Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA

Each occupation's median wage in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

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 · vs. national

1Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$173,640
Doctoral or professional degree
$71,400 – $315,550+79.0%
2Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$131,980
Doctoral or professional degree
$81,650 – $243,220+65.1%
3Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$102,450
Bachelor's degree
$64,800 – $123,550+63.4%
4Correctional Officers and Jailers$94,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$64,190 – $95,740+60.7%
5Public Safety Telecommunicators$84,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,290 – $98,900+59.1%
6Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers$142,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$87,900 – $165,770+58.6%
7Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$120,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$79,180 – $131,500+58.6%
8Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$101,030
Bachelor's degree
$62,530 – $124,770+57.9%
9First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$161,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$129,690 – $200,620+52.2%
10Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$98,940
Bachelor's degree
$69,850 – $120,530+51.9%
11Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$159,950
Master's degree
$101,370 – $183,290+51.1%
12Construction and Building Inspectors$112,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,540 – $165,150+50.7%
13Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$62,310
Bachelor's degree
$42,360 – $72,770+49.5%
14Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$63,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,200 – $66,140+49.2%
15Library Assistants, Clerical$54,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,840 – $64,950+47.9%
16Education Administrators, Postsecondary$153,950
Master's degree
$77,320 – $359,180+47.2%
17Traffic Technicians$84,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,780 – $92,370+43.3%
18Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$85,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,660 – $127,550+43.2%
19Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$102,840
Bachelor's degree
$67,770 – $127,320+42.8%
20First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$132,910
Postsecondary nondegree award
$94,810 – $161,250+42.1%
21Registered Nurses$137,360
Bachelor's degree
$101,260 – $169,240+40.8%
22Psychiatric Technicians$63,510
Postsecondary nondegree award
$42,910 – $86,920+40.7%
23Special Education Teachers, All Other$107,390
Bachelor's degree
$73,150 – $142,130+40.2%
24Firefighters$82,250
Postsecondary nondegree award
$58,240 – $125,620+38.7%
25Dental Hygienists$135,990
Associate's degree
$106,210 – $151,030+38.6%
26Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$110,770
Associate's degree
$62,310 – $140,020+38.3%
27Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$94,380
Master's degree
$59,710 – $135,680+38.2%
28Cooks, Fast Food$42,700
No formal educational credential
$36,680 – $44,290+38.2%
29Fast Food and Counter Workers$42,940
No formal educational credential
$35,280 – $46,520+37.6%
30Healthcare Social Workers$93,200
Master's degree
$51,050 – $133,890+37.3%
31Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$132,490
Associate's degree
$97,520 – $161,410+37.2%
32Interpreters and Translators$82,440
Bachelor's degree
$51,610 – $142,960+37.0%
33Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$81,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,560 – $131,060+36.2%
34Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$62,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,450 – $77,250+35.7%
35Insurance Sales Agents$83,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,330 – $171,530+34.9%
36Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$81,240
Master's degree
$52,400 – $145,710+34.8%
37Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$66,900
No formal educational credential
$58,770 – $75,400+34.6%
38Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$86,500
Master's degree
$57,550 – $126,580+34.5%
39Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants$74,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,250 – $93,660+33.8%
40Media and Communication Equipment Workers, All Other$94,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,650 – $140,590+33.8%
41Surveyors$100,930
Bachelor's degree
$62,070 – $150,930+33.8%
42Fashion Designers$108,220
Bachelor's degree
$43,660 – $169,460+33.7%
43Clergy$81,280
Bachelor's degree
$42,740 – $106,400+33.7%
44Dietitians and Nutritionists$102,060
Bachelor's degree
$78,940 – $126,490+33.6%
45School Psychologists$128,110
Master's degree
$104,620 – $157,550+33.5%
46Phlebotomists$60,290
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,660 – $74,070+33.3%
47Information and Record Clerks, All Other$65,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,710 – $79,830+32.5%
48Highway Maintenance Workers$66,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,790 – $92,580+32.4%
49Respiratory Therapists$108,600
Associate's degree
$80,730 – $134,900+32.0%
50Bill and Account Collectors$61,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,630 – $75,520+31.1%

