Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary Salary
Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondaries in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA make a median of $94,580 a year. The range runs from $60K at the entry level to $179K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.8), so that salary is closer to $86,930 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,124/month, about 52.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $95K 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 chemistry teachers, postsecondaries
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What this looks like in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
Chemistry teachers, postsecondary pay in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara tracks closely to the national median, $95K locally vs. $93K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $3,124/month, which is 53.6% 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 chemistry teachers, postsecondaries in metros near Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $141K | $124K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $138K | $124K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $131K | $119K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $137K | $119K |
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 chemistry teachers, postsecondaries (10th percentile) start around $60K. Mid-career wages sit at $95K. Top earners bring in $179K or more, a $119K spread from bottom to top.
Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $133K | +43% | 1,650 |
| North Dakota | $111K | +19% | 60 |
| Massachusetts | $108K | +16% | 820 |
| Delaware | $105K | +12% | 80 |
| Minnesota | $104K | +12% | 430 |
| Arizona | $104K | +11% | 210 |
| District of Columbia | $103K | +11% | 100 |
| New Hampshire | $102K | +10% | 70 |
| Utah | $102K | +10% | 200 |
| Nevada | $102K | +9% | 60 |
| Maryland | $102K | +9% | 310 |
| Oregon | $101K | +9% | 460 |
| Michigan | $101K | +8% | 560 |
| Rhode Island | $101K | +8% | 110 |
| New York | $100K | +7% | 1,840 |
| Illinois | $98K | +5% | 880 |
| Colorado | $97K | +4% | 330 |
| Pennsylvania | $95K | +2% | 1,270 |
| Kansas | $94K | +1% | 170 |
| Washington | $86K | -8% | 390 |
| Georgia | $85K | -9% | 500 |
| Maine | $85K | -9% | 70 |
| New Mexico | $85K | -9% | 80 |
| Nebraska | $85K | -9% | 150 |
| Montana | $85K | -9% | 80 |
| Louisiana | $84K | -10% | 140 |
| Wisconsin | $83K | -10% | 450 |
| Missouri | $83K | -11% | 460 |
| Wyoming | $83K | -11% | 30 |
| Kentucky | $83K | -11% | 250 |
| Iowa | $82K | -12% | 230 |
| West Virginia | $82K | -12% | 90 |
| Texas | $82K | -12% | 1,470 |
| New Jersey | $82K | -12% | 750 |
| Indiana | $82K | -13% | 530 |
| South Carolina | $81K | -13% | 270 |
| Virginia | $80K | -14% | 760 |
| Tennessee | $79K | -15% | 370 |
| Connecticut | $79K | -15% | 350 |
| North Carolina | $79K | -16% | 900 |
| Vermont | $79K | -16% | 90 |
| Ohio | $78K | -16% | 700 |
| Florida | $78K | -17% | 340 |
| Alabama | $76K | -18% | 310 |
| South Dakota | $76K | -19% | 70 |
| Mississippi | $66K | -29% | 130 |
| Arkansas | $65K | -31% | 110 |
| Oklahoma | $64K | -31% | 220 |
Showing 1–10 of 48 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track chemistry teachers, postsecondary 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 chemistry teachers, postsecondary afford a 2BR apartment alone in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $95K, rent takes 53.6% 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 $1,700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemistry teachers, postsecondaries in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemistry teachers, postsecondaries typically earn — is $60K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,576/month. At HUD’s $3,124/month FMR, rent would take 87% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is chemistry teachers, postsecondary a high-paying job in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $95K locally vs. $93K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Santa Maria-Santa Barbara compare to the national average for chemistry teachers, postsecondaries?
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara pays $95K median vs. the U.S. average of $93K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.8), the purchasing-power equivalent is $87K — below the national median.
How much do chemistry teachers, postsecondaries make in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?
The median is $94,580 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $59,600, and experienced chemistry teachers, postsecondaries can clear $178,620. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $95K enough to live in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,832/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,124/month, which eats 53.6% 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 chemistry teachers, postsecondary 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 chemistry teachers, postsecondary salary is worth about $86,930 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do chemistry teachers, postsecondaries 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.