Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians Salary
Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA make a median of $53,640 a year, or about $25.79 an hour. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $92K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.8), so that salary is closer to $49,301 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,124/month, about 89.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $54K 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 clinical laboratory technologists and technicians
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What this looks like in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
Pay for clinical laboratory technologists and technicians in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $63K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $3,124/month, which is 85.9% 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. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for clinical laboratory technologists and technicianss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for clinical laboratory technologists and technicians in metros near Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $67K | $59K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $84K | $73K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $64K | $57K |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $83K | $78K |
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 clinical laboratory technologists and technicians (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $54K. Top earners bring in $92K or more, a $43K spread from bottom to top.
Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $97K | +55% | 16,460 |
| Oregon | $83K | +32% | 2,660 |
| New Hampshire | $81K | +29% | 800 |
| Massachusetts | $79K | +26% | 10,850 |
| Vermont | $79K | +25% | 460 |
| District of Columbia | $77K | +22% | 960 |
| California | $76K | +21% | 29,210 |
| Rhode Island | $76K | +20% | 1,060 |
| Minnesota | $74K | +18% | 7,190 |
| Washington | $73K | +16% | 7,430 |
| Illinois | $72K | +14% | 10,330 |
| Colorado | $70K | +11% | 5,000 |
| Maine | $69K | +9% | 1,250 |
| Delaware | $69K | +9% | 690 |
| New Jersey | $68K | +9% | 7,000 |
| Hawaii | $66K | +5% | 1,090 |
| Wyoming | $66K | +4% | 450 |
| Connecticut | $65K | +4% | 3,670 |
| Montana | $65K | +4% | 1,020 |
| Ohio | $64K | +1% | 13,050 |
| Maryland | $64K | +1% | 6,200 |
| North Dakota | $63K | -0% | 1,370 |
| Arizona | $63K | -1% | 6,440 |
| Georgia | $62K | -1% | 11,540 |
| Tennessee | $62K | -1% | 8,410 |
| Kansas | $62K | -1% | 3,930 |
| West Virginia | $62K | -2% | 1,800 |
| Michigan | $61K | -3% | 10,000 |
| Virginia | $61K | -3% | 7,150 |
| Alaska | $61K | -3% | 680 |
| South Dakota | $61K | -3% | 1,280 |
| Kentucky | $61K | -3% | 4,860 |
| Wisconsin | $61K | -4% | 8,480 |
| North Carolina | $61K | -4% | 13,710 |
| Nebraska | $61K | -4% | 1,930 |
| Florida | $61K | -4% | 25,790 |
| Missouri | $60K | -4% | 7,670 |
| Texas | $59K | -6% | 29,530 |
| Nevada | $57K | -9% | 2,040 |
| Indiana | $57K | -9% | 7,210 |
| South Carolina | $55K | -12% | 4,380 |
| Louisiana | $54K | -13% | 3,790 |
| Iowa | $54K | -14% | 3,240 |
| Oklahoma | $53K | -15% | 4,250 |
| Pennsylvania | $52K | -18% | 13,020 |
| Mississippi | $51K | -20% | 3,070 |
| Arkansas | $50K | -21% | 3,180 |
| Alabama | $49K | -21% | 7,250 |
| Utah | $49K | -22% | 6,370 |
| Idaho | $47K | -25% | 1,590 |
| New Mexico | $47K | -25% | 2,160 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track clinical laboratory technologists and technicians salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a clinical laboratory technologists and technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $54K, rent takes 85.9% 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 $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for clinical laboratory technologists and technicians in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new clinical laboratory technologists and technicians typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,920/month. At HUD’s $3,124/month FMR, rent would take 107% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is clinical laboratory technologists and technician a high-paying job in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $54K here vs. $63K nationally.
How does Santa Maria-Santa Barbara compare to the national average for clinical laboratory technologists and technicians?
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara pays $54K median vs. the U.S. average of $63K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.8), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — below the national median.
How much do clinical laboratory technologists and technicians make in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?
The median is $53,640 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,670, and experienced clinical laboratory technologists and technicians can clear $91,600. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $54K enough to live in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,636/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,124/month, which eats 85.9% 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 clinical laboratory technologists and technicians 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 clinical laboratory technologists and technicians salary is worth about $49,301 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do clinical laboratory technologists and technicians 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.