Clergy pay range in Santa Maria
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $42,740 a year or less, while the top 10% make $106,400 or more. The middle half of clergy in Santa Maria earn between $60,620 and $91,940.
- $43K10th
- $61K25th
- $81KMedian
- $92K75th
- $106K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $79,270 | $6,606 | $38.11 |
| Median | $81,280 | $6,773 | $39.08 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $60,620 | $5,052 | $29.14 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $91,940 | $7,662 | $44.20 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Clergy pay in Santa Maria vs. California and the U.S.
Clergy in Santa Maria earn 9% less than the California average ($87,150) and 19% more than the U.S. average ($66,860). At the median the gap is +34% against the U.S. median of $60,810.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria | $79,270 | $81,280 | $42,740 | $106,400 | 70 |
| California | $87,150 | $77,710 | $42,690 | $157,030 | 7,110 |
| United States | $66,860 | $60,810 | $37,860 | $98,890 | 57,200 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Clergy salary after taxes in Santa Maria
On the average salary of $79,270, a single filer in Santa Maria takes home about $61,316 a year, or $5,110 a month and $2,358 every two weeks. Taxes take 23% 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 clergy? 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 $79,270 buys what about $72,860 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Maria ($51,690). A typical home costs $1,005,339, or 12.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Clergy salary in other California cities
Santa Maria ranks 4th of 19 California metro areas for this job; Los Angeles pays the most ($104,000).
- Los Angeles$104,000
- Santa Rosa$85,300
- San Francisco$80,410
- Santa Maria$79,270
- Riverside$78,400
- San Jose$77,970
- San Diego$77,750
- Vallejo$75,860
- Sacramento$75,780
- Stockton$74,000
Highest-paying cities for clergy
Los Angeles, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($104,000).
- Los Angeles, CA$104,000
- Santa Rosa, CA$85,300
- Seattle, WA$85,010
- Bozeman, MT$83,660
- San Francisco, CA$80,410
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Clergy salary in Santa Maria: questions
How much do clergy make an hour in Santa Maria?
$38.11 an hour on average, and $39.08 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level clergy salary in Santa Maria?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $42,740 a year and the 25th percentile is $60,620, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the clergy take-home pay in Santa Maria?
About $61,316 a year ($5,110 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $79,270. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do clergy earn more in Santa Maria than elsewhere?
The average here is 19% more than the U.S. average for this job ($66,860).
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 21-2011; area Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA (42200). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.6%.
- 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 0.93, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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