Helpers--Production Workers Salary
In Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA, helpers--production workers earn $42,320 at the median, or about $20.35 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $54K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.8), so that salary is closer to $38,897 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,124/month, about 106.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $42K actually covers in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, month by month
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 helpers--production workers
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What this looks like in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
Helpers--production workers pay in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara tracks closely to the national median, $42K locally vs. $39K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $3,124/month, which is 106.6% 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 helpers--production workers in metros near Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $42K | $37K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $43K | $41K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $47K | $42K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $46K | $40K |
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 helpers--production workers (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $54K or more, a $19K spread from bottom to top.
Helpers--Production Workers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Helpers--Production Workers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | $46K | +18% | 220 |
| Montana | $46K | +18% | 220 |
| Iowa | $46K | +17% | 2,070 |
| Colorado | $46K | +17% | 1,350 |
| Washington | $45K | +16% | 3,620 |
| Oregon | $45K | +16% | 2,420 |
| Connecticut | $45K | +16% | 1,400 |
| Wisconsin | $45K | +15% | 2,900 |
| Nebraska | $45K | +15% | 700 |
| Rhode Island | $45K | +14% | 210 |
| Minnesota | $45K | +14% | 2,570 |
| Maryland | $45K | +14% | 1,650 |
| Hawaii | $44K | +14% | 230 |
| Maine | $44K | +13% | 470 |
| California | $44K | +13% | 16,730 |
| New York | $44K | +11% | 3,810 |
| New Hampshire | $43K | +9% | 690 |
| Alaska | $43K | +9% | 280 |
| Massachusetts | $42K | +8% | 1,790 |
| Indiana | $42K | +8% | 2,450 |
| Kentucky | $42K | +8% | 2,900 |
| Michigan | $42K | +7% | 3,610 |
| Illinois | $41K | +6% | 5,210 |
| Pennsylvania | $41K | +5% | 6,450 |
| Missouri | $41K | +4% | 6,250 |
| Wyoming | $40K | +3% | 280 |
| Nevada | $40K | +2% | 680 |
| Arizona | $40K | +2% | 1,350 |
| Ohio | $40K | +1% | 4,280 |
| Vermont | $40K | +1% | 270 |
| North Carolina | $39K | +1% | 4,350 |
| New Jersey | $39K | +1% | 4,450 |
| West Virginia | $39K | +0% | 670 |
| Delaware | $38K | -2% | 230 |
| Tennessee | $38K | -2% | 5,270 |
| Idaho | $38K | -2% | 1,140 |
| Florida | $38K | -3% | 5,010 |
| Virginia | $38K | -3% | 3,900 |
| Kansas | $37K | -4% | 1,430 |
| Utah | $37K | -5% | 1,000 |
| Texas | $37K | -6% | 30,470 |
| South Carolina | $37K | -6% | 1,950 |
| Louisiana | $36K | -7% | 3,710 |
| Georgia | $36K | -7% | 4,480 |
| Oklahoma | $36K | -7% | 2,200 |
| Alabama | $36K | -8% | 7,230 |
| New Mexico | $36K | -9% | 810 |
| Arkansas | $36K | -9% | 6,760 |
| Mississippi | $34K | -13% | 3,540 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track helpers--production workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Santa Maria-Santa Barbara numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a helpers--production worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 106.6% 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 $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for helpers--production workers in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new helpers--production workers typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,118/month. At HUD’s $3,124/month FMR, rent would take 147% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is helpers--production worker a high-paying job in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $42K locally vs. $39K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Santa Maria-Santa Barbara compare to the national average for helpers--production workers?
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $39K — that’s +8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.8), the purchasing-power equivalent is $39K — below the national median.
How much do helpers--production workers make in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?
The median is $42,320 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,300, and experienced helpers--production workers can clear $53,900. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,931/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,124/month, which eats 106.6% 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 helpers--production 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 helpers--production workers salary is worth about $38,897 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do helpers--production 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.