BLS figures put the median pay for pharmacists in Santa Maria, CA, at $162,520 a year. It runs 17% above the national median of $139,410 for this occupation — pay here is notably stronger than the U.S. average. The middle 50% land between $140,610 and $179,960 — a 39,350 range that reflects differences in seniority, employer type, and specialization. The catch: Santa Maria is roughly in line with the national cost of living (cost index 100 against a 100 baseline), so that headline number buys less than it would elsewhere. On an hourly basis that is about $78.13, useful for comparing contract or part-time offers.

For context, the national median for pharmacists across all U.S. metros in our data is $139,410.