Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs Salary
The median pay for a shuttle drivers and chauffeurs in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA is $40,570/year ($19.5/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $58K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.8), so that salary is closer to $37,289 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,124/month, about 111.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $41K 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.
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What this looks like in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs pay in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara tracks closely to the national median, $41K locally vs. $37K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $3,124/month, which is 110.8% 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 shuttle drivers and chauffeurs in metros near Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $44K | $39K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $48K | $42K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $44K | $39K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $38K | $36K |
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 shuttle drivers and chauffeurs (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $41K. Top earners bring in $58K or more, a $23K spread from bottom to top.
Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $50K | +35% | 2,490 |
| District of Columbia | $46K | +23% | 440 |
| California | $45K | +20% | 29,940 |
| Washington | $45K | +20% | 4,780 |
| New York | $44K | +18% | 18,130 |
| Massachusetts | $44K | +17% | 12,620 |
| Vermont | $42K | +13% | 470 |
| Colorado | $41K | +10% | 4,710 |
| Minnesota | $40K | +7% | 6,500 |
| Alaska | $40K | +7% | 960 |
| Maryland | $40K | +7% | 5,480 |
| New Jersey | $39K | +6% | 9,330 |
| Virginia | $39K | +4% | 7,760 |
| Connecticut | $39K | +3% | 3,410 |
| Maine | $38K | +2% | 1,190 |
| Utah | $38K | +2% | 1,060 |
| Delaware | $38K | +2% | 880 |
| Illinois | $38K | +1% | 7,840 |
| North Dakota | $38K | +1% | 660 |
| Oregon | $37K | +0% | 3,510 |
| Missouri | $37K | -1% | 4,700 |
| Arizona | $37K | -1% | 5,620 |
| Montana | $37K | -2% | 590 |
| Michigan | $36K | -3% | 5,870 |
| South Dakota | $36K | -3% | 620 |
| Rhode Island | $36K | -3% | 790 |
| Idaho | $36K | -3% | 1,110 |
| Nevada | $36K | -3% | 3,460 |
| Texas | $36K | -5% | 13,240 |
| Nebraska | $35K | -5% | 1,570 |
| New Mexico | $35K | -6% | 1,490 |
| Kansas | $35K | -7% | 2,680 |
| Florida | $35K | -7% | 15,490 |
| Pennsylvania | $34K | -8% | 14,410 |
| Georgia | $34K | -9% | 5,810 |
| New Hampshire | $34K | -9% | 1,220 |
| Wisconsin | $34K | -9% | 6,820 |
| Kentucky | $34K | -10% | 2,630 |
| Wyoming | $34K | -10% | 560 |
| Ohio | $34K | -10% | 10,450 |
| Tennessee | $33K | -10% | 3,240 |
| Indiana | $33K | -12% | 4,810 |
| Oklahoma | $33K | -13% | 1,270 |
| Iowa | $33K | -13% | 1,880 |
| North Carolina | $32K | -14% | 5,520 |
| Alabama | $31K | -17% | 1,850 |
| Louisiana | $31K | -18% | 2,140 |
| South Carolina | $30K | -18% | 2,500 |
| Arkansas | $30K | -20% | 1,910 |
| West Virginia | $28K | -25% | 1,000 |
| Mississippi | $27K | -28% | 1,150 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track shuttle drivers and chauffeurs 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 shuttle drivers and chauffeur afford a 2BR apartment alone in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $41K, rent takes 110.8% 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 $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for shuttle drivers and chauffeurs in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new shuttle drivers and chauffeurs typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,059/month. At HUD’s $3,124/month FMR, rent would take 152% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is shuttle drivers and chauffeur a high-paying job in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $41K locally vs. $37K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Santa Maria-Santa Barbara compare to the national average for shuttle drivers and chauffeurs?
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara pays $41K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s +9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.8), the purchasing-power equivalent is $37K — below the national median.
How much do shuttle drivers and chauffeurs make in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?
The median is $40,570 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,320, and experienced shuttle drivers and chauffeurs can clear $57,700. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $41K enough to live in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,820/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,124/month, which eats 110.8% 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 shuttle drivers and chauffeurs 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 shuttle drivers and chauffeurs salary is worth about $37,289 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do shuttle drivers and chauffeurs 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.