High paying entry level jobs in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA

These occupations in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ask for no prior experience in a related job and no on-the-job training period: you are expected to be productive on arrival. That is precisely why most of them want a specific qualification instead — the credential does the work the experience would have. Read the line under each title for what that qualification is; several here are doctorates. If you need something you can start without one, use the no-experience list.

Cost of living: prices in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA run 8.8% above the national average (2024), so a Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA salary is worth about 0.92× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA

OccupationMedian, Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA · Employed

1Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$173,640
Doctoral or professional degree
$71,400 – $315,55070
2Computer and Information Research Scientists$171,880
Master's degree
$89,190 – $255,15070
3Lawyers$170,970
Doctoral or professional degree
$73,920 – $289,030700
4Dentists, General$170,940
Doctoral or professional degree
$103,610 – $266,910140
5Nurse Practitioners$165,580
Master's degree
$130,450 – $220,680200
6Pharmacists$162,520
Doctoral or professional degree
$130,670 – $208,880290
7Veterinarians$158,840
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,390 – $260,480140
8Physician Assistants$158,360
Master's degree
$90,310 – $204,280210
9Software Developers$158,290
Bachelor's degree
$99,670 – $215,7501,680
10Registered Nurses$137,360
Bachelor's degree
$101,260 – $169,2403,280
11Engineers, All Other$136,650
Bachelor's degree
$81,660 – $198,080460
12Dental Hygienists$135,990
Associate's degree
$106,210 – $151,030260
13Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$135,810
Bachelor's degree
$82,910 – $206,400160
14Electrical Engineers$134,640
Bachelor's degree
$82,880 – $209,530230
15Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$132,490
Associate's degree
$97,520 – $161,410100
16Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$131,980
Doctoral or professional degree
$81,650 – $243,220100
17Aerospace Engineers$130,870
Bachelor's degree
$85,540 – $194,360100
18Physical Therapists$128,680
Doctoral or professional degree
$99,680 – $164,830310
19Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$128,620
Doctoral or professional degree
$94,810 – $195,930270
20Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary$128,440
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,730 – $223,63090
21Computer Occupations, All Other$128,390
Bachelor's degree
$63,180 – $188,620670
22Occupational Therapists$125,890
Master's degree
$95,870 – $152,450170
23Biological Scientists, All Other$124,840
Bachelor's degree
$64,460 – $188,76090
24Environmental Engineers$122,380
Bachelor's degree
$81,450 – $155,12070
25Mechanical Engineers$121,130
Bachelor's degree
$84,480 – $172,080390
26Computer Systems Analysts$120,680
Bachelor's degree
$70,720 – $181,740720
27Civil Engineers$119,980
Bachelor's degree
$78,580 – $171,050610
28Industrial Engineers$119,790
Bachelor's degree
$82,000 – $160,820380
29Data Scientists$113,990
Bachelor's degree
$68,690 – $205,040190
30Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$110,770
Associate's degree
$62,310 – $140,020250
31Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$110,640
Bachelor's degree
$73,010 – $183,130230
32Budget Analysts$110,470
Bachelor's degree
$71,240 – $132,68080
33Computer Programmers$109,690
Bachelor's degree
$77,110 – $138,260140
34Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$109,430
Doctoral or professional degree
$69,140 – $179,98090
35Respiratory Therapists$108,600
Associate's degree
$80,730 – $134,900130
36Fashion Designers$108,220
Bachelor's degree
$43,660 – $169,46070
37Special Education Teachers, All Other$107,390
Bachelor's degree
$73,150 – $142,130140
38Project Management Specialists$106,250
Bachelor's degree
$58,970 – $169,2101,030
39Physics Teachers, Postsecondary$105,810
Doctoral or professional degree
$67,040 – $177,96080
40Urban and Regional Planners$105,500
Master's degree
$81,230 – $136,800150
41Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$105,230
Bachelor's degree
$66,690 – $147,410130
42Database Administrators$104,880
Bachelor's degree
$63,380 – $173,12090
43Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$104,000
Bachelor's degree
$52,930 – $149,170160
44Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary$103,780
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,490 – $138,950110
45Web and Digital Interface Designers$103,430
Bachelor's degree
$51,420 – $186,880190
46Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$102,840
Bachelor's degree
$67,770 – $127,3201,060
47Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$102,450
Bachelor's degree
$64,800 – $123,550290
48Network and Computer Systems Administrators$101,310
Bachelor's degree
$72,120 – $147,760330
49Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$101,030
Bachelor's degree
$62,530 – $124,7702,170
50Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary$100,710
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,700 – $175,490110

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianSanta Maria-Santa Barbara, CA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Computer Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$173,640	$71,400 – $315,550	70
2	Computer and Information Research ScientistsMaster's degree	$171,880	$89,190 – $255,150	70
3	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$170,970	$73,920 – $289,030	700
4	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$170,940	$103,610 – $266,910	140
5	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$165,580	$130,450 – $220,680	200
6	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$162,520	$130,670 – $208,880	290
7	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$158,840	$64,390 – $260,480	140
8	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$158,360	$90,310 – $204,280	210
9	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$158,290	$99,670 – $215,750	1,680
10	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$137,360	$101,260 – $169,240	3,280
11	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$136,650	$81,660 – $198,080	460
12	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$135,990	$106,210 – $151,030	260
13	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$135,810	$82,910 – $206,400	160
14	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$134,640	$82,880 – $209,530	230
15	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$132,490	$97,520 – $161,410	100
16	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$131,980	$81,650 – $243,220	100
17	Aerospace EngineersBachelor's degree	$130,870	$85,540 – $194,360	100
18	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$128,680	$99,680 – $164,830	310
19	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$128,620	$94,810 – $195,930	270
20	Engineering Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$128,440	$65,730 – $223,630	90
21	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$128,390	$63,180 – $188,620	670
22	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$125,890	$95,870 – $152,450	170
23	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$124,840	$64,460 – $188,760	90
24	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$122,380	$81,450 – $155,120	70
25	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$121,130	$84,480 – $172,080	390
26	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$120,680	$70,720 – $181,740	720
27	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$119,980	$78,580 – $171,050	610
28	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$119,790	$82,000 – $160,820	380
29	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$113,990	$68,690 – $205,040	190
30	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$110,770	$62,310 – $140,020	250
31	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$110,640	$73,010 – $183,130	230
32	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$110,470	$71,240 – $132,680	80
33	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$109,690	$77,110 – $138,260	140
34	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$109,430	$69,140 – $179,980	90
35	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$108,600	$80,730 – $134,900	130
36	Fashion DesignersBachelor's degree	$108,220	$43,660 – $169,460	70
37	Special Education Teachers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$107,390	$73,150 – $142,130	140
38	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$106,250	$58,970 – $169,210	1,030
39	Physics Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$105,810	$67,040 – $177,960	80
40	Urban and Regional PlannersMaster's degree	$105,500	$81,230 – $136,800	150
41	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$105,230	$66,690 – $147,410	130
42	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$104,880	$63,380 – $173,120	90
43	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$104,000	$52,930 – $149,170	160
44	Psychology Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$103,780	$63,490 – $138,950	110
45	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$103,430	$51,420 – $186,880	190
46	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$102,840	$67,770 – $127,320	1,060
47	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$102,450	$64,800 – $123,550	290
48	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$101,310	$72,120 – $147,760	330
49	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$101,030	$62,530 – $124,770	2,170
50	Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$100,710	$52,700 – $175,490	110

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

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The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA

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