Lawyers Salary — Santa Maria, California

The average Lawyers in Santa Maria, California earns $178,720 a year.

$178,720 / year, mean
↓ 5.1% below national average 50th percentile in California

Santa Maria sits roughly in the middle of the pack for this role within California — neither a standout nor a laggard. That's close to the national average for lawyers — a fairly typical rate for this role. Cost of living here is close to the national average — not a major factor either way. This is a reasonably reliable estimate, though the underlying sample is moderate in size.

Percentile within California

0th 50th 100th
Employment (this metro)
700
Estimate confidence
RSE 8.3%
Cost of living 109 #14 most expensive of 188 cities in this dataset 100 = U.S. average · Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Crime index 2124 #140 safest of 188 cities in this dataset Per 100k residents · Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer
Median home value $1,005,339 #4 priciest of 188 cities in this dataset Source: zillow_real
Median household income $95,977 #18 highest of 188 cities in this dataset Source: Census Bureau ACS 5-year

Combining these four figures gives a fuller picture than salary alone: Santa Maria ranks #14 for cost of living and #4 for home prices among the 188 cities in this pilot dataset, which matters as much as the headline salary number when comparing where to live.

San Jose $288,980 Santa Rosa $248,950 Los Angeles $241,500 San Francisco $237,060 New York $224,840 San Diego $203,680 Midland $203,400 Modesto $195,450 San Luis Obispo $193,770 Houston $193,390 Hanford $193,170 Oxnard $191,100 Dallas $188,640 Chicago $187,420 Sacramento $187,020 Philadelphia $186,600 Austin $184,630 Fresno $183,920 Stockton $181,830 Seattle $180,920 Rochester $180,460 Santa Maria $178,720 Kalamazoo $178,610 Salinas $178,560 Napa $175,280 Miami $173,960 Richmond $173,400 Peoria $171,780 Terre Haute $171,300 Vallejo $170,980 Odessa $169,910 Fort Wayne $169,510 Santa Cruz $169,270 San Antonio $169,120 College Station $166,990 Kiryas Joel $164,780 Portland $164,090 Sarasota $162,800 Ithaca $160,930 Trenton $160,740 Champaign $160,490 Killeen $160,130 Pittsburgh $159,760 Virginia Beach $159,670 Beaumont $158,920 Salem $158,620 Corpus Christi $158,140 Charlottesville $157,910 El Centro $157,830 Utica $157,560 Merced $156,900 Niles $156,740 Palm Bay $156,590 Grand Rapids $156,470 Syracuse $156,340 Orlando $155,770 Sebastian $155,530 Bakersfield $155,160 Port St. Lucie $154,430 Baltimore $154,190 Pensacola $153,910 Kennewick $153,860 Roanoke $153,590 Ann Arbor $153,320 Detroit $152,950 Fort Myers $152,800 Waco $152,730 Sherman $152,590 El Paso $152,370 Atlantic City $150,570 Albany $150,520 Panama City $150,500 Deltona $149,530 Visalia $149,440 Columbus $149,200 Watertown $149,190 Tampa $148,940 Reading $148,690 Glens Falls $148,600 Tyler $148,430 Elmira $148,210 Michigan City $147,810 Binghamton $147,600 Lynchburg $147,240 Lexington Park $147,220 Evansville $146,730 Harrisburg $146,670 Bremerton $146,040 Allentown $146,010 Jacksonville $145,930 Yuba City $145,860 Albany $145,290 Amarillo $144,980 Lakeland $144,920 Wenatchee $144,750 Salisbury $144,560 Erie $144,230 Medford $144,230 Kingston $143,660 Buffalo $143,440 Springfield $143,130 Redding $142,900 Lancaster $142,810 Kankakee $142,730 Harrisonburg $142,340 Wildwood $142,310 Traverse City $141,920 Corvallis $141,720 York $141,560 Crestview $140,550 Yakima $140,210 Bend $139,000 Lubbock $137,770 San Angelo $137,490 Victoria $137,390 Abilene $137,180 Lafayette $136,540 Lansing $136,470 Bloomington $136,440 Chico $136,120 