Home / Locations / Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA Metro area profile Top Paying Jobs in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA (2026) Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA has 380 jobs across diverse industries. The highest-paying occupations include Chief Executives ($205,680), Computer and Information Systems Managers ($200,790), Architectural and Engineering Managers ($196,810). The cost of living index is 108.8 (national average = 100). Median 2-bedroom rent is $3,124/month.
108.8
Cost of living index
Highest paying careers in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara Rank Occupation Category Median salary Hourly 1 Chief Executives Management $206K $98.89/hr 2 Computer and Information Systems Managers Management $201K $96.53/hr 3 Architectural and Engineering Managers Management $197K $94.62/hr 4 Nurse Practitioners Healthcare $171K $82.28/hr 5 Lawyers Legal $170K $81.91/hr 6 Geography Teachers, Postsecondary Education $170K $/hr 7 Marketing Managers Management $167K $80.14/hr 8 Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary Education $167K $/hr 9 Pharmacists Healthcare $166K $79.72/hr 10 Computer Hardware Engineers Engineering $165K $79.31/hr 11 Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary Education $164K $/hr 12 Financial Managers Management $164K $78.72/hr 13 Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary Education $163K $/hr 14 Software Developers Technology $163K $78.38/hr 15 Managers, All Other Management $163K $78.14/hr 16 Physicians, All Other Healthcare $160K $77.01/hr 17 Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary Education $158K $/hr 18 Veterinarians Healthcare $158K $75.89/hr 19 First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives Public Safety $158K $75.73/hr 20 Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary Education $157K $/hr 21 Human Resources Managers Management $151K $72.56/hr 22 Physician Assistants Healthcare $151K $72.52/hr 23 Physical Scientists, All Other Science $147K $70.83/hr 24 Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors Engineering $147K $70.7/hr 25 Communications Teachers, Postsecondary Education $142K $/hr
Affordability snapshot: Santa Maria-Santa Barbara Cost of living vs. national average +8.8% more expensive
Studio apartment (FMR) $/mo
1-bedroom apartment (FMR) $/mo
2-bedroom apartment (FMR) $3,124/mo
3-bedroom apartment (FMR) $/mo
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities.
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