SalariesMetro area
Vocational nurse pay in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
Half of the 650 licensed vocational and practical nurses here earn more than $79,010 ($37.99 an hour) and half earn less. Among the 393 metro areas the federal government publishes, this median ranks 29th highest.
The whole distribution
$65,410$79,010 median$95,650
| Percentile | A year | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $65,410 | Entry level, or a slow local market |
| 25th | $76,510 | Early career |
| 50th | $79,010 | The middle of the market |
| 75th | $84,530 | Experienced, or a demanding setting |
| 90th | $95,650 | Top of the local scale |
That median sits $740 below the California figure of $79,750. The occupation is thinner on the ground here than nationally, at 0.78 times the national concentration.
Approved programs in this area
- Carrington College, Santa Mariatuition not published
- San Joaquin Valley College, Santa Maria$37,700
Programs are placed by the campus city the board publishes, so a school whose record gives no city will not appear here even if it is nearby. Search the full directory.
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA: common questions
- How much does an LVN make in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?
- The median is $79,010 a year, or $37.99 an hour, across the 650 licensed vocational and practical nurses counted in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA. Half earn more than that and half earn less. The figures are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- What do the best paid vocational nurses in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA earn?
- The ninetieth percentile is $95,650 a year and the tenth is $65,410, a spread of $30,240 between the top and bottom tenth of the same licence in the same place. The survey reports the spread but not what drives it for any one nurse.
- Where does Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA rank for vocational nurse pay?
- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA has the 29th highest median of the 393 metro areas the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes for this occupation. The rank is on the median wage alone and takes no account of what it costs to live there.
- Is Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA above or below the California median?
- The Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA median of $79,010 sits $740 below the California median of $79,750. Both come from the same survey and the same release, so it is a like-for-like comparison.
- Do these figures cover LPNs as well as LVNs?
- Yes. They are a single federal occupation, licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses. California and Texas call the licence vocational and the other 48 states call it practical, but it is the same NCLEX-PN exam, the same scope of practice and the same wage series.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025