Agricultural Equipment Operators pay range in Santa Maria
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,400 a year or less, while the top 10% make $49,670 or more. The middle half of agricultural equipment operators in Santa Maria earn between $37,930 and $45,310.
- $37K10th
- $38K25th
- $42KMedian
- $45K75th
- $50K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $42,620 | $3,552 | $20.49 |
| Median | $41,910 | $3,492 | $20.15 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $37,930 | $3,161 | $18.24 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $45,310 | $3,776 | $21.78 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Agricultural Equipment Operators pay in Santa Maria vs. California and the U.S.
Agricultural equipment operators in Santa Maria earn about the same as the California average ($42,730) and about the same as the U.S. average ($43,710). At the median the gap is +0% against the U.S. median of $41,730.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria | $42,620 | $41,910 | $37,400 | $49,670 | 460 |
| California | $42,730 | $38,820 | $35,620 | $54,580 | 7,940 |
| United States | $43,710 | $41,730 | $33,500 | $58,650 | 28,500 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Agricultural Equipment Operators salary after taxes in Santa Maria
On the average salary of $42,620, a single filer in Santa Maria takes home about $35,585 a year, or $2,965 a month and $1,369 every two weeks. Taxes take 17% 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 agricultural equipment operators? 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 $42,620 buys what about $39,174 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Maria ($51,690). A typical home costs $1,005,339, or 23.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Agricultural Equipment Operators salary in other California cities
Santa Maria ranks 5th of 17 California metro areas for this job; Sacramento pays the most ($47,520).
- Sacramento$47,520
- Napa$47,160
- Santa Rosa$46,180
- San Luis Obispo$44,240
- Santa Maria$42,620
- El Centro$42,510
- Merced$42,050
- Modesto$41,930
- Oxnard$41,920
- Vallejo$41,570
Highest-paying cities for agricultural equipment operators
Cincinnati, OH pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($54,160).
- Cincinnati, OH$54,160
- Minneapolis, MN$53,350
- Columbus, OH$52,240
- Lafayette, IN$51,310
- Indianapolis, IN$51,290
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Agricultural Equipment Operators salary in Santa Maria: questions
How much do agricultural equipment operators make an hour in Santa Maria?
$20.49 an hour on average, and $20.15 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level agricultural equipment operators salary in Santa Maria?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,400 a year and the 25th percentile is $37,930, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the agricultural equipment operators take-home pay in Santa Maria?
About $35,585 a year ($2,965 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $42,620. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do agricultural equipment operators earn more in Santa Maria than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as the U.S. average for this job ($43,710).
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 45-2091; area Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA (42200). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.5%.
- 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 12.57, this job is 12.6 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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