Cost Estimators pay range in Santa Maria
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $52,300 a year or less, while the top 10% make $139,310 or more. The middle half of cost estimators in Santa Maria earn between $65,360 and $108,390.
- $52K10th
- $65K25th
- $78KMedian
- $108K75th
- $139K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $88,580 | $7,382 | $42.59 |
| Median | $77,730 | $6,478 | $37.37 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $65,360 | $5,447 | $31.42 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $108,390 | $9,032 | $52.11 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cost Estimators pay in Santa Maria vs. California and the U.S.
Cost estimators in Santa Maria earn 7% less than the California average ($94,780) and 4% more than the U.S. average ($85,390). At the median the gap is -1% against the U.S. median of $78,740.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria | $88,580 | $77,730 | $52,300 | $139,310 | 240 |
| California | $94,780 | $85,460 | $51,750 | $150,790 | 26,020 |
| United States | $85,390 | $78,740 | $48,530 | $130,820 | 224,220 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Cost Estimators salary after taxes in Santa Maria
On the average salary of $88,580, a single filer in Santa Maria takes home about $67,000 a year, or $5,583 a month and $2,577 every two weeks. Taxes take 24% 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 cost estimators? 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 $88,580 buys what about $81,417 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Maria ($51,690). A typical home costs $1,005,339, or 11.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Cost Estimators salary in other California cities
Santa Maria ranks 18th of 24 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($109,520).
- San Francisco$109,520
- San Jose$108,990
- Santa Rosa$101,290
- Santa Cruz$97,200
- San Diego$95,670
- Sacramento$95,520
- Fresno$94,070
- Napa$93,830
- Vallejo$93,660
- Santa Maria$88,580
Highest-paying cities for cost estimators
San Francisco, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($109,520).
- San Francisco, CA$109,520
- San Jose, CA$108,990
- Boston, MA$108,390
- Amherst, MA$102,520
- Santa Rosa, CA$101,290
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Cost Estimators salary in Santa Maria: questions
How much do cost estimators make an hour in Santa Maria?
$42.59 an hour on average, and $37.37 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cost estimators salary in Santa Maria?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $52,300 a year and the 25th percentile is $65,360, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cost estimators take-home pay in Santa Maria?
About $67,000 a year ($5,583 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $88,580. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do cost estimators earn more in Santa Maria than elsewhere?
The average here is 4% more than the U.S. average for this job ($85,390).
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 13-1051; 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 0.84, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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