Veterinarians Salary
The median pay for a veterinarians in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA is $158,840/year ($76.36/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $64K at the entry level to $260K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.8), so that salary is closer to $145,993 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,124/month, about 33.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $159K 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 veterinarians
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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 veterinarians, local pay runs about 22% higher than the U.S. median of $130K. Rent runs $3,124/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.6% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for veterinarians in metros near Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $160K | $141K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $208K | $180K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $160K | $143K |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $165K | $155K |
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 veterinarians (10th percentile) start around $64K. Mid-career wages sit at $159K. Top earners bring in $260K or more, a $196K spread from bottom to top.
Veterinarians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Veterinarians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $164K | +26% | 9,170 |
| Maryland | $163K | +25% | 1,430 |
| Washington | $161K | +23% | 2,390 |
| New Jersey | $160K | +23% | 1,910 |
| Arizona | $152K | +17% | 2,080 |
| Massachusetts | $140K | +8% | 1,920 |
| District of Columbia | $135K | +3% | 190 |
| Illinois | $134K | +3% | 2,330 |
| Pennsylvania | $134K | +3% | 3,490 |
| Minnesota | $133K | +2% | 2,140 |
| New York | $132K | +1% | 3,390 |
| Vermont | $132K | +1% | 280 |
| Florida | $132K | +1% | 5,360 |
| Texas | $131K | +1% | 6,270 |
| Colorado | $131K | +1% | 2,340 |
| Maine | $131K | +0% | 600 |
| Hawaii | $130K | +0% | 370 |
| New Mexico | $129K | -1% | 460 |
| North Carolina | $129K | -1% | 2,940 |
| West Virginia | $129K | -1% | 390 |
| Oregon | $129K | -1% | 1,660 |
| New Hampshire | $128K | -1% | 650 |
| Virginia | $127K | -3% | 2,700 |
| Georgia | $127K | -3% | 2,670 |
| Rhode Island | $127K | -3% | 430 |
| Connecticut | $126K | -3% | 950 |
| Nevada | $126K | -3% | 680 |
| Michigan | $125K | -4% | 2,030 |
| Ohio | $125K | -4% | 3,430 |
| Iowa | $125K | -4% | 1,000 |
| Indiana | $125K | -4% | 1,500 |
| Louisiana | $124K | -4% | 950 |
| Tennessee | $124K | -4% | 1,730 |
| Utah | $124K | -5% | 640 |
| South Carolina | $122K | -6% | 1,380 |
| Idaho | $116K | -11% | 540 |
| Missouri | $115K | -12% | 1,920 |
| Wisconsin | $109K | -16% | 1,830 |
| Arkansas | $108K | -17% | 540 |
| Kansas | $107K | -18% | 1,000 |
| Alabama | $106K | -19% | 1,020 |
| Mississippi | $105K | -19% | 480 |
| Kentucky | $104K | -20% | 1,190 |
| Nebraska | $104K | -20% | 780 |
| North Dakota | $102K | -21% | 270 |
| Montana | $99K | -24% | 510 |
| Oklahoma | $98K | -25% | 1,150 |
| Wyoming | $97K | -25% | 140 |
| South Dakota | $89K | -32% | 280 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track veterinarians 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 veterinarian afford a 2BR apartment alone in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $159K, rent takes 34.6% 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 $2,700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for veterinarians in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new veterinarians typically earn — is $64K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,863/month. At HUD’s $3,124/month FMR, rent would take 81% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is veterinarian a high-paying job in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
Local pay is 22% above the national median — $159K here vs. $130K 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 veterinarians?
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara pays $159K median vs. the U.S. average of $130K — that’s +22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.8), the purchasing-power equivalent is $146K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do veterinarians make in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?
The median is $158,840 a year, that works out to about $76 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $64,390, and experienced veterinarians can clear $260,480. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $159K enough to live in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,034/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,124/month, which eats 34.6% 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 veterinarians 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 veterinarians salary is worth about $145,993 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do veterinarians 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.