences Manager ($188,640) (BLS OEWS May 2025, via the DOL wage file).