Natural Sciences Managers Salary
In Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA, natural sciences managers earn $175,400 at the median, or about $84.33 an hour. The range runs from $108K at the entry level to $290K for experienced workers.
So what does $175K 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 natural sciences managers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
Natural sciences managers pay in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara tracks closely to the national median, $175K locally vs. $167K nationwide, a 5% difference. Rent runs $3,124/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.7% 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. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for natural sciences managers in metros near Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $225K | , |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $207K | , |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $193K | , |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $264K | , |
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 natural sciences managers (10th percentile) start around $108K. Mid-career wages sit at $175K. Top earners bring in $290K or more, a $182K spread from bottom to top.
Natural Sciences Managers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Natural Sciences Managers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $267K | +60% | 10,590 |
| Connecticut | $211K | +26% | 1,190 |
| California | $210K | +26% | 14,950 |
| New Jersey | $207K | +24% | 10,040 |
| Washington | $182K | +9% | 2,490 |
| North Carolina | $174K | +4% | 6,010 |
| Maryland | $169K | +1% | 4,820 |
| Illinois | $160K | -5% | 2,810 |
| District of Columbia | $157K | -6% | 1,540 |
| Kansas | $154K | -8% | 240 |
| Colorado | $153K | -9% | 1,640 |
| Virginia | $151K | -10% | 1,470 |
| Oregon | $143K | -14% | 1,700 |
| Maine | $141K | -15% | 430 |
| West Virginia | $138K | -17% | 160 |
| Pennsylvania | $138K | -18% | 7,980 |
| Ohio | $137K | -18% | 1,560 |
| Minnesota | $136K | -18% | 1,530 |
| New York | $135K | -19% | 5,690 |
| New Hampshire | $134K | -20% | 240 |
| Alabama | $133K | -20% | 370 |
| North Dakota | $131K | -21% | 140 |
| Vermont | $131K | -21% | 290 |
| South Carolina | $131K | -22% | 780 |
| Alaska | $131K | -22% | 710 |
| Rhode Island | $130K | -22% | 200 |
| Texas | $130K | -22% | 7,470 |
| Missouri | $129K | -23% | 1,230 |
| Michigan | $129K | -23% | 2,220 |
| Wisconsin | $129K | -23% | 1,070 |
| South Dakota | $128K | -23% | 180 |
| Kentucky | $126K | -24% | 400 |
| Arizona | $125K | -25% | 900 |
| Idaho | $125K | -25% | 610 |
| Tennessee | $125K | -26% | 880 |
| Nebraska | $121K | -28% | 550 |
| Mississippi | $119K | -29% | 210 |
| Utah | $119K | -29% | N/A |
| Montana | $119K | -29% | 370 |
| Arkansas | $119K | -29% | 340 |
| Louisiana | $116K | -31% | N/A |
| Oklahoma | $112K | -33% | 310 |
| Nevada | $112K | -33% | 320 |
| Florida | $112K | -33% | 4,370 |
| Iowa | $110K | -34% | 610 |
| Wyoming | $109K | -35% | 150 |
| Indiana | $108K | -35% | 1,670 |
| Hawaii | $108K | -36% | 510 |
Showing 1–10 of 48 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track natural sciences managers 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 natural sciences manager afford a 2BR apartment alone in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $175K, rent takes 31.7% 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 $3,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for natural sciences managers in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new natural sciences managers typically earn — is $108K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,456/month. At HUD’s $3,124/month FMR, rent would take 48% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is natural sciences manager a high-paying job in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $175K locally vs. $167K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Santa Maria-Santa Barbara compare to the national average for natural sciences managers?
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara pays $175K median vs. the U.S. average of $167K — that’s +5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.8), the purchasing-power equivalent is $161K — below the national median.
How much do natural sciences managers make in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?
The median is $175,400 a year, that works out to about $84 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $107,600, and experienced natural sciences managers can clear $289,730. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $175K enough to live in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,849/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,124/month, which eats 31.7% 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 natural sciences managers salary go in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median natural sciences managers salary is worth about $161,213 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do natural sciences managers 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.