Rockford $136,090 Winchester $135,990 South Bend $135,950 Saginaw $135,840 Spokane $135,500 Louisville $135,380 Muncie $134,950 Bloomington $134,940 Walla Walla $134,910 Olympia $134,560 Blacksburg $134,490 Wheeling $134,180 Laredo $133,860 Longview $133,500 Bellingham $132,730 Kokomo $132,480 Chambersburg $132,070 Morgantown $131,520 Eugene $131,290 Flint $130,820 Grants Pass $130,820 McAllen $130,680 Eagle Pass $130,320 Wichita Falls $130,080 Tallahassee $130,060 Gainesville $130,030 State College $129,530 Battle Creek $129,350 Sebring $129,050 Lexington $128,950 Texarkana $128,620 Monroe $127,510 Longview $126,510 Decatur $126,430 Staunton $126,060 Gettysburg $125,870 Vineland $124,890 Weirton $124,070 Williamsport $123,410 Brownsville $123,180 Bay City $121,570 Punta Gorda $121,190 Hagerstown $121,120 Charleston $120,250 Lebanon $119,100 Huntington $117,940 Homosassa Springs $117,870 Johnstown $117,280 Scranton $116,000 Muskegon $111,500 Parkersburg $111,410 Altoona $110,170 Owensboro $109,230 Bowling Green $107,700 Elizabethtown $106,460 Paducah $106,290 Beckley $99,320
CityMean salaryvs. Santa Maria
Abilene, Texas$137,180-23.2%
Albany, Oregon$145,290-18.7%
Albany, New York$150,520-15.8%
Allentown, Pennsylvania$146,010-18.3%
Altoona, Pennsylvania$110,170-38.4%
Amarillo, Texas$144,980-18.9%
Ann Arbor, Michigan$153,320-14.2%
Atlantic City, New Jersey$150,570-15.8%
Austin, Texas$184,630+3.3%
Bakersfield, California$155,160-13.2%
Baltimore, Maryland$154,190-13.7%
Battle Creek, Michigan$129,350-27.6%
Bay City, Michigan$121,570-32.0%
Beaumont, Texas$158,920-11.1%
Beckley, West Virginia$99,320-44.4%
Bellingham, Washington$132,730-25.7%
Bend, Oregon$139,000-22.2%
Binghamton, New York$147,600-17.4%
Blacksburg, Virginia$134,490-24.7%
Bloomington, Illinois$136,440-23.7%
Bloomington, Indiana$134,940-24.5%
Bowling Green, Kentucky$107,700-39.7%
Bremerton, Washington$146,040-18.3%
Brownsville, Texas$123,180-31.1%
Buffalo, New York$143,440-19.7%
Fort Myers, Florida$152,800-14.5%
Chambersburg, Pennsylvania$132,070-26.1%
Champaign, Illinois$160,490-10.2%
Charleston, West Virginia$120,250-32.7%
Charlottesville, Virginia$157,910-11.6%
Chicago, Illinois$187,420+4.9%
Chico, California$136,120-23.8%
College Station, Texas$166,990-6.6%
Columbus, Indiana$149,200-16.5%
Corpus Christi, Texas$158,140-11.5%
Corvallis, Oregon$141,720-20.7%
Crestview, Florida$140,550-21.4%
Dallas, Texas$188,640+5.6%
Decatur, Illinois$126,430-29.3%
Deltona, Florida$149,530-16.3%
Detroit, Michigan$152,950-14.4%
Eagle Pass, Texas$130,320-27.1%
El Centro, California$157,830-11.7%
Elizabethtown, Kentucky$106,460-40.4%
Elmira, New York$148,210-17.1%
El Paso, Texas$152,370-14.7%
Erie, Pennsylvania$144,230-19.3%
Eugene, Oregon$131,290-26.5%
Evansville, Indiana$146,730-17.9%
Flint, Michigan$130,820-26.8%
Fort Wayne, Indiana$169,510-5.2%
Fresno, California$183,920+2.9%
Gainesville, Florida$130,030-27.2%
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania$125,870-29.6%
Glens Falls, New York$148,600-16.9%
Grand Rapids, Michigan$156,470-12.4%
Grants Pass, Oregon$130,820-26.8%
Hagerstown, Maryland$121,120-32.2%
Hanford, California$193,170+8.1%
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania$146,670-17.9%
Harrisonburg, Virginia$142,340-20.4%
Homosassa Springs, Florida$117,870-34.0%
Houston, Texas$193,390+8.2%
Huntington, West Virginia$117,940-34.0%
Ithaca, New York$160,930-10.0%
Jacksonville, Florida$145,930-18.3%
Johnstown, Pennsylvania$117,280-34.4%
Kalamazoo, Michigan$178,610-0.1%
Kankakee, Illinois$142,730-20.1%
Kennewick, Washington$153,860-13.9%
Killeen, Texas$160,130-10.4%
Kingston, New York$143,660-19.6%
