How much do Aerospace Engineers make in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?

Percentile spread

For Aerospace Engineers, the published 10th percentile is $85,540 and the 90th percentile is $194,360. The difference is $108,820, which is 83.2% of the median. Ten percent of measured wages fall below the 10th percentile and ten percent fall above the 90th. How to read a percentile.

The middle half of the distribution, from the 25th percentile at $110,350 to the 75th at $159,700, covers $49,350.

The mean annual wage is $137,690, which sits above the median of $130,870. Median and mean measure different points in the same distribution.

National and state comparison

The Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA median is 3% lower than the national median of $134,960 for Aerospace Engineers. In 2024 national prices the local median is $120,287, which is 10.9% lower than that same national median. The national figure is already in national prices because the United States parity is 100.

It is 17% lower than the California median of $157,620.

Price-adjusted pay

The 2024 all-items regional price parity for Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA is 108.798, with the United States at 100. The Bureau of Economic Analysis released those parities on February 19, 2026. Dividing the May 2025 median of $130,870 by that parity and multiplying by 100 puts Aerospace Engineers at $120,287 in national prices. The wage year and the price year are different. Compare this wage after prices.

Nearby metros

5 other metropolitan areas within 200 miles publish a annual median for Aerospace Engineers. Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ranks 4th of 6 on that median, counting itself. Distance is the great-circle mileage between Census Bureau internal points (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files, Core Based Statistical Areas, internal points (INTPTLAT, INTPTLONG).).

• Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA is 53 miles away, with a median of $128,670 and employment of 110. That median is 1.7% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $116,408, against $120,287 here.
• San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA is 63 miles away, with a median of $135,490 and employment of 40. That median is 3.5% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $124,765, against $120,287 here.
• Bakersfield-Delano, CA is 93 miles away, with a median of $128,720 and employment of 700. That median is 1.6% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $127,590, against $120,287 here.

Employment share

Aerospace Engineers accounts for 0.05% of wage-and-salary employment in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA (100 of 200,760). Nationally the occupation is 0.04% of employment (67,710 of 155,495,730). The local share is 1.14 times the national share. That ratio is the location quotient computed from these May 2025 employment counts. It is not copied from the location-quotient column in the BLS bulk file.