Hazardous Materials Removal Workers Salary
In Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA, hazardous materials removal workers earn $51,260 at the median, or about $24.65 an hour. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $90K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.8), so that salary is closer to $47,114 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,124/month, about 93.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $51K 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 hazardous materials removal workers
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What this looks like in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
Hazardous materials removal workers pay in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara tracks closely to the national median, $51K locally vs. $49K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $3,124/month, which is 89.6% 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 hazardous materials removal workers in metros near Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $51K | $45K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $60K | $52K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $52K | $46K |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $50K | $47K |
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 hazardous materials removal workers (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $51K. Top earners bring in $90K or more, a $48K spread from bottom to top.
Hazardous Materials Removal Workers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Hazardous Materials Removal Workers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $73K | +48% | 4,090 |
| Illinois | $61K | +24% | 1,980 |
| Alaska | $60K | +22% | 140 |
| District of Columbia | $60K | +22% | 50 |
| North Dakota | $60K | +22% | 170 |
| Washington | $60K | +22% | 3,250 |
| Tennessee | $60K | +22% | 570 |
| Colorado | $60K | +21% | 1,400 |
| Missouri | $59K | +20% | 370 |
| Minnesota | $59K | +20% | 730 |
| Hawaii | $58K | +18% | 340 |
| California | $56K | +13% | 7,340 |
| New Jersey | $56K | +13% | 2,250 |
| New Hampshire | $55K | +12% | 140 |
| Montana | $55K | +10% | 250 |
| New Mexico | $53K | +8% | 680 |
| South Dakota | $51K | +4% | 190 |
| Arizona | $51K | +2% | 800 |
| Iowa | $50K | +1% | 270 |
| Oregon | $50K | +1% | 1,130 |
| Idaho | $50K | +1% | 600 |
| Massachusetts | $50K | +0% | 2,770 |
| Utah | $49K | -0% | 530 |
| South Carolina | $49K | -1% | 870 |
| Georgia | $49K | -1% | 460 |
| Maryland | $49K | -2% | 660 |
| Wyoming | $49K | -2% | 30 |
| Nebraska | $49K | -2% | 210 |
| Pennsylvania | $48K | -3% | 1,590 |
| Wisconsin | $48K | -3% | 590 |
| Kentucky | $48K | -4% | 460 |
| Nevada | $48K | -4% | 400 |
| Maine | $47K | -4% | 190 |
| Connecticut | $47K | -5% | 750 |
| Vermont | $47K | -5% | 70 |
| Indiana | $47K | -6% | 990 |
| Rhode Island | $47K | -6% | 330 |
| Ohio | $47K | -6% | 830 |
| West Virginia | $46K | -6% | 130 |
| Michigan | $46K | -6% | 1,610 |
| Kansas | $46K | -8% | 480 |
| Virginia | $45K | -8% | 930 |
| Texas | $44K | -10% | 4,450 |
| Oklahoma | $44K | -10% | 650 |
| Delaware | $44K | -11% | N/A |
| North Carolina | $43K | -13% | 1,250 |
| Florida | $42K | -14% | 1,780 |
| Mississippi | $39K | -20% | 250 |
| Alabama | $39K | -22% | 350 |
| Louisiana | $38K | -23% | 880 |
| Arkansas | $37K | -26% | 440 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track hazardous materials removal workers 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 hazardous materials removal worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $51K, rent takes 89.6% 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 $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for hazardous materials removal workers in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new hazardous materials removal workers typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,500/month. At HUD’s $3,124/month FMR, rent would take 125% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is hazardous materials removal worker a high-paying job in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $51K locally vs. $49K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Santa Maria-Santa Barbara compare to the national average for hazardous materials removal workers?
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara pays $51K median vs. the U.S. average of $49K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.8), the purchasing-power equivalent is $47K — below the national median.
How much do hazardous materials removal workers make in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?
The median is $51,260 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,660, and experienced hazardous materials removal workers can clear $89,550. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $51K enough to live in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,488/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,124/month, which eats 89.6% 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 hazardous materials removal workers 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 hazardous materials removal workers salary is worth about $47,114 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do hazardous materials removal workers 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.