Interpreters and Translators pay range in Santa Maria
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $51,610 a year or less, while the top 10% make $142,960 or more. The middle half of interpreters and translators in Santa Maria earn between $69,900 and $114,050.
- $52K10th
- $70K25th
- $82KMedian
- $114K75th
- $143K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $92,880 | $7,740 | $44.65 |
| Median | $82,440 | $6,870 | $39.63 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $69,900 | $5,825 | $33.61 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $114,050 | $9,504 | $54.83 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Interpreters and Translators pay in Santa Maria vs. California and the U.S.
Interpreters and translators in Santa Maria earn 18% more than the California average ($78,800) and 40% more than the U.S. average ($66,360). At the median the gap is +37% against the U.S. median of $60,170.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria | $92,880 | $82,440 | $51,610 | $142,960 | 70 |
| California | $78,800 | $70,770 | $49,530 | $119,810 | 5,560 |
| United States | $66,360 | $60,170 | $37,070 | $103,660 | 52,060 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Interpreters and Translators salary after taxes in Santa Maria
On the average salary of $92,880, a single filer in Santa Maria takes home about $69,625 a year, or $5,802 a month and $2,678 every two weeks. Taxes take 25% 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 interpreters and translators? 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 $92,880 buys what about $85,369 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 10.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Interpreters and Translators salary in other California cities
Santa Maria ranks 2nd of 16 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($93,650).
- San Jose$93,650
- Santa Maria$92,880
- San Francisco$90,940
- Santa Rosa$82,600
- Oxnard$81,410
- San Diego$79,960
- Riverside$79,240
- Los Angeles$78,410
- Salinas$75,080
- Bakersfield$72,910
Highest-paying cities for interpreters and translators
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($93,650).
- San Jose, CA$93,650
- Washington, DC$93,460
- Santa Maria, CA$92,880
- New York, NY$91,110
- San Francisco, CA$90,940
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Interpreters and Translators salary in Santa Maria: questions
How much do interpreters and translators make an hour in Santa Maria?
$44.66 an hour on average, and $39.63 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level interpreters and translators salary in Santa Maria?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $51,610 a year and the 25th percentile is $69,900, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the interpreters and translators take-home pay in Santa Maria?
About $69,625 a year ($5,802 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $92,880. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do interpreters and translators earn more in Santa Maria than elsewhere?
The average here is 40% more than the U.S. average for this job ($66,360).
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 27-3091; area Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA (42200). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.7%.
- 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 1.03, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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