Amusement and Recreation Attendants Salary
The median pay for a amusement and recreation attendants in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA is $35,130/year ($16.89/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $39K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.8), so that salary is closer to $32,289 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,124/month, about 128.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $35K get you in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Santa Maria-Santa Barbara’s Regional Price Parity (108.8). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About amusement and recreation attendants
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What this looks like in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
Amusement and recreation attendants pay in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara tracks closely to the national median, $35K locally vs. $32K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $3,124/month, which is 126.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.8), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for amusement and recreation attendants in metros near Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $38K | $33K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $37K | $33K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $40K | $35K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $35K | $33K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
Entry-level amusement and recreation attendants (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $35K. Top earners bring in $39K or more, a $4K spread from bottom to top.
Amusement and Recreation Attendants pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Amusement and Recreation Attendants salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $46K | +42% | 340 |
| Hawaii | $40K | +24% | 3,950 |
| District of Columbia | $38K | +18% | 200 |
| Washington | $38K | +18% | 7,000 |
| California | $37K | +15% | 56,920 |
| Maryland | $37K | +14% | 9,200 |
| New York | $36K | +13% | 14,620 |
| Colorado | $36K | +11% | 10,820 |
| Oregon | $35K | +10% | 3,150 |
| Maine | $35K | +10% | 1,230 |
| Vermont | $35K | +10% | 800 |
| Connecticut | $35K | +8% | 2,440 |
| New Jersey | $35K | +7% | 14,060 |
| Massachusetts | $34K | +7% | 5,460 |
| Arizona | $34K | +4% | 6,930 |
| Illinois | $33K | +2% | 11,660 |
| Rhode Island | $31K | -3% | 760 |
| New Hampshire | $31K | -3% | 1,220 |
| Delaware | $31K | -3% | 1,360 |
| Virginia | $31K | -4% | 9,390 |
| Minnesota | $31K | -4% | 7,880 |
| Florida | $31K | -5% | 45,540 |
| Idaho | $31K | -5% | 2,010 |
| Wisconsin | $30K | -6% | 5,450 |
| Nebraska | $30K | -6% | 2,620 |
| Nevada | $30K | -7% | 7,680 |
| Missouri | $30K | -7% | 8,080 |
| South Dakota | $30K | -8% | 1,850 |
| Montana | $30K | -8% | 1,890 |
| New Mexico | $29K | -9% | 1,700 |
| Tennessee | $29K | -11% | 4,820 |
| Wyoming | $29K | -11% | 760 |
| Michigan | $29K | -11% | 11,720 |
| Pennsylvania | $28K | -13% | 17,470 |
| North Dakota | $28K | -13% | 1,430 |
| Utah | $28K | -13% | 6,960 |
| Indiana | $28K | -14% | 6,740 |
| Iowa | $27K | -15% | 5,050 |
| Kentucky | $27K | -15% | 3,190 |
| South Carolina | $27K | -16% | 8,740 |
| Ohio | $27K | -16% | 11,780 |
| Arkansas | $27K | -16% | 2,250 |
| North Carolina | $27K | -17% | 14,120 |
| Texas | $27K | -17% | 28,360 |
| Kansas | $26K | -18% | 4,240 |
| Georgia | $26K | -19% | 8,770 |
| West Virginia | $25K | -22% | 800 |
| Alabama | $23K | -28% | 6,740 |
| Mississippi | $23K | -28% | 2,400 |
| Louisiana | $23K | -29% | 2,850 |
| Oklahoma | $22K | -31% | 2,430 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track amusement and recreation attendants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Santa Maria-Santa Barbara numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a amusement and recreation attendant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $35K, rent takes 126.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $3,124/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for amusement and recreation attendants in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new amusement and recreation attendants typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,074/month. At HUD’s $3,124/month FMR, rent would take 151% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is amusement and recreation attendant a high-paying job in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $35K locally vs. $32K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Santa Maria-Santa Barbara compare to the national average for amusement and recreation attendants?
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara pays $35K median vs. the U.S. average of $32K — that’s +9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.8), the purchasing-power equivalent is $32K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do amusement and recreation attendants make in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?
The median is $35,130 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,560, and experienced amusement and recreation attendants can clear $38,830. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $35K enough to live in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,473/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,124/month, which eats 126.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a amusement and recreation attendants salary go in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara has a Regional Price Parity of 108.8 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median amusement and recreation attendants salary is worth about $32,289 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do amusement and recreation attendants get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.