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Santa Barbara Zoo salary estimate

$13.75hourly

$28,610 yearly

Entry-level salary
$16,000 yearly salary
Updated December 15, 2025

Overview of Santa Barbara Zoo Salaries

The Santa Barbara Zoo provides a range of salaries that reflect the various roles within the organization. The average salary stands at $28,610, but this figure can vary significantly depending on the department and specific job responsibilities. For instance, positions in education and hospitality tend to offer higher compensation due to the specialized skills required.

Department-Specific Salary Insights

Understanding how salaries differ by department can help potential employees gauge their earning potential. In the education department, roles might command higher salaries compared to entry-level positions in general service. The zoo fosters a collaborative environment that values each employee's contribution, which is reflected in its salary structure.

  • Education Salaries: Competitive pay for roles requiring specialized knowledge.
  • Hospitality/Service Salaries: Enhanced compensation for customer-facing positions.

Ultimately, the Santa Barbara Zoo not only offers competitive salaries but also a chance to be part of a meaningful mission that benefits both the community and wildlife.

Highest paying jobs at Santa Barbara Zoo

The highest paying jobs at Santa Barbara Zoo are project manager, director of retail operations, student teacher, and teaching instructor. Project manager jobs at Santa Barbara Zoo earn an average yearly salary of $69,876, Santa Barbara Zoo director of retail operations jobs average $62,342, and Santa Barbara Zoo student teacher jobs average $54,212.

The lowest paying Santa Barbara Zoo roles include camp counselor and barista. Santa Barbara Zoo camp counselor average salary is $23,974 per year. So while the average Santa Barbara Zoo salary is $28,610 there is a big variation in pay depending on the role.

Highest paying jobs at Santa Barbara Zoo

RankJob titleAverage Santa Barbara Zoo salaryHourly rate
1Project Manager$69,876$33.59
2Director Of Retail Operations$62,342$29.97
3Student Teacher$54,212$26.06
4Teaching Instructor$49,956$24.02
5Marketing Coordinator$40,511$19.48
6Staff Veterinarian$37,740$18.14
7Curriculum Developer$37,308$17.94
8Operation Supervisor$34,921$16.79
9Event Coordinator$34,441$16.56
10Food And Beverage Supervisor$33,235$15.98
11Preschool Teacher$32,818$15.78
12Educator$31,203$15.00
13Marketing Communications Assistant$30,609$14.72
14Store Manager$29,338$14.10
15Line Cook, Prep Cook$28,167$13.54
16Maintenance Technician$27,562$13.25
17Security Guard$27,239$13.10
18Security Officer$26,884$12.93
19Volunteer$26,786$12.88
20Program Instructor$26,777$12.87

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Santa Barbara Zoo salaries by department

Salaries at Santa Barbara Zoo vary depending on the department you work in. Santa Barbara Zoo salaries in the healthcare department are the highest with an average salary of $35,487. Employees in the education department at Santa Barbara Zoo receive relatively high salaries as well, with an average salary of $31,717 per year. Departments that don't pay as well at Santa Barbara Zoo include the hospitality/service and the customer service organizational functions, with employees earning average salaries of $24,704 and $25,046, respectively.

Average Santa Barbara Zoo salary by department

RankDepartmentAverage Santa Barbara Zoo salaryHourly rate
1Healthcare$35,487$17.06
2Education$31,717$15.25
3Plant/Manufacturing$31,520$15.15
4Retail$31,435$15.11
5Marketing$31,309$15.05
6Administrative$27,541$13.24
7Facilities$27,291$13.12
8Non Profit/Government$26,396$12.69
9Customer Service$25,046$12.04
10Hospitality/Service$24,704$11.88

How much does Santa Barbara Zoo pay by department?

Best paying Santa Barbara Zoo education salaries

RankPositionAverage Santa Barbara Zoo salaryHourly rate
1Student Teacher$54,212$26.06
2Teaching Instructor$49,956$24.02
3Curriculum Developer$37,308$17.94
4Preschool Teacher$32,818$15.78
5Educator$31,203$15.00
6Program Instructor$26,777$12.87
7Train Operator$25,498$12.26
8Educational Assistant$24,176$11.62
9Summer Camp Counselor$23,907$11.49

Best paying Santa Barbara Zoo hospitality/service salaries

RankPositionAverage Santa Barbara Zoo salaryHourly rate
1Food And Beverage Supervisor$33,235$15.98
2Event Host$26,475$12.73
3Guest Services$24,588$11.82
4Food Server$24,238$11.65
5Barista$24,154$11.61
6Camp Counselor$23,974$11.53

Best paying Santa Barbara Zoo customer service salaries

RankPositionAverage Santa Barbara Zoo salaryHourly rate
1Guest Service Specialist$25,257$12.14
2Guest Service Representative$24,924$11.98

Recently added Santa Barbara Zoo salaries

JobLocationDate addedSalary
Event Host-SeasonalSanta Barbara, CA06/25/2025$34,436
Zoological ManagerSanta Barbara, CA06/08/2025$66,350
Advancement CoordinatorSanta Barbara, CA06/01/2025$41,740
Transportation Shuttle DriverSanta Barbara, CA05/10/2025$58,436
Membership Data CoordinatorSanta Barbara, CA05/02/2025$42,157

Frequently asked questions about Santa Barbara Zoo salaries

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Zippia gives an in-depth look into the details of Santa Barbara Zoo, including salaries, political affiliations, employee data, and more, in order to inform job seekers about Santa Barbara Zoo. The employee data is based on information from people who have self-reported their past or current employments at Santa Barbara Zoo. 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 Santa Barbara Zoo. The data presented on this page does not represent the view of Santa Barbara Zoo and its employees or that of Zippia.

Santa Barbara Zoo may also be known as or be related to Santa Barbara Zoo and Santa Barbara Zoological Grdns.