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The City of Santa Barbara presents a competitive salary structure, averaging $39,325 annually as of 2025. Roles within the city encompass a range of fields, including engineering, administration, and public services. For instance, engineering positions often command higher salaries, reflecting the technical expertise required. In contrast, administrative roles typically offer stable compensation with opportunities for growth.
Understanding how salaries vary by department can provide insights into career paths. For example, engineering salaries at the city are among the highest, with specialized roles attracting premium pay. Conversely, administrative salaries offer consistency and potential for advancement. This information is crucial for job seekers aiming to align their skills with appropriate salary expectations.
For those considering a career with the City of Santa Barbara, accessing salary data by department can help navigate job opportunities effectively. By examining the highest paying roles and understanding the average salaries by department, prospective employees can make informed decisions about their career trajectories.
The highest paying jobs at City of Santa Barbara are city attorney, public defender, project engineer, and civil engineer. City attorney jobs at City of Santa Barbara earn an average yearly salary of $74,410, City of Santa Barbara public defender jobs average $73,493, and City of Santa Barbara project engineer jobs average $66,617.
The lowest paying City of Santa Barbara roles include parking lot attendant and parking attendant. City of Santa Barbara parking lot attendant average salary is $24,270 per year. So while the average City of Santa Barbara salary is $39,325 there is a big variation in pay depending on the role.
| Rank | Job title | Average City of Santa Barbara salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | City Attorney | $74,410 | $35.77 |
| 2 | Public Defender | $73,493 | $35.33 |
| 3 | Project Engineer | $66,617 | $32.03 |
| 4 | Civil Engineer | $65,493 | $31.49 |
| 5 | Accounting Manager | $64,462 | $30.99 |
| 6 | Marketing Manager | $63,308 | $30.44 |
| 7 | Police Officer | $61,742 | $29.68 |
| 8 | Management Analyst | $53,947 | $25.94 |
| 9 | Application Administrator | $48,685 | $23.41 |
| 10 | Outreach Coordinator | $47,173 | $22.68 |
| 11 | Social Worker | $46,099 | $22.16 |
| 12 | Engineering Technician | $43,166 | $20.75 |
| 13 | Meter Technician | $42,166 | $20.27 |
| 14 | Public Safety Dispatcher | $41,854 | $20.12 |
| 15 | Design Supervisor | $41,533 | $19.97 |
| 16 | Distributor Operator | $40,418 | $19.43 |
| 17 | Teacher | $40,404 | $19.43 |
| 18 | Patrol Officer | $40,388 | $19.42 |
| 19 | Water Treatment Operator | $40,382 | $19.41 |
| 20 | Law Clerk | $40,357 | $19.40 |
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Salaries at City of Santa Barbara vary depending on the department you work in. City of Santa Barbara salaries in the legal department are the highest with an average salary of $60,749. Employees in the it department at City of Santa Barbara receive relatively high salaries as well, with an average salary of $51,979 per year. Departments that don't pay as well at City of Santa Barbara include the hospitality/service and the facilities organizational functions, with employees earning average salaries of $27,312 and $32,952, respectively.
