Office Manager salary in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
The median office manager in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara earned $76,370 a year in May 20251. That is 9.9% above the US median of $69,500, even though it is 1.6% below the California statewide median of $77,590. Nationally that is #26 of 519 areas, in the top tenth. About 1,440 office managers work here.
BLS occupation 43-1011, area Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara against California and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $49,440 | $76,370 | $113,310 | |
| California | $50,870 | $77,590 | $121,650 | |
| United States | $45,610 | $69,500 | $104,710 |
The middle half of office managers in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara earns $60,530–$90,650. The top tenth earns $113,310 or more, 2.3 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.3 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $30,120 wide, between the figure for California ($34,420) and the US figure ($29,140).
What to budget for an office manager here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $49,440 | $4,120 | $23.77 | $63,794 |
| 25th percentile | $60,530 | $5,044 | $29.10 | $78,103 |
| Median | $76,370 | $6,364 | $36.72 | $98,542 |
| 75th percentile | $90,650 | $7,554 | $43.58 | $116,968 |
| 90th percentile | $113,310 | $9,442 | $54.48 | $146,206 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $15,840 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $14,280, or about $18,426 once benefits are added. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $69,500 falls between the 25th percentile and the median in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, and the California statewide median of $77,590 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $22,172 to the $76,370 median and brings it to $98,542 a year. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for office managers we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
Of the 17 roles we track in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, this one ranks #7 by median pay, between marketing specialists ($79,710) and sales development representatives ($72,800). Project Coordinator is the highest at $106,250.
| Role | Median | vs office manager | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recruiter | +5.2% | 870 | |
| Marketing Specialist | +4.4% | 960 | |
| Office Manager | this role | 1,440 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -4.7% | 1,470 | |
| Bookkeeper | -21.2% | 1,900 |
Measured against the US median, office managers rank #4 of the 17 roles we track in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara (+9.9%), between virtual receptionists (+16.5%) and customer support specialists (+9.6%). The typical role here is at +8.0%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Office managers hold 9.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, 8.9% across California and 9.1% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in California
Across the 28 areas of California with data for this job, the median runs from $66,410 in El Centro to $95,010 in San Jose-Sunnyvale, a gap of $28,600 a year. Of the 12 areas in California with more office managers than Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, 8 pay less, the largest of them Riverside-San Bernardino, CA ($73,640), San Diego-Chula Vista, CA ($76,120) and Fresno, CA ($71,820).
| Area | Median | vs Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | +1.5% | 1,120 | |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | +1.4% | 860 | |
| Sacramento-Roseville, CA | +1.3% | 9,190 | |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | this area | 1,440 | |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | -0.1% | 1,730 | |
| San Diego-Chula Vista, CA | -0.3% | 11,780 | |
| Modesto, CA | -2.9% | 1,490 |
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Santa Maria-Santa Barbara is #161 of 517 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside California, Portland-Vancouver and Washington-Arlington pay just above Santa Maria-Santa Barbara and Austin-Round Rock and Mount Vernon-Anacortes just below. All four are within $170 a year of the median in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara. Of the three markets with about as many office managers, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington, DC-VA | +0.0% | 23,390 | pay | |
| Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA | +0.0% | 7,740 | pay | |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | this area | 1,440 | ||
| Austin-Round Rock, TX | -0.2% | 17,400 | pay | |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | -0.2% | 490 | pay | |
| Roanoke, VA | -19.1% | 1,460 | jobs | |
| Tallahassee, FL | -21.8% | 1,430 | jobs | |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | -22.8% | 1,430 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an office manager in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?
About $98,542 a year at the median, or $8,212 a month: $76,370 in pay plus about $22,172 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for office managers in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $76,370 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $49,440, the 90th $113,310, and the middle half earned $60,530 to $90,650.
Is Santa Maria-Santa Barbara cheaper than the rest of California for office managers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $76,370 against $77,590 statewide. The next area up in California is Sacramento-Roseville at $77,350, the next down Santa Rosa-Petaluma at $76,320.
How many office managers work in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
BLS counts about 1,440 in the May 2025 survey. 12 areas in California have more; the closest in size is Modesto, with about 1,490.
Does an office manager cost more than a sales development representative in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
Yes: $3,570 a year more at the median. The medians are $76,370 and $72,800.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-1011: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.