General Internal Medicine Physicians Salary
The median pay for a general internal medicine physicians in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA is $81,550/year ($39.21/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $72K at the entry level to $417K for experienced workers. Note: the mean (average) wage is $204K, significantly higher than the median. This typically reflects a mix of employment settings including academic and private practice positions. Prices run high here (RPP 108.8), so that salary is closer to $74,954 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,124/month, about 61% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $82K 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 general internal medicine physicians
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What this looks like in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
Pay for general internal medicine physicians in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara runs about 68% below the U.S. median of $257K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $3,124/month, which is 60.4% 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 general internal medicine physicianss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for general internal medicine physicians in metros near Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $304K | $268K |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $315K | $285K |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $290K | $267K |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $431K | $392K |
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 general internal medicine physicians (10th percentile) start around $72K. Mid-career wages sit at $82K. Top earners bring in $417K or more, a $345K spread from bottom to top.
General Internal Medicine Physicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View General Internal Medicine Physicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | $425K | +66% | 5,440 |
| Rhode Island | $379K | +48% | 300 |
| Minnesota | $374K | +46% | 2,270 |
| Wisconsin | $367K | +43% | 1,450 |
| Alaska | $366K | +43% | 110 |
| South Carolina | $360K | +40% | 1,260 |
| Idaho | $355K | +39% | 130 |
| Washington | $340K | +33% | 1,100 |
| North Dakota | $338K | +32% | 200 |
| Utah | $332K | +29% | 210 |
| Mississippi | $326K | +27% | 390 |
| Maine | $317K | +24% | 270 |
| Indiana | $314K | +23% | 2,380 |
| California | $314K | +22% | 6,370 |
| Alabama | $311K | +21% | 310 |
| Colorado | $300K | +17% | 450 |
| North Carolina | $290K | +13% | 1,700 |
| Massachusetts | $285K | +11% | 1,590 |
| South Dakota | $281K | +9% | 160 |
| Texas | $269K | +5% | 3,850 |
| Oregon | $269K | +5% | 230 |
| Maryland | $260K | +2% | 3,250 |
| Arizona | $259K | +1% | 2,570 |
| Ohio | $250K | -3% | 1,540 |
| Kentucky | $242K | -6% | 1,060 |
| Arkansas | $233K | -9% | 290 |
| Tennessee | $232K | -9% | 1,370 |
| New Hampshire | $229K | -11% | 450 |
| Vermont | $229K | -11% | 180 |
| District of Columbia | $223K | -13% | 490 |
| Florida | $223K | -13% | 2,390 |
| Nebraska | $221K | -14% | 900 |
| Missouri | $217K | -16% | 160 |
| Oklahoma | $217K | -16% | 490 |
| Pennsylvania | $213K | -17% | 990 |
| Louisiana | $210K | -18% | N/A |
| Connecticut | $208K | -19% | 980 |
| New York | $183K | -28% | 10,000 |
| Michigan | $150K | -42% | 2,060 |
| Illinois | $141K | -45% | 1,130 |
| Iowa | $123K | -52% | 380 |
| Nevada | $114K | -56% | 390 |
| New Jersey | $90K | -65% | 2,920 |
| West Virginia | $73K | -72% | 630 |
Showing 1–10 of 44 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track general internal medicine physicians 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 general internal medicine physician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $82K, rent takes 60.4% 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 $1,600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for general internal medicine physicians in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new general internal medicine physicians typically earn — is $72K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,297/month. At HUD’s $3,124/month FMR, rent would take 73% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is general internal medicine physician a high-paying job in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
Local pay runs 68% below the national median — $82K here vs. $257K nationally.
How does Santa Maria-Santa Barbara compare to the national average for general internal medicine physicians?
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara pays $82K median vs. the U.S. average of $257K — that’s -68%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.8), the purchasing-power equivalent is $75K — below the national median.
How much do general internal medicine physicians make in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?
The median is $81,550 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $71,610, and experienced general internal medicine physicians can clear $416,810. The mean (average) is $203,740, reflecting that some workers earn substantially more. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $82K enough to live in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,170/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,124/month, which eats 60.4% 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 general internal medicine physicians 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 general internal medicine physicians salary is worth about $74,954 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do general internal medicine physicians 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.