Medical Records Specialists pay range in Santa Maria
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $46,350 a year or less, while the top 10% make $118,230 or more. The middle half of medical records specialists in Santa Maria earn between $49,460 and $77,120.
- $46K10th
- $49K25th
- $62KMedian
- $77K75th
- $118K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $69,770 | $5,814 | $33.54 |
| Median | $61,950 | $5,162 | $29.78 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $49,460 | $4,122 | $23.78 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $77,120 | $6,427 | $37.08 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Medical Records Specialists pay in Santa Maria vs. California and the U.S.
Medical records specialists in Santa Maria earn about the same as the California average ($68,230) and 23% more than the U.S. average ($56,790). At the median the gap is +21% against the U.S. median of $51,140.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria | $69,770 | $61,950 | $46,350 | $118,230 | 210 |
| California | $68,230 | $61,810 | $43,800 | $102,470 | 18,700 |
| United States | $56,790 | $51,140 | $37,000 | $81,150 | 194,720 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Medical Records Specialists salary after taxes in Santa Maria
On the average salary of $69,770, a single filer in Santa Maria takes home about $55,404 a year, or $4,617 a month and $2,131 every two weeks. Taxes take 21% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Santa Maria a good place for medical records specialists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Santa Maria area are 9% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 108.8), so the average $69,770 buys what about $64,128 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Maria ($51,690). A typical home costs $1,005,339, or 14.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Medical Records Specialists salary in other California cities
Santa Maria ranks 5th of 25 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($97,430).
- San Jose$97,430
- Sacramento$76,110
- San Francisco$75,570
- Vallejo$71,410
- Santa Maria$69,770
- Stockton$67,630
- Redding$66,810
- Santa Cruz$66,640
- Santa Rosa$65,920
- Los Angeles$65,810
Highest-paying cities for medical records specialists
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($97,430).
- San Jose, CA$97,430
- Sacramento, CA$76,110
- Chattanooga, TN$76,090
- San Francisco, CA$75,570
- Seattle, WA$72,530
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Medical Records Specialists salary in Santa Maria: questions
How much do medical records specialists make an hour in Santa Maria?
$33.54 an hour on average, and $29.78 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level medical records specialists salary in Santa Maria?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $46,350 a year and the 25th percentile is $49,460, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the medical records specialists take-home pay in Santa Maria?
About $55,404 a year ($4,617 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $69,770. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do medical records specialists earn more in Santa Maria than elsewhere?
The average here is 23% more than the U.S. average for this job ($56,790).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 29-2072; area Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA (42200). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.0%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.84, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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