Kiryas Joel, New York$164,780-7.8%
Kokomo, Indiana$132,480-25.9%
Lafayette, Indiana$136,540-23.6%
Lakeland, Florida$144,920-18.9%
Lancaster, Pennsylvania$142,810-20.1%
Lansing, Michigan$136,470-23.6%
Laredo, Texas$133,860-25.1%
Lebanon, Pennsylvania$119,100-33.4%
Lexington, Kentucky$128,950-27.8%
Lexington Park, Maryland$147,220-17.6%
Longview, Texas$133,500-25.3%
Longview, Washington$126,510-29.2%
Los Angeles, California$241,500+35.1%
Louisville, Kentucky$135,380-24.3%
Lubbock, Texas$137,770-22.9%
Lynchburg, Virginia$147,240-17.6%
McAllen, Texas$130,680-26.9%
Medford, Oregon$144,230-19.3%
Merced, California$156,900-12.2%
Miami, Florida$173,960-2.7%
Michigan City, Indiana$147,810-17.3%
Midland, Texas$203,400+13.8%
Modesto, California$195,450+9.4%
Monroe, Michigan$127,510-28.7%
Morgantown, West Virginia$131,520-26.4%
Muncie, Indiana$134,950-24.5%
Muskegon, Michigan$111,500-37.6%
Napa, California$175,280-1.9%
New York, New York$224,840+25.8%
Niles, Michigan$156,740-12.3%
Sarasota, Florida$162,800-8.9%
Odessa, Texas$169,910-4.9%
Olympia, Washington$134,560-24.7%
Orlando, Florida$155,770-12.8%
Owensboro, Kentucky$109,230-38.9%
Oxnard, California$191,100+6.9%
Paducah, Kentucky$106,290-40.5%
Palm Bay, Florida$156,590-12.4%
Panama City, Florida$150,500-15.8%
Parkersburg, West Virginia$111,410-37.7%
Pensacola, Florida$153,910-13.9%
Peoria, Illinois$171,780-3.9%
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania$186,600+4.4%
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania$159,760-10.6%
Portland, Oregon$164,090-8.2%
Port St. Lucie, Florida$154,430-13.6%
Punta Gorda, Florida$121,190-32.2%
Reading, Pennsylvania$148,690-16.8%
Redding, California$142,900-20.0%
Richmond, Virginia$173,400-3.0%
Roanoke, Virginia$153,590-14.1%
Rochester, New York$180,460+1.0%
Rockford, Illinois$136,090-23.9%
Sacramento, California$187,020+4.6%
Saginaw, Michigan$135,840-24.0%
Salem, Oregon$158,620-11.2%
Salinas, California$178,560-0.1%
Salisbury, Maryland$144,560-19.1%
San Angelo, Texas$137,490-23.1%
San Antonio, Texas$169,120-5.4%
San Diego, California$203,680+14.0%
San Francisco, California$237,060+32.6%
San Jose, California$288,980+61.7%
San Luis Obispo, California$193,770+8.4%
Santa Cruz, California$169,270-5.3%
Santa Rosa, California$248,950+39.3%
Scranton, Pennsylvania$116,000-35.1%
Seattle, Washington$180,920+1.2%
Sebastian, Florida$155,530-13.0%
Sebring, Florida$129,050-27.8%
Sherman, Texas$152,590-14.6%
South Bend, Indiana$135,950-23.9%
Spokane, Washington$135,500-24.2%
Springfield, Illinois$143,130-19.9%
State College, Pennsylvania$129,530-27.5%
Staunton, Virginia$126,060-29.5%
Stockton, California$181,830+1.7%
Syracuse, New York$156,340-12.5%
Tallahassee, Florida$130,060-27.2%
Tampa, Florida$148,940-16.7%
Terre Haute, Indiana$171,300-4.2%
Texarkana, Texas$128,620-28.0%
Traverse City, Michigan$141,920-20.6%
Trenton, New Jersey$160,740-10.1%
Tyler, Texas$148,430-16.9%
Utica, New York$157,560-11.8%
Vallejo, California$170,980-4.3%
Victoria, Texas$137,390-23.1%
Vineland, New Jersey$124,890-30.1%
Virginia Beach, Virginia$159,670-10.7%
Visalia, California$149,440-16.4%
Waco, Texas$152,730-14.5%
Walla Walla, Washington$134,910-24.5%
Watertown, New York$149,190-16.5%
Weirton, West Virginia$124,070-30.6%
Wenatchee, Washington$144,750-19.0%
Wheeling, West Virginia$134,180-24.9%
Wichita Falls, Texas$130,080-27.2%
Wildwood, Florida$142,310-20.4%
Williamsport, Pennsylvania$123,410-30.9%
Winchester, Virginia$135,990-23.9%
Yakima, Washington$140,210-21.5%
York, Pennsylvania$141,560-20.8%
Yuba City, California$145,860-18.4%
Gross salary
178,720/yr
Estimated take-home
120,892/yr
Est. total withheld
32.4%

