Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary Salary
Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondaries in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA make a median of $77,160 a year. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $107K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.8), so that salary is closer to $70,919 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,124/month, about 62% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $77K 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 recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondaries
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What this looks like in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
Recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondary pay in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara tracks closely to the national median, $77K locally vs. $77K nationwide, a 0% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $3,124/month, which is 63.2% 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 recreation and fitness studies 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 | $107K | $94K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $134K | $116K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $160K | $150K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $130K | $117K |
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 recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondaries (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $77K. Top earners bring in $107K or more, a $65K spread from bottom to top.
Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $128K | +65% | 1,950 |
| Maryland | $98K | +26% | 90 |
| Massachusetts | $88K | +14% | 290 |
| Michigan | $84K | +8% | 320 |
| Wyoming | $83K | +8% | 30 |
| Pennsylvania | $83K | +8% | 640 |
| Wisconsin | $81K | +4% | 40 |
| Minnesota | $80K | +4% | 260 |
| New York | $80K | +4% | 670 |
| Connecticut | $79K | +2% | 190 |
| New Mexico | $79K | +2% | 40 |
| South Carolina | $79K | +2% | 280 |
| Texas | $76K | -1% | 1,460 |
| Utah | $76K | -1% | 110 |
| Florida | $76K | -2% | 140 |
| Iowa | $75K | -3% | 100 |
| Washington | $75K | -3% | 240 |
| North Carolina | $74K | -4% | 730 |
| Tennessee | $73K | -5% | 220 |
| Missouri | $73K | -5% | 200 |
| Alabama | $73K | -6% | 110 |
| Arizona | $71K | -8% | 90 |
| Ohio | $70K | -9% | 420 |
| Maine | $68K | -12% | 40 |
| Illinois | $67K | -13% | 630 |
| Indiana | $67K | -13% | 410 |
| West Virginia | $66K | -14% | 100 |
| Georgia | $66K | -14% | 160 |
| Louisiana | $66K | -15% | 100 |
| New Jersey | $66K | -15% | 520 |
| Colorado | $66K | -15% | 180 |
| Virginia | $65K | -15% | 310 |
| Kentucky | $65K | -16% | 230 |
| Oklahoma | $64K | -18% | 110 |
| Oregon | $63K | -18% | 480 |
| Arkansas | $63K | -18% | 110 |
| South Dakota | $62K | -19% | 60 |
| Mississippi | $61K | -22% | 190 |
| Kansas | $60K | -23% | 60 |
| Idaho | $59K | -24% | 70 |
| Alaska | $58K | -25% | 60 |
Showing 1–10 of 41 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondary salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. 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 recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondary afford a 2BR apartment alone in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $77K, rent takes 63.2% 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 $1,500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondaries in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondaries typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,882/month. At HUD’s $3,124/month FMR, rent would take 108% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondary a high-paying job in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $77K locally vs. $77K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Santa Maria-Santa Barbara compare to the national average for recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondaries?
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara pays $77K median vs. the U.S. average of $77K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.8), the purchasing-power equivalent is $71K — below the national median.
How much do recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondaries make in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?
The median is $77,160 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,560, and experienced recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondaries can clear $106,790. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $77K enough to live in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,946/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,124/month, which eats 63.2% 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 recreation and fitness studies 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 recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondary salary is worth about $70,919 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do recreation and fitness studies 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.