Sales Development Representative salary in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
The median sales development representative in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara earned $72,800 a year in May 20251. That is 4.0% above the US median of $69,990, even though it is 10.0% below the California statewide median of $80,850. Nationally that is #50 of 520 areas, in the top tenth. About 1,470 sales development representatives work here.
BLS occupation 41-3091, 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 | $43,490 | $72,800 | $159,750 | |
| California | $43,240 | $80,850 | $168,720 | |
| United States | $37,980 | $69,990 | $148,840 |
The middle half of sales development representatives in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara earns $47,420–$102,310. The top tenth earns $159,750 or more, 3.7 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 3.9 times. The mean ($87,020) is 20% over the median, so a group of high earners pulls the average up; price a typical hire from the median. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $54,890 wide, between the figure for California ($67,790) and the US figure ($52,810).
What to budget for a sales development representative here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $43,490 | $3,624 | $20.91 | $56,116 |
| 25th percentile | $47,420 | $3,952 | $22.80 | $61,187 |
| Median | $72,800 | $6,067 | $35.00 | $93,935 |
| 75th percentile | $102,310 | $8,526 | $49.19 | $132,013 |
| 90th percentile | $159,750 | $13,312 | $76.80 | $206,129 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $29,510 a year in pay and about $38,077 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $25,380 in pay. 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 $69,990 falls between the 25th percentile and the median in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, and the California statewide median of $80,850 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
At the $72,800 median, a local hire costs about $93,935 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $21,135 here. 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 sales development representatives 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 #8 by median pay, between office managers ($76,370) and bookkeepers ($60,170). Project Coordinator is the highest at $106,250.
| Role | Median | vs sales development representative | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Specialist | +9.5% | 960 | |
| Office Manager | +4.9% | 1,440 | |
| Sales Development Representative | this role | 1,470 | |
| Bookkeeper | -17.3% | 1,900 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -20.4% | 240 |
Measured against the US median, sales development representatives rank #12 of the 17 roles we track in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara (+4.0%), between e-commerce order specialists (+4.9%) and project coordinators (+3.8%). The typical role here is at +8.0%, so, measured against the US, sales development representatives cost less in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara than the area's general pay level would suggest. Sales development representatives hold 9.2% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, 9.4% across California and 7.9% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in California
Across the 28 areas of California with data for this job, the median runs from $46,050 in Hanford-Corcoran to $116,510 in San Jose-Sunnyvale, a gap of $70,460 a year. Of the 9 areas in California with more sales development representatives than Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, 5 pay less, the largest of them Riverside-San Bernardino, CA ($62,230), Sacramento-Roseville, CA ($71,910) and Fresno, CA ($61,820).
| Area | Median | vs Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | +9.1% | 50,470 | |
| San Diego-Chula Vista, CA | +2.5% | 11,730 | |
| Napa, CA | +0.9% | 370 | |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | this area | 1,470 | |
| Sacramento-Roseville, CA | -1.2% | 6,920 | |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California (Nonmetro) | -2.2% | 350 | |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | -8.1% | 1,240 |
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Santa Maria-Santa Barbara is #111 of 518 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job and one of the better-paying ones. Outside California, Buffalo-Cheektowaga and Odessa pay just above Santa Maria-Santa Barbara and Durham-Chapel Hill and Longview-Kelso just below. All four are within $550 a year of the median in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara. Of the three markets with about as many sales development representatives, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Odessa, TX | +0.8% | 770 | pay | |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | +0.4% | 3,330 | pay | |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | this area | 1,470 | ||
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | -0.5% | 3,300 | pay | |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | -0.7% | 180 | pay | |
| Naples-Marco Island, FL | -11.5% | 1,500 | jobs | |
| Asheville, NC | -20.5% | 1,490 | jobs | |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass, FL | -22.7% | 1,500 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a sales development representative in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?
About $93,935 a year at the median, or $7,828 a month: $72,800 in pay plus about $21,135 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do sales development representatives earn in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $72,800 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $43,490, the 90th $159,750, and the middle half earned $47,420 to $102,310.
Is Santa Maria-Santa Barbara cheaper than the rest of California for sales development representatives?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $72,800 against $80,850 statewide. The next area up in California is Napa at $73,470, the next down Sacramento-Roseville at $71,910.
How many sales development representatives work in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
BLS counts about 1,470 in the May 2025 survey. 9 areas in California have more; the closest in size is Bakersfield-Delano, with about 1,540.
Does a sales development representative cost more than a bookkeeper in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
Yes: $12,630 a year more at the median. The medians are $72,800 and $60,170.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 41-3091: 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.