High paying jobs in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA. The percentile range matters more than the median on its own: it shows what the bottom and top of each field actually earn, which a single average hides.

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

1Physicians, All Other$296,960
Doctoral or professional degree
$131,340 – $434,360280
2Family Medicine Physicians$287,230
Doctoral or professional degree
$136,400 – $486,820440
3Architectural and Engineering Managers$207,900
Bachelor's degree
$131,330 – $266,750340
4Computer and Information Systems Managers$207,760
Bachelor's degree
$130,950 – $282,620700
5Chief Executives$195,650
Bachelor's degree
$77,990 – $427,380360
6Natural Sciences Managers$175,400
Bachelor's degree
$107,600 – $289,730110
7Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$173,640
Doctoral or professional degree
$71,400 – $315,55070
8Computer and Information Research Scientists$171,880
Master's degree
$89,190 – $255,15070
9Lawyers$170,970
Doctoral or professional degree
$73,920 – $289,030700
10Dentists, General$170,940
Doctoral or professional degree
$103,610 – $266,910140
11Marketing Managers$170,920
Bachelor's degree
$94,330 – $299,310340
12Managers, All Other$167,090
Bachelor's degree
$81,300 – $261,630900
13Nurse Practitioners$165,580
Master's degree
$130,450 – $220,680200
14Human Resources Managers$165,160
Bachelor's degree
$94,550 – $274,000210
15Financial Managers$164,270
Bachelor's degree
$91,990 – $298,410760
16Pharmacists$162,520
Doctoral or professional degree
$130,670 – $208,880290
17First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$161,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$129,690 – $200,620110
18Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$159,950
Master's degree
$101,370 – $183,290360
19Veterinarians$158,840
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,390 – $260,480140
20Physician Assistants$158,360
Master's degree
$90,310 – $204,280210
21Software Developers$158,290
Bachelor's degree
$99,670 – $215,7501,680
22Education Administrators, Postsecondary$153,950
Master's degree
$77,320 – $359,180150
23Fundraising Managers$153,940
Bachelor's degree
$98,070 – $225,85080
24Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers$142,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$87,900 – $165,77070
25Registered Nurses$137,360
Bachelor's degree
$101,260 – $169,2403,280
26Engineers, All Other$136,650
Bachelor's degree
$81,660 – $198,080460
27Dental Hygienists$135,990
Associate's degree
$106,210 – $151,030260
28Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$135,810
Bachelor's degree
$82,910 – $206,400160
29Electrical Engineers$134,640
Bachelor's degree
$82,880 – $209,530230
30First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$132,910
Postsecondary nondegree award
$94,810 – $161,250180
31Construction Managers$132,620
Bachelor's degree
$82,600 – $213,850290
32Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$132,490
Associate's degree
$97,520 – $161,410100
33Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$131,980
Doctoral or professional degree
$81,650 – $243,220100
34Aerospace Engineers$130,870
Bachelor's degree
$85,540 – $194,360100
35Information Security Analysts$130,770
Bachelor's degree
$78,430 – $189,910140
36Industrial Production Managers$130,560
Bachelor's degree
$78,270 – $207,160290
37Medical and Health Services Managers$130,290
Bachelor's degree
$61,670 – $284,860730
38Computer Network Architects$128,990
Bachelor's degree
$99,280 – $197,050130
39Physical Therapists$128,680
Doctoral or professional degree
$99,680 – $164,830310
40Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$128,620
Doctoral or professional degree
$94,810 – $195,930270
41Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary$128,440
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,730 – $223,63090
42Computer Occupations, All Other$128,390
Bachelor's degree
$63,180 – $188,620670
43School Psychologists$128,110
Master's degree
$104,620 – $157,550110
44Speech-Language Pathologists$126,850
Master's degree
$95,950 – $171,300200
45Occupational Therapists$125,890
Master's degree
$95,870 – $152,450170
46Biological Scientists, All Other$124,840
Bachelor's degree
$64,460 – $188,76090
47Personal Financial Advisors$124,380
Bachelor's degree
$61,860 – $379,250210
48Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$123,620
Bachelor's degree
$53,490 – $206,700120
49Environmental Engineers$122,380
Bachelor's degree
$81,450 – $155,12070
50Mechanical Engineers$121,130
Bachelor's degree
$84,480 – $172,080390

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	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$296,960	$131,340 – $434,360	280
2	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$287,230	$136,400 – $486,820	440
3	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$207,900	$131,330 – $266,750	340
4	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$207,760	$130,950 – $282,620	700
5	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$195,650	$77,990 – $427,380	360
6	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$175,400	$107,600 – $289,730	110
7	Computer Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$173,640	$71,400 – $315,550	70
8	Computer and Information Research ScientistsMaster's degree	$171,880	$89,190 – $255,150	70
9	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$170,970	$73,920 – $289,030	700
10	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$170,940	$103,610 – $266,910	140
11	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$170,920	$94,330 – $299,310	340
12	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$167,090	$81,300 – $261,630	900
13	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$165,580	$130,450 – $220,680	200
14	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$165,160	$94,550 – $274,000	210
15	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$164,270	$91,990 – $298,410	760
16	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$162,520	$130,670 – $208,880	290
17	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$161,440	$129,690 – $200,620	110
18	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$159,950	$101,370 – $183,290	360
19	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$158,840	$64,390 – $260,480	140
20	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$158,360	$90,310 – $204,280	210
21	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$158,290	$99,670 – $215,750	1,680
22	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$153,950	$77,320 – $359,180	150
23	Fundraising ManagersBachelor's degree	$153,940	$98,070 – $225,850	80
24	Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$142,560	$87,900 – $165,770	70
25	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$137,360	$101,260 – $169,240	3,280
26	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$136,650	$81,660 – $198,080	460
27	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$135,990	$106,210 – $151,030	260
28	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$135,810	$82,910 – $206,400	160
29	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$134,640	$82,880 – $209,530	230
30	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$132,910	$94,810 – $161,250	180
31	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$132,620	$82,600 – $213,850	290
32	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$132,490	$97,520 – $161,410	100
33	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$131,980	$81,650 – $243,220	100
34	Aerospace EngineersBachelor's degree	$130,870	$85,540 – $194,360	100
35	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$130,770	$78,430 – $189,910	140
36	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$130,560	$78,270 – $207,160	290
37	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$130,290	$61,670 – $284,860	730
38	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$128,990	$99,280 – $197,050	130
39	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$128,680	$99,680 – $164,830	310
40	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$128,620	$94,810 – $195,930	270
41	Engineering Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$128,440	$65,730 – $223,630	90
42	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$128,390	$63,180 – $188,620	670
43	School PsychologistsMaster's degree	$128,110	$104,620 – $157,550	110
44	Speech-Language PathologistsMaster's degree	$126,850	$95,950 – $171,300	200
45	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$125,890	$95,870 – $152,450	170
46	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$124,840	$64,460 – $188,760	90
47	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$124,380	$61,860 – $379,250	210
48	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$123,620	$53,490 – $206,700	120
49	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$122,380	$81,450 – $155,120	70
50	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$121,130	$84,480 – $172,080	390

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 jobs in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA

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