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	vs. national
1	Computer Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$173,640	$71,400 – $315,550	+79.0%
2	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$131,980	$81,650 – $243,220	+65.1%
3	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$102,450	$64,800 – $123,550	+63.4%
4	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$94,740	$64,190 – $95,740	+60.7%
5	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$84,410	$48,290 – $98,900	+59.1%
6	Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$142,560	$87,900 – $165,770	+58.6%
7	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$120,900	$79,180 – $131,500	+58.6%
8	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$101,030	$62,530 – $124,770	+57.9%
9	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$161,440	$129,690 – $200,620	+52.2%
10	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$98,940	$69,850 – $120,530	+51.9%
11	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$159,950	$101,370 – $183,290	+51.1%
12	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$112,550	$59,540 – $165,150	+50.7%
13	Substitute Teachers, Short-TermBachelor's degree	$62,310	$42,360 – $72,770	+49.5%
14	Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,210	$41,200 – $66,140	+49.2%
15	Library Assistants, ClericalHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,590	$34,840 – $64,950	+47.9%
16	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$153,950	$77,320 – $359,180	+47.2%
17	Traffic TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$84,650	$58,780 – $92,370	+43.3%
18	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$85,960	$57,660 – $127,550	+43.2%
19	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$102,840	$67,770 – $127,320	+42.8%
20	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$132,910	$94,810 – $161,250	+42.1%
21	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$137,360	$101,260 – $169,240	+40.8%
22	Psychiatric TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,510	$42,910 – $86,920	+40.7%
23	Special Education Teachers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$107,390	$73,150 – $142,130	+40.2%
24	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$82,250	$58,240 – $125,620	+38.7%
25	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$135,990	$106,210 – $151,030	+38.6%
26	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$110,770	$62,310 – $140,020	+38.3%
27	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$94,380	$59,710 – $135,680	+38.2%
28	Cooks, Fast FoodNo formal educational credential	$42,700	$36,680 – $44,290	+38.2%
29	Fast Food and Counter WorkersNo formal educational credential	$42,940	$35,280 – $46,520	+37.6%
30	Healthcare Social WorkersMaster's degree	$93,200	$51,050 – $133,890	+37.3%
31	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$132,490	$97,520 – $161,410	+37.2%
32	Interpreters and TranslatorsBachelor's degree	$82,440	$51,610 – $142,960	+37.0%
33	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,500	$52,560 – $131,060	+36.2%
34	Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,200	$40,450 – $77,250	+35.7%
35	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,990	$45,330 – $171,530	+34.9%
36	Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social WorkersMaster's degree	$81,240	$52,400 – $145,710	+34.8%
37	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$66,900	$58,770 – $75,400	+34.6%
38	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$86,500	$57,550 – $126,580	+34.5%
39	Legal Secretaries and Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,360	$46,250 – $93,660	+33.8%
40	Media and Communication Equipment Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$94,590	$60,650 – $140,590	+33.8%
41	SurveyorsBachelor's degree	$100,930	$62,070 – $150,930	+33.8%
42	Fashion DesignersBachelor's degree	$108,220	$43,660 – $169,460	+33.7%
43	ClergyBachelor's degree	$81,280	$42,740 – $106,400	+33.7%
44	Dietitians and NutritionistsBachelor's degree	$102,060	$78,940 – $126,490	+33.6%
45	School PsychologistsMaster's degree	$128,110	$104,620 – $157,550	+33.5%
46	PhlebotomistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,290	$51,660 – $74,070	+33.3%
47	Information and Record Clerks, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,610	$48,710 – $79,830	+32.5%
48	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,550	$47,790 – $92,580	+32.4%
49	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$108,600	$80,730 – $134,900	+32.0%
50	Bill and Account CollectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,640	$44,630 – $75,520	+31.1%

More for Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA

By field in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA

Without a degree

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.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA

More for Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA

Other metro areas in CA

By field in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state