Quick answer:Medical and Health Services Managers in the Santa Maria area earn a median $130,290 per year, above the national median of $123,860, and the metro employs about 730 of them (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Healthcare Administration Pay in Santa Maria, CA
Metric
Santa Maria metro
California
National
Median annual wage
$130,290
$141,480
$123,860
10th percentile
$61,670
$72,800
$73,390
25th percentile
$83,480
$98,470
$94,700
75th percentile
$194,580
$205,390
$166,100
90th percentile
$284,860
$274,660
$224,340
Employment
730
75,090
597,080
Location quotient
0.95
-
1.00
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metropolitan statistical area.
What the Numbers Say About This Market
The Santa Maria median of $130,290 is above the national median of $123,860, and below the California statewide median of $141,480 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 0.95 means medical and health services managers are less concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.
Health administration demand follows the local hospital systems, clinic networks and long-term care operators that employ these managers.
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. Most health services management roles carry no individual license. The significant exception is long-term care: nursing home administrators are licensed by state boards, with examinations administered through NAB. On the academic side, CAHME accredits graduate healthcare management programs, and undergraduate programs are covered by institutional accreditation.
See the California licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with your state licensing board for the setting you plan to work in.
Schools Near You
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 10 schools
within 143 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
10 of them carry a score.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal
about the institution rather than about this subject.
Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from
this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
#1
University of California-Los Angeles
📍
Los Angeles, CA
•128.6 miles away•BOC Score
93.5
How much do medical and health services managers make in Santa Maria?
The median annual wage for medical and health services managers in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro area is $130,290, above the national median of $123,860 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
How many medical and health services managers work in the Santa Maria area?
The Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro area employs about 730 medical and health services managers (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Do medical and health services managers in Santa Maria need a license?
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. Most health services management roles carry no individual license. The significant exception is long-term care: nursing home administrators are licensed by state boards, with examinations administered through NAB. On the academic side, CAHME accredits graduate healthcare management programs, and undergraduate programs are covered by institutional accreditation. Confirm current requirements with your state licensing board for the setting you plan to work in.
Can I study healthcare administration online from Santa Maria?
The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies your state licensing board for the setting you plan to work in.
Is Santa Maria a better market than the rest of California?
The Santa Maria metro median is $130,290 against a statewide median of $141,480 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Medical and Health Services Managers (SOC 11-9111), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
