Veterinary Technologists and Technicians Salary
The median pay for a veterinary technologists and technicians in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA is $58,490/year ($28.12/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $71K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.8), so that salary is closer to $53,759 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,124/month, about 81.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $58K 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 veterinary technologists and technicians
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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 veterinary technologists and technicians, local pay runs about 23% higher than the U.S. median of $47K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $3,124/month, which is 79.4% 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 veterinary technologists and technicians in metros near Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $61K | $53K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $60K | $54K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $71K | $61K |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $61K | $57K |
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 veterinary technologists and technicians (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $58K. Top earners bring in $71K or more, a $22K spread from bottom to top.
Veterinary Technologists and Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Veterinary Technologists and Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $61K | +29% | 120 |
| California | $61K | +28% | 11,310 |
| Washington | $60K | +26% | 2,290 |
| New York | $59K | +25% | 5,350 |
| Minnesota | $57K | +21% | 3,560 |
| Oregon | $56K | +18% | 1,120 |
| Virginia | $52K | +10% | 2,790 |
| Connecticut | $51K | +8% | 1,690 |
| Maine | $51K | +7% | 910 |
| Nevada | $50K | +6% | 1,120 |
| Michigan | $50K | +5% | 2,550 |
| Colorado | $50K | +5% | 3,720 |
| Massachusetts | $50K | +5% | 3,990 |
| Vermont | $49K | +4% | 390 |
| New Jersey | $49K | +4% | 2,910 |
| North Dakota | $49K | +3% | 340 |
| New Hampshire | $49K | +3% | 870 |
| Indiana | $49K | +3% | 1,820 |
| Hawaii | $49K | +2% | 270 |
| Delaware | $48K | +2% | 530 |
| Ohio | $48K | +1% | 4,790 |
| North Carolina | $48K | +1% | 2,580 |
| Maryland | $47K | -0% | 2,540 |
| Wisconsin | $47K | -1% | 2,590 |
| Alaska | $46K | -2% | 380 |
| Illinois | $46K | -2% | 5,040 |
| Pennsylvania | $46K | -2% | 6,620 |
| Florida | $46K | -2% | 11,380 |
| Arizona | $46K | -2% | 3,970 |
| Kansas | $46K | -3% | 1,270 |
| Iowa | $46K | -4% | 1,220 |
| Rhode Island | $45K | -4% | 530 |
| South Dakota | $45K | -4% | 300 |
| New Mexico | $45K | -5% | 890 |
| Nebraska | $44K | -8% | 690 |
| Missouri | $44K | -8% | 2,040 |
| Georgia | $43K | -9% | 2,410 |
| Tennessee | $43K | -10% | 1,640 |
| Idaho | $42K | -11% | 790 |
| Montana | $41K | -13% | 480 |
| Utah | $41K | -14% | 1,550 |
| Kentucky | $40K | -16% | 1,670 |
| Texas | $39K | -17% | 16,730 |
| Oklahoma | $39K | -17% | 1,060 |
| South Carolina | $39K | -18% | 2,540 |
| Wyoming | $39K | -18% | 310 |
| Arkansas | $38K | -19% | 320 |
| West Virginia | $38K | -20% | 400 |
| Alabama | $37K | -23% | 1,880 |
| Mississippi | $36K | -23% | 650 |
| Louisiana | $36K | -25% | 2,220 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track veterinary technologists and technicians 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 veterinary technologists and technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $58K, rent takes 79.4% 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 $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for veterinary technologists and technicians in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new veterinary technologists and technicians typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,927/month. At HUD’s $3,124/month FMR, rent would take 107% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is veterinary technologists and technician a high-paying job in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
Local pay is 23% above the national median — $58K here vs. $47K 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 veterinary technologists and technicians?
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara pays $58K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s +23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.8), the purchasing-power equivalent is $54K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do veterinary technologists and technicians make in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?
The median is $58,490 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,790, and experienced veterinary technologists and technicians can clear $71,110. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $58K enough to live in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,936/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,124/month, which eats 79.4% 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 veterinary technologists and technicians 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 veterinary technologists and technicians salary is worth about $53,759 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do veterinary technologists and technicians 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.