Physics Teachers, Postsecondary Salary
The median pay for a physics teachers, postsecondary in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA is $105,810/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $67K at the entry level to $178K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.8), so that salary is closer to $97,252 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,124/month, about 48% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $106K 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 physics teachers, postsecondaries
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What this looks like in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
Physics teachers, postsecondary pay in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara tracks closely to the national median, $106K locally vs. $100K nationwide, a 5% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $3,124/month, which is 48.8% 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 physics teachers, postsecondaries in metros near Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $173K | $152K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $152K | $136K |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $133K | $124K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $133K | $115K |
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 physics teachers, postsecondaries (10th percentile) start around $67K. Mid-career wages sit at $106K. Top earners bring in $178K or more, a $111K spread from bottom to top.
Physics Teachers, Postsecondary pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Physics Teachers, Postsecondary salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $139K | +39% | 1,130 |
| Connecticut | $112K | +12% | 260 |
| Massachusetts | $111K | +11% | 680 |
| Maryland | $111K | +11% | 300 |
| Michigan | $109K | +9% | 460 |
| New Mexico | $109K | +9% | 70 |
| Delaware | $109K | +8% | 70 |
| Minnesota | $107K | +7% | 250 |
| Idaho | $106K | +6% | 50 |
| Virginia | $104K | +4% | 610 |
| Oregon | $104K | +4% | 230 |
| Maine | $104K | +4% | 60 |
| Iowa | $104K | +4% | 120 |
| New York | $103K | +3% | 1,080 |
| Indiana | $103K | +3% | 270 |
| North Dakota | $102K | +1% | 40 |
| Georgia | $102K | +1% | 210 |
| Missouri | $100K | -0% | 230 |
| Utah | $100K | -0% | 120 |
| Colorado | $99K | -1% | 280 |
| New Hampshire | $99K | -1% | 40 |
| New Jersey | $99K | -1% | 530 |
| Nebraska | $98K | -2% | 70 |
| Vermont | $98K | -2% | 50 |
| Pennsylvania | $98K | -2% | 580 |
| West Virginia | $98K | -2% | 50 |
| Montana | $98K | -2% | 70 |
| Texas | $98K | -3% | 1,110 |
| Kansas | $97K | -3% | 110 |
| Washington | $97K | -3% | 310 |
| Nevada | $96K | -4% | 90 |
| Ohio | $96K | -4% | 420 |
| Illinois | $95K | -5% | 540 |
| Oklahoma | $92K | -9% | 90 |
| Louisiana | $90K | -10% | 90 |
| Wisconsin | $90K | -11% | 210 |
| North Carolina | $87K | -13% | 440 |
| South Dakota | $86K | -14% | 30 |
| District of Columbia | $85K | -15% | 130 |
| Alabama | $83K | -18% | 170 |
| South Carolina | $81K | -19% | 150 |
| Tennessee | $81K | -20% | 340 |
| Kentucky | $80K | -20% | 160 |
| Florida | $74K | -26% | 180 |
| Mississippi | $71K | -29% | 100 |
| Arizona | $66K | -34% | 350 |
| Arkansas | $65K | -35% | 30 |
Showing 1–10 of 47 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track physics teachers, postsecondary 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 physics teachers, postsecondary afford a 2BR apartment alone in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $106K, rent takes 48.8% 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 $1,900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for physics teachers, postsecondaries in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physics teachers, postsecondaries typically earn — is $67K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,022/month. At HUD’s $3,124/month FMR, rent would take 78% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is physics teachers, postsecondary a high-paying job in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $106K locally vs. $100K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Santa Maria-Santa Barbara compare to the national average for physics teachers, postsecondaries?
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara pays $106K median vs. the U.S. average of $100K — that’s +5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.8), the purchasing-power equivalent is $97K — below the national median.
How much do physics teachers, postsecondaries make in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?
The median is $105,810 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $67,040, and experienced physics teachers, postsecondaries can clear $177,960. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $106K enough to live in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,404/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,124/month, which eats 48.8% 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 physics teachers, postsecondary 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 physics teachers, postsecondary salary is worth about $97,252 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do physics teachers, postsecondaries 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.