How much do Museum Technicians and Conservators make in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?

Percentile spread

For Museum Technicians and Conservators, the published 10th percentile is $42,350 and the 90th percentile is $86,060. The difference is $43,710, which is 85.4% 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 $49,010 to the 75th at $65,250, covers $16,240.

The mean annual wage is $58,660, which sits above the median of $51,170. Median and mean measure different points in the same distribution.

National and state comparison

The Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA median is 0.5% lower than the national median of $51,440 for Museum Technicians and Conservators. In 2024 national prices the local median is $47,032, which is 8.6% lower than that same national median. The national figure is already in national prices because the United States parity is 100.

It is 16.9% lower than the California median of $61,550.

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 $51,170 by that parity and multiplying by 100 puts Museum Technicians and Conservators at $47,032 in national prices. The wage year and the price year are different. Compare this wage after prices.

Nearby metros

3 other metropolitan areas within 200 miles publish a annual median for Museum Technicians and Conservators. Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ranks 3rd of 4 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).).

• Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA is 110 miles away, with a median of $60,510. That median is 18.3% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $53,282, against $47,032 here.
• Fresno, CA is 163 miles away, with a median of $37,290 and employment of 50. That median is 27.1% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $36,502, against $47,032 here.
• San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA is 180 miles away, with a median of $62,290 and employment of 40. That median is 21.7% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $56,410, against $47,032 here.

Employment share

Museum Technicians and Conservators accounts for 0.02% of wage-and-salary employment in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA (40 of 200,760). Nationally the occupation is 0.01% of employment (12,310 of 155,495,730). The local share is 2.52 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.