Question 1

What is the cost of living in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?

Accepted Answer

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA's overall price level (BEA Regional Price Parity) is 108.8, where 100 equals the U.S. average. That means everyday goods, services, and housing cost about 8.8% more than the national average. HUD's Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom is $3,124/month.

Question 2

What is the average salary in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?

Accepted Answer

Across the 100 BLS-tracked occupation categories with published data in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA, the average median wage is $138,470. The single highest-paying occupation here is Psychiatrists at $333,300/year (BLS OEWS).

Question 3

What are the highest-paying jobs in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?

Accepted Answer

Based on BLS OEWS data, the top-paying occupations in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA are: 1) Psychiatrists at $333,300; 2) Physicians, All Other at $296,960; 3) Family Medicine Physicians at $287,230; 4) Architectural and Engineering Managers at $207,900; 5) Computer and Information Systems Managers at $207,760. Click any occupation above to see the full wage breakdown (10th to 90th percentile).

Question 4

How much does it cost to rent a 2-bedroom apartment in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?

Accepted Answer

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Fair Market Rent (FMR) for a 2-bedroom unit in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA is $3,124/month. FMR is the rent level HUD uses to administer housing assistance and reflects the 40th percentile of standard-quality rentals, updated annually.

Question 5

Where does AffordMap's Santa Maria-Santa Barbara data come from?

Accepted Answer

Salary figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. Cost of living comes from the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (RPP). Rent comes from HUD Fair Market Rents. All three are federal datasets, updated annually, and free to use. AffordMap pairs them so you can see what a salary actually buys after local costs.

Rank	Occupation	Category	Median salary	Hourly
81	Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary	Education	$109K	N/A
82	Labor Relations Specialists	Business & Finance	$109K	$52.29/hr
83	Respiratory Therapists	Healthcare	$109K	$52.21/hr
84	Fashion Designers	Arts & Media	$108K	$52.03/hr
85	Special Education Teachers, All Other	Education	$107K	N/A
86	Sales Managers	Management	$107K	$51.54/hr
87	Administrative Services Managers	Management	$107K	$51.34/hr
88	Project Management Specialists	Business & Finance	$106K	$51.08/hr
89	Physics Teachers, Postsecondary	Education	$106K	N/A
90	Operations Research Analysts	Technology	$106K	$50.76/hr

Top Paying Jobs in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA

Highest paying careers in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara

Affordability snapshot: Santa Maria-Santa Barbara