Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary Salary
In Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA, education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries earn $159,950 at the median. The range runs from $101K at the entry level to $183K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.8), so that salary is closer to $147,013 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,124/month, about 33.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $160K 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 education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara sits well above the national pay line for education administrators, kindergarten through secondary, local pay runs about 51% higher than the U.S. median of $106K. Rent runs $3,124/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. 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 education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries in metros near Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $162K | $142K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $161K | $139K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $161K | $152K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $163K | $146K |
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 education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries (10th percentile) start around $101K. Mid-career wages sit at $160K. Top earners bring in $183K or more, a $82K spread from bottom to top.
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $167K | +57% | 6,470 |
| California | $160K | +51% | 31,370 |
| Connecticut | $156K | +48% | 4,610 |
| New York | $139K | +31% | 19,210 |
| District of Columbia | $137K | +30% | 1,930 |
| New Jersey | $137K | +30% | 11,450 |
| Delaware | $133K | +25% | 1,100 |
| Maryland | $132K | +24% | 7,200 |
| Oregon | $130K | +23% | 4,160 |
| Utah | $129K | +22% | 2,940 |
| Massachusetts | $128K | +21% | 10,570 |
| Minnesota | $127K | +20% | 4,120 |
| Hawaii | $127K | +20% | 1,910 |
| Alaska | $126K | +19% | 890 |
| Rhode Island | $120K | +13% | 1,160 |
| Pennsylvania | $119K | +12% | 14,460 |
| Wisconsin | $117K | +11% | 4,030 |
| Illinois | $113K | +7% | 14,850 |
| Nebraska | $111K | +4% | 1,860 |
| Colorado | $111K | +4% | 5,760 |
| Nevada | $109K | +3% | 2,490 |
| North Dakota | $108K | +2% | 810 |
| New Mexico | $108K | +2% | 2,290 |
| Virginia | $106K | +0% | 8,470 |
| Wyoming | $105K | -0% | 410 |
| Vermont | $105K | -0% | 1,000 |
| New Hampshire | $105K | -1% | 1,590 |
| Iowa | $104K | -2% | 3,310 |
| Michigan | $104K | -2% | 9,610 |
| Georgia | $103K | -2% | 7,530 |
| Maine | $103K | -3% | 1,710 |
| South Carolina | $102K | -3% | 5,000 |
| Idaho | $101K | -5% | 1,830 |
| Kansas | $101K | -5% | 2,520 |
| Missouri | $100K | -5% | 7,120 |
| Kentucky | $100K | -6% | 4,940 |
| Ohio | $100K | -6% | 12,480 |
| Indiana | $99K | -7% | 6,990 |
| Tennessee | $98K | -8% | 6,180 |
| Arizona | $97K | -8% | 5,270 |
| Alabama | $97K | -8% | 3,020 |
| Florida | $96K | -9% | 16,960 |
| Montana | $96K | -10% | 930 |
| Texas | $94K | -11% | 37,140 |
| South Dakota | $88K | -17% | 680 |
| Oklahoma | $87K | -18% | 4,320 |
| Arkansas | $86K | -18% | 2,760 |
| Louisiana | $83K | -21% | 5,080 |
| North Carolina | $83K | -21% | 11,220 |
| Mississippi | $83K | -22% | 3,170 |
| West Virginia | $81K | -24% | 1,480 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track education administrators, kindergarten through secondary salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Santa Maria-Santa Barbara numbers change.
Related careers in Management
Frequently asked questions
Can a education administrators, kindergarten through secondary afford a 2BR apartment alone in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $160K, rent takes 34.4% 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 $2,700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries typically earn — is $101K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,082/month. At HUD’s $3,124/month FMR, rent would take 51% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is education administrators, kindergarten through secondary a high-paying job in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
Local pay is 51% above the national median — $160K here vs. $106K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 9% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Santa Maria-Santa Barbara compare to the national average for education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries?
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara pays $160K median vs. the U.S. average of $106K — that’s +51%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.8), the purchasing-power equivalent is $147K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries make in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?
The median is $159,950 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $101,370, and experienced education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries can clear $183,290. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $160K enough to live in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,089/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,124/month, which eats 34.4% 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 education administrators, kindergarten through secondary 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 education administrators, kindergarten through secondary salary is worth about $147,013 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries 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.