H-1B salaries in Santa Maria, CA
Based on 452 certified H-1B filings in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Base salary only.
Median salary$120,000
Middle 50%$82.8k–$160.7k
vs. national median−2%comparison median $122,699
Filings452FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years
Salary range
National median
$25k$50k$75k$100k$125k$150k$175k$200k$225k
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $71,769 |
| 25th | $82,836 |
| 50th (median) | $120,000 |
| 75th | $160,659 |
| 90th | $194,900 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $99,986 | $77,497 | $120,000 | 343 |
| FY2021 | $99,175 | $67,179 | $124,250 | 316 |
| FY2022 | $98,000 | $66,600 | $135,000 | 373 |
| FY2023 | $102,500 | $74,100 | $130,000 | 283 |
| FY2024 | $112,210 | $86,325 | $143,795 | 222 |
| FY2025 | $114,660 | $80,100 | $156,229 | 249 |
| FY2026 | $125,000 | $83,413 | $165,550 | 203 |
Cost of living
Santa Maria's median H-1B salary of $120,000 is worth about $110,300 at national average prices.
Fair market rent, 1-bedroom$2,711Per month. Source: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2027 (Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA).
Fair market rent, 2-bedroom$3,106Per month. Source: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2027 (Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA).
Price level (U.S. = 100)108.8Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Price-adjusted median$110,300Median salary ÷ (price level ÷ 100).
State income tax on wagesCA: yesSource: Tax Foundation, State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets, 2025.
Most filed jobs
| Job | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer | $156,229 | 71 |
| Data Scientist | $117,810 | 23 |
| Electrical Engineer | $142,500 | 14 |
| Physicist | $77,030 | 14 |
| Rehabilitation Counselor | $38,875 | 14 |
| Research Scientist (Computer Science) | $182,300 | 14 |
| Computer Hardware Engineer | $161,000 | 12 |
| Systems Engineer / Architect | $168,459 | 12 |
| IT Manager | $196,631 | 12 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $109,958 | 12 |
| Materials Scientist | $74,281 | 11 |
| QA Engineer | $133,000 | 11 |
| Electronics Engineer | $139,264 | 10 |
| Environmental Scientist | $81,468 | 10 |