SOC 11-9121

Natural Sciences Managers Salary in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA

Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology

Tax Tables: 2026 Fed + CA
COL Index: 189.67 (+89.7% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 62.7% Realized
$109,929 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $175,400 $84.33/hr
Effective Tax Drag 31.33% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 24% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$54,947 $2,113.34/check
Category 1 of 6

Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine

Dynamic statutory tax calculations based on IRS Publication 15-T and state statutory schedules.

$
2,080 annual statutory base hours $84.33 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$10,524/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$2,526/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$28,304
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$10,875
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$2,543
California Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$10,944
State Disability Insurance (SDI)
Statutory Payroll Assessment
-$2,280
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$109,929 ($4,228.04 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA Natural Sciences Managers Wage Distribution

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders

Your Salary: $175,400
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $108k 25th $137k Median: $175,400 50th (Median) $175k 75th $223k 90th $290k You: $175,400
10th (Entry) $107,600 $51.73/hr
25th (Junior) $136,820 $65.78/hr
50th (Median) $175,400 $84.33/hr
75th (Senior) $223,100 $107.26/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $289,730 $139.29/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Natural Sciences Managers in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
1
Research ScientistBachelor's degree (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$83,599$40.19/hr · 2-5 Years
2
Senior ScientistDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities
$125,241$60.21/hr · 5-9 Years
3
Natural Sciences ManagerFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team
$175,379$84.32/hr · 9-14 Years
4
Director of ResearchOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$232,335$111.70/hr · 14-20 Years
5
VP of R&D / Chief ScientistExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$332,297$159.76/hr · 20+ Years
Scaled to the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA medianView National Natural Sciences Managers Salary Data
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Project Management Specialists-$64,900/yr
National median: $102,320
Skill overlap: 77%View Salary
Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers-$57,850/yr
National median: $109,370
Skill overlap: 77%
Biological Technicians-$109,710/yr
National median: $57,510
Skill overlap: 63%
Data Scientists-$46,990/yr
National median: $120,230
Skill overlap: 62%
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
30% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $2,711/month Requires minimum annual gross of $108,440
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $3,106/month Requires minimum annual gross of $124,240
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $41.95/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $34.88/hr
Category 4 of 6

Hourly Wage to Annual & Overtime Matrix

Translating base hourly pay and 1.5× overtime into net take-home pay based on 2,080 annual work hours in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA.

Swipe horizontally to inspect full pay schedule
Schedule Total Hours/Wk Gross Annual Est. Taxes Net Take-Home Bi-Weekly Check
Standard (40 hrs)40 hrs$175,400-$54,947$109,929$4,228.04
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$208,288-$66,785$129,006$4,961.76
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$241,175-$78,986$147,719$5,681.49
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$274,063-$92,954$164,665$6,333.27
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$306,950-$107,408$181,125$6,966.35
Category 5 of 6

Interstate MSA Relocation & State Tax Migration Comparator

Calculate required compensation, cost-of-living differences, and annual state/local tax savings between two metropolitan areas.

Equivalent Salary in Austin, TX $83,505 Cost of Living Ratio: 69.6%
Annual State & Local Tax Delta +$8,331/yr Tax savings in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Annual Rent Difference (1BR) -$17,676/yr Based on HUD Fair Market Rents
Net Discretionary Cash Flow Impact

Combining state tax savings and annual rent variance when relocating from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.

+$26,007/year
Category 6 of 6 · Executive Economic Briefing
2026 Fiscal Intelligence

Natural Sciences Managers in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and California tax codes.

Market Baseline
$175,400/yr
$84.33/hr · SOC 11-9121
Statutory Tax Drag
31.33% Effective
-$54,947 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
30% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$6,450/mo
Post-$2,711/mo 1BR Rent

Key Economic & Compensation Takeaways

Statutory Withholding Architecture

Frequently Asked Questions

Verified Government Data Sources & Statutory Attribution

Wages sourced from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS). Rents calibrated to HUD Fair Market Rents. Tax schedules calibrated to IRS IRC Title 26, IRS Pub 15-T, and state statutory revenue codes.

BLS OEWS May 2025 HUD FY2027 FMR IRS 15-T
Metro Pay Comparison SOC 11-9121
2026 Statutory Thresholds
  • Federal Standard Deduction (Single) $16,100
  • FICA OASDI Wage Base Cap $184,500
  • Pre-Tax 401(k) Elective Deferral $24,500
  • HSA Individual Annual Limit $4,400

Natural Sciences Managers in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA: Market Snapshot

Natural Sciences Managers roles in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA report a median annual wage of $175,400, 4.9% above the national median of $167,220. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $107,600 to $289,730, and HUD’s $2,711 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 18.5% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $41.95 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Natural Sciences Managers

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$291,000+65.9%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$263,810+50.4%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$225,230+28.4%
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR$220,120+25.5%
Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT$217,480+24.0%
Kennewick-Richland, WA$215,860+23.1%
Worcester, MA$212,600+21.2%
Midland, MI$212,130+20.9%
New Haven, CT$210,670+20.1%
Boulder, CO$210,340+19.9%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Architectural and Engineering Managers$207,900$99.95/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$207,760$99.88/hr
Chief Executives$195,650$94.06/hr
Marketing Managers$170,920$82.17/hr
Nurse Practitioner$165,580$79.61/hr
Human Resources Managers$165,160$79.40/hr
Financial Manager$164,270$78.98/hr
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$159,950$76.90/hr
Data Engineer$159,240$76.56/hr
Physician Assistant$158,360$76.13/hr

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 210 metropolitan areas publishing this occupation; HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents; EPI Family Budget Calculator. Taxes use 2026 federal and state rules. Data last updated .

Regional Labor Market & Career Mobility Network

Explore adjacent occupations and neighboring metropolitan wage benchmarks for peer compensation analysis.

Natural Sciences Managers Salary in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA Overview

Natural Sciences Managers median pay in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA is $175,400 a year ($84.33/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles. Official 2026 economic data for Natural Sciences Managers in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for a Natural Sciences Managers in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?

The median annual wage is $175,400 ($84.33 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $107,600 and $289,730. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Natural Sciences Managers in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA after taxes?

On the median wage of $175,400, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $116,949 a year ($9,746 a month) after $58,451 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 33.32%, using 2026 tax rules.