Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education Salary
The median pay for a preschool teachers, except special education in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA is $48,130/year ($23.14/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $64K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.8), so that salary is closer to $44,237 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,124/month, about 94% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $48K 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 preschool teachers, except special educations
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What this looks like in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara sits well above the national pay line for preschool teachers, except special education, local pay runs about 26% higher than the U.S. median of $38K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $3,124/month, which is 94.8% 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. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for preschool teachers, except special educations in metros near Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $47K | $41K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $54K | $47K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $45K | $40K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $51K | $46K |
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 preschool teachers, except special educations (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $64K or more, a $26K spread from bottom to top.
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $62K | +63% | 2,350 |
| Vermont | $50K | +30% | 940 |
| Hawaii | $49K | +28% | 1,410 |
| New Jersey | $48K | +26% | 16,190 |
| Kansas | $48K | +25% | 1,330 |
| California | $47K | +24% | 55,700 |
| Nebraska | $47K | +23% | 1,630 |
| New York | $47K | +22% | 23,870 |
| Alaska | $46K | +21% | 520 |
| Massachusetts | $46K | +20% | 18,710 |
| Connecticut | $46K | +20% | 5,230 |
| Washington | $46K | +20% | 13,210 |
| Colorado | $46K | +19% | 5,210 |
| Oregon | $45K | +18% | 6,300 |
| Maryland | $45K | +17% | 8,020 |
| South Dakota | $45K | +17% | 1,470 |
| New Mexico | $44K | +16% | 2,490 |
| Georgia | $44K | +15% | 16,850 |
| Maine | $44K | +15% | 1,110 |
| Minnesota | $43K | +14% | 10,320 |
| Illinois | $41K | +7% | 22,420 |
| North Dakota | $40K | +4% | 540 |
| New Hampshire | $39K | +3% | 2,220 |
| Nevada | $39K | +2% | 2,360 |
| Louisiana | $38K | -0% | 3,570 |
| Virginia | $37K | -3% | 13,570 |
| Michigan | $37K | -3% | 10,950 |
| Rhode Island | $37K | -3% | 1,890 |
| Indiana | $37K | -4% | 7,110 |
| Montana | $37K | -4% | 960 |
| Delaware | $36K | -5% | 2,000 |
| Arizona | $36K | -5% | 9,400 |
| Mississippi | $36K | -5% | 3,600 |
| Wisconsin | $36K | -5% | 11,330 |
| Missouri | $36K | -5% | 5,580 |
| Pennsylvania | $36K | -5% | 22,760 |
| Florida | $36K | -6% | 35,740 |
| North Carolina | $36K | -6% | 18,370 |
| Ohio | $35K | -8% | 19,840 |
| Utah | $35K | -8% | 3,670 |
| South Carolina | $35K | -10% | 4,550 |
| Tennessee | $34K | -10% | 5,420 |
| Arkansas | $34K | -10% | 3,270 |
| Texas | $34K | -11% | 41,200 |
| Iowa | $34K | -11% | 5,910 |
| Idaho | $33K | -14% | 1,010 |
| West Virginia | $32K | -15% | 2,190 |
| Oklahoma | $32K | -17% | 7,010 |
| Wyoming | $30K | -22% | 1,040 |
| Kentucky | $30K | -22% | 8,520 |
| Alabama | $28K | -26% | 7,910 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track preschool teachers, except special education salary changes
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a preschool teachers, except special education afford a 2BR apartment alone in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 94.8% 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 $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for preschool teachers, except special educations in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new preschool teachers, except special educations typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,683/month. At HUD’s $3,124/month FMR, rent would take 116% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is preschool teachers, except special education a high-paying job in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
Local pay is 26% above the national median — $48K here vs. $38K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 9% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Santa Maria-Santa Barbara compare to the national average for preschool teachers, except special educations?
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s +26%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.8), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do preschool teachers, except special educations make in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?
The median is $48,130 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,430, and experienced preschool teachers, except special educations can clear $64,040. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,294/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,124/month, which eats 94.8% 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 preschool teachers, except special education 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 preschool teachers, except special education salary is worth about $44,237 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do preschool teachers, except special educations 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.