Editor salary in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
In Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA, a typical editor earned $73,300 a year in May 2025 (median), with an average of $77,750. About 70 people work in this occupation there.
That is 6% below the national median of $77,920. Compared with all occupations in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA (median $51,690), editors earn 42% more. Its location quotient of 0.61 means the job is less common here than nationally.
Pay varies widely: the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $42,610, while the top 10% earned more than $132,910. Many editors are self-employed, and BLS wage surveys cover employees only, so freelance income can differ.
Pay distribution
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $42,610 | $20.49 |
| 25th | $50,570 | $24.31 |
| Median | $73,300 | $35.24 |
| 75th | $84,270 | $40.52 |
| 90th | $132,910 | $63.90 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Estimates exclude self-employed workers; "—" means the estimate was not released.