Quick answer: The Santa Maria metro employs about 440 social and community service managers (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing is set at the state level, through employers in your target sector on preferred credentials.
Compare nonprofit management programs enrolling now:
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. Nonprofit management is not licensed. Some professionals pursue voluntary fundraising or nonprofit-leadership certificates, and employers genuinely vary in how much weight they give them - board and program experience usually counts for more.
See the California licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with employers in your target sector on preferred credentials.
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.
This page lists 6 schools within 239 miles, closest group first, then ordered by BOC Score with the highest at the top. 6 of them carry a score.
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.
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Social and Community Service Managers in the Santa Maria area earn a median $79,920 per year, below the national median of $80,390 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Metric | Santa Maria metro | California | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $79,920 | $83,210 | $80,390 |
| 10th percentile | $57,050 | $56,510 | $53,150 |
| 25th percentile | $67,100 | $70,810 | $64,290 |
| 75th percentile | $101,960 | $114,090 | $103,200 |
| 90th percentile | $128,300 | $149,280 | $132,260 |
| Employment | 440 | 33,510 | 209,330 |
| Location quotient | 1.61 | - | 1.00 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metropolitan statistical area.
The Santa Maria median of $79,920 is below the national median of $80,390, and below the California statewide median of $83,210 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 1.61 means social and community service managers are more 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.
Nonprofit employment tracks where foundations, health systems, universities and government grantees are headquartered, which favors state capitals and larger metros.
| Metro area | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $87,100 | 12,400 |
| San Francisco | $93,410 | 5,080 |
| San Diego | $79,770 | 2,910 |
| Riverside | $79,570 | 2,360 |
| Sacramento | $76,080 | 2,210 |
| San Jose | $98,030 | 1,340 |
| Fresno | $78,910 | 830 |
| Oxnard | $80,840 | 610 |
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
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.
The median annual wage for social and community service managers in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro area is $79,920, below the national median of $80,390 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro area employs about 440 social and community service managers (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. Nonprofit management is not licensed. Some professionals pursue voluntary fundraising or nonprofit-leadership certificates, and employers genuinely vary in how much weight they give them - board and program experience usually counts for more. Confirm current requirements with employers in your target sector on preferred credentials.
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 employers in your target sector on preferred credentials.
The Santa Maria metro median is $79,920 against a statewide median of $83,210 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
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/.
