Systems Engineer / Architect salary in Santa Maria, CA
Based on 12 certified H-1B filings in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Goleta, Santa Barbara, Carpienteria.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $135,990 |
| 25th | $146,498 |
| 50th (median) | $168,459 |
| 75th | $193,107 |
| 90th | $214,400 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $100,000 | $84,053 | $118,800 | 25 |
| FY2021 | $98,225 | $75,000 | $115,176 | 16 |
| FY2022 | $104,000 | $82,915 | $141,309 | 19 |
| FY2023 | $88,000 | $79,792 | $102,710 | 11 |
| FY2024 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2025 | – | – | – | 7 |
| FY2026 | – | – | – | 5 |
Cost of living
Santa Maria's median Systems Engineer / Architect salary of $168,459 is worth about $154,800 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Santa Maria = 108.8).
Compared with all workers here
All Computer Systems Engineers/Architects in the Santa Maria, CA area earned a median of $128,390 in May 2025 (670 employed). The H-1B median here is $168,459, 31% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Yardi Systems | too few | 4 |
| Cognizant | too few | 3 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | – | 0 |
| Mid-level · Level II | – | 0 |
| Senior · Level III | too few | 2 |
| Expert · Level IV | too few | 3 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.