Single filer, federal + California state tax + FICA, 2025 rates. Does not include state-specific payroll withholdings beyond income tax (see Data transparency). Not tax advice — verify with a professional for your specific situation.

View cost of living in this state All Lawyers salaries in California → All Lawyers salaries →
Community reality check

Community reality check for Santa Maria

These notes add local color around Santa Maria, California: comfort ranges, budget constraints and location trade-offs reported in public discussions.

Relocation gap2.0× calculator gap
City comparison anecdotal

Discussion highlights that calculators may imply roughly 2x gross income for comparable standard of living, while some employers offer only about 10% location premiums. Tech total compensation can be an exception, so the page should distinguish salary from total compensation.

2.0×calculator multiplier10%HCOL premium cited$200KAtlanta TC example$450KBay Area TC example

Anecdotal public-discussion signals, not official salary data, rent data or financial advice. Read this alongside the official figures on the page.

Data transparency

Sources used for this page

Official occupation and area metadata behind the visible salary, cost, housing and safety signals.

Occupation 23-1011 SOC code
Official area Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA BLS metro/geographic area
Area code 42200 Stable geographic key
Reference year 2025 BLS OEWS
Cost: bea_realHousing: zillow_realCrime: latest availableNet-pay source: ca_ftb_verificado 2025
Metro also includes
Santa Barbara
No additional caveats are attached to this row.
Methodology

How this page is built

The salary figure is the mean annual wage reported by the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program for this occupation and metro area. Percentile and national-average comparisons are calculated directly from the 188 cities currently in this dataset, not from a fixed external benchmark. Cost of living, crime and housing figures come from BEA, FBI and Zillow respectively — see "Data transparency" above for the exact sources and reference years used on this specific page.

Confidence: the RSE (relative standard error) shown under Overview indicates how reliable the salary estimate is for this metro — a lower RSE means a larger underlying sample.

On this page

Where this is

AK HI

Highlighted: California

Population (metro area)
443,975