How much do Biological Scientists, All Other make in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?

Percentile spread

For Biological Scientists, All Other, the published 10th percentile is $64,460 and the 90th percentile is $188,760. The difference is $124,300, which is 99.6% 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 $92,040 to the 75th at $144,090, covers $52,050.

The mean annual wage is $122,820, which sits below the median of $124,840. Median and mean measure different points in the same distribution.

National and state comparison

The Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA median is 26.2% higher than the national median of $98,920 for Biological Scientists, All Other. In 2024 national prices the local median is $114,745, which is 16% higher than that same national median. The national figure is already in national prices because the United States parity is 100.

It is 10% higher than the California median of $113,530.

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 $124,840 by that parity and multiplying by 100 puts Biological Scientists, All Other at $114,745 in national prices. The wage year and the price year are different. Compare this wage after prices.

Nearby metros

7 other metropolitan areas within 200 miles publish a annual median for Biological Scientists, All Other. Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ranks 2nd of 8 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 $97,680 and employment of 220. That median is 21.8% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $88,371, against $114,745 here.
• San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA is 63 miles away, with a median of $90,640 and employment of 60. That median is 27.4% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $83,465, against $114,745 here.
• Bakersfield-Delano, CA is 93 miles away, with a median of $93,550. That median is 25.1% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $92,728, against $114,745 here.

Employment share

Biological Scientists, All Other accounts for 0.04% of wage-and-salary employment in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA (90 of 200,760). Nationally the occupation is 0.04% of employment (55,850 of 155,495,730). The local share is 1.25 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.