| Rank | Department | Average City of Santa Barbara salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Legal | $60,749 | $29.21 |
| 2 | IT | $51,979 | $24.99 |
| 3 | Engineering | $47,912 | $23.03 |
| 4 | Non Profit/Government | $47,345 | $22.76 |
| 5 | Marketing | $42,503 | $20.43 |
| 6 | Accounting | $41,048 | $19.73 |
| 7 | Plant/Manufacturing | $40,323 | $19.39 |
| 8 | Supply Chain | $35,602 | $17.12 |
| 9 | Administrative | $35,431 | $17.03 |
| 10 | Warehouse | $34,427 | $16.55 |
| 11 | Education | $33,795 | $16.25 |
| 12 | Facilities | $32,952 | $15.84 |
| 13 | Hospitality/Service | $27,313 | $13.13 |
| Rank | Position | Average City of Santa Barbara salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Project Engineer | $66,617 | $32.03 |
| 2 | Civil Engineer | $65,493 | $31.49 |
| 3 | Engineering Technician | $43,166 | $20.75 |
| 4 | Public Safety Dispatcher | $41,854 | $20.12 |
| 5 | Communications Operator | $36,479 | $17.54 |
| Rank | Position | Average City of Santa Barbara salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deputy City Clerk | $40,468 | $19.46 |
| 2 | Administrative Specialist | $39,607 | $19.04 |
| 3 | Administrative Assistant | $36,214 | $17.41 |
| 4 | Office Specialist | $34,087 | $16.39 |
| 5 | Recording Secretary | $33,600 | $16.15 |
| 6 | Front Desk Administration | $33,137 | $15.93 |
| 7 | Front Desk Coordinator | $32,627 | $15.69 |
| 8 | Data Entry Clerk | $29,875 | $14.36 |
| 9 | Office Assistant | $29,408 | $14.14 |
| Rank | Position | Average City of Santa Barbara salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Police Officer | $61,742 | $29.68 |
| 2 | Program Coordinator | $47,947 | $23.05 |
| 3 | Social Worker | $46,099 | $22.16 |
| 4 | Housing Specialist | $41,119 | $19.77 |
| 5 | Patrol Officer | $40,388 | $19.42 |
| 6 | Programming Specialist | $39,343 | $18.91 |
| 7 | Internal Affairs Investigator | $33,106 | $15.92 |
| 8 | Parking Enforcement Monitor | $32,878 | $15.81 |
| 9 | Recreation Leader | $28,239 | $13.58 |
Average salaries at City of Santa Barbara competitors, like Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City, Edmond Oklahoma, and City of Little Rock HR, vary. Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City employees earn the highest salaries, with an average yearly salary of $55,160. The average salary at Edmond Oklahoma is $55,075 per year, and the average salary at City of Little Rock HR is $51,618 per year.
| Rank | Company name | Zippia score | Average salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City | 4.3 | $55,160 |
| 2 | Edmond Oklahoma | 3.6 | $55,075 |
| 3 | City of Little Rock HR | 3.7 | $51,618 |
| 4 | City of Newton | 4.4 | $50,776 |
| 5 | City of Carmel Hamlet | 4.1 | $50,367 |
| 6 | City of Pittsburgh | 4.0 | $43,836 |
| 7 | City Of Ceres | 3.2 | $43,635 |
| 8 | City of Mobile | 4.1 | $43,579 |
| 9 | City of Reading | 3.6 | $42,714 |
| 10 | City of Tucson | 4.0 | $42,556 |
| 11 | City of San Diego | 4.4 | $41,287 |
| 12 | Maryland Department Of Business & Economic Development | 3.8 | $40,601 |
| 13 | City of Columbus | 4.0 | $40,464 |
| 14 | City of Fayetteville, Georgia - Government | 3.7 | $40,454 |
| 15 | City of Reno | 4.5 | $38,713 |
| 16 | City of Canton | 3.7 | $38,382 |
| 17 | City of Boulder | 4.1 | $36,998 |
| 18 | City of Wichita Falls | 4.0 | $36,756 |
| 19 | City of Greensboro | 3.6 | $36,268 |
| 20 | City of Charleston | 3.9 | $34,824 |
| Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Engineer I/II | Santa Barbara, CA | 06/28/2025 | $119,394 |
| Police Officer-Entry | Santa Barbara, CA | 06/04/2025 | $102,771 |
| Public Safety Dispatcher (Trainee) | Santa Barbara, CA | 06/01/2025 | $75,241 |
| Public Safety Dispatcher (Trainee) | Santa Barbara, CA | 05/27/2025 | $75,241 |
| Police Officer-Entry | Santa Barbara, CA | 05/15/2025 | $102,771 |
Zippia gives an in-depth look into the details of City of Santa Barbara, including salaries, political affiliations, employee data, and more, in order to inform job seekers about City of Santa Barbara. The employee data is based on information from people who have self-reported their past or current employments at City of Santa Barbara. The data on this page is also based on data sources collected from public and open data sources on the Internet and other locations, as well as proprietary data we licensed from other companies. Sources of data may include, but are not limited to, the BLS, company filings, estimates based on those filings, H1B filings, and other public and private datasets. While we have made attempts to ensure that the information displayed are correct, Zippia is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of this information. None of the information on this page has been provided or approved by City of Santa Barbara. The data presented on this page does not represent the view of City of Santa Barbara and its employees or that of Zippia.
City of Santa Barbara may also be known as or be related to City of Santa Barbara, City of Santa Barbara (California), Santa Barbara Public WRKS Prmt and Santa Barbara Public Works.