Aerospace Engineers pay range in Santa Maria
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $85,540 a year or less, while the top 10% make $194,360 or more. The middle half of aerospace engineers in Santa Maria earn between $110,350 and $159,700.
- $86K10th
- $110K25th
- $131KMedian
- $160K75th
- $194K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $137,690 | $11,474 | $66.20 |
| Median | $130,870 | $10,906 | $62.92 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $110,350 | $9,196 | $53.05 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $159,700 | $13,308 | $76.78 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Aerospace Engineers pay in Santa Maria vs. California and the U.S.
Aerospace engineers in Santa Maria earn 14% less than the California average ($159,960) and 3% less than the U.S. average ($142,060). At the median the gap is -3% against the U.S. median of $134,960.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria | $137,690 | $130,870 | $85,540 | $194,360 | 100 |
| California | $159,960 | $157,620 | $104,370 | $220,670 | 9,170 |
| United States | $142,060 | $134,960 | $86,700 | $205,890 | 67,710 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Aerospace Engineers salary after taxes in Santa Maria
On the average salary of $137,690, a single filer in Santa Maria takes home about $96,664 a year, or $8,055 a month and $3,718 every two weeks. Taxes take 30% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Santa Maria a good place for aerospace engineers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Santa Maria area are 9% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 108.8), so the average $137,690 buys what about $126,556 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Maria ($51,690). A typical home costs $1,005,339, or 7.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Aerospace Engineers salary in other California cities
Santa Maria ranks 8th of 10 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($183,920).
- San Francisco$183,920
- San Jose$181,690
- Los Angeles$161,520
- Sacramento$144,960
- San Diego$144,280
- San Luis Obispo$143,350
- Riverside$141,070
- Santa Maria$137,690
- Bakersfield$134,930
- Oxnard$133,000
Highest-paying cities for aerospace engineers
San Francisco, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($183,920).
- San Francisco, CA$183,920
- San Jose, CA$181,690
- Omaha, NE$172,720
- Washington, DC$168,780
- Boulder, CO$165,500
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Aerospace Engineers salary in Santa Maria: questions
How much do aerospace engineers make an hour in Santa Maria?
$66.20 an hour on average, and $62.92 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level aerospace engineers salary in Santa Maria?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $85,540 a year and the 25th percentile is $110,350, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the aerospace engineers take-home pay in Santa Maria?
About $96,664 a year ($8,055 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $137,690. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do aerospace engineers earn more in Santa Maria than elsewhere?
The average here is 3% less than the U.S. average for this job ($142,060).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 17-2011; area Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA (42200). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.8%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.12, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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