Top Paying Jobs in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA (2026)
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA has 230 jobs across diverse industries. The highest-paying occupations include Chief Executives ($214,680), Dentists, General ($202,520), Electronics Engineers, Except Computer ($195,970). The cost of living index is 109.9 (national average = 100). Median 2-bedroom rent is $4,214/month.
$166K
Avg. median salary
109.9
Cost of living index
$4,214
Median 2BR rent
N/A
Population
Highest paying careers in Santa Cruz-Watsonville
| Rank | Occupation | Category | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chief Executives | Management | $215K | $103.21/hr |
| 2 | Dentists, General | Healthcare | $203K | $97.37/hr |
| 3 | Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | Engineering | $196K | $94.22/hr |
| 4 | Lawyers | Legal | $193K | $92.69/hr |
| 5 | Natural Sciences Managers | Management | $192K | $92.25/hr |
| 6 | Computer and Information Systems Managers | Management | $191K | $91.63/hr |
| 7 | Registered Nurses | Healthcare | $179K | $86.01/hr |
| 8 | Architectural and Engineering Managers | Management | $175K | $83.99/hr |
| 9 | Human Resources Managers | Management | $165K | $79.23/hr |
| 10 | Computer Hardware Engineers | Engineering | $165K | $79.14/hr |
| 11 | Managers, All Other | Management | $163K | $78.24/hr |
| 12 | Pharmacists | Healthcare | $163K | $78.19/hr |
| 13 | Veterinarians | Healthcare | $161K | $77.58/hr |
| 14 | Financial Managers | Management | $160K | $77.04/hr |
| 15 | Nurse Practitioners | Healthcare | $159K | $76.49/hr |
| 16 | First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | Public Safety | $158K | $76.17/hr |
| 17 | Physician Assistants | Healthcare | $155K | $74.3/hr |
| 18 | Marketing Managers | Management | $152K | $73.09/hr |
| 19 | Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | Management | $152K | $/hr |
| 20 | Diagnostic Medical Sonographers | Healthcare | $152K | $73.07/hr |
| 21 | Public Relations Managers | Management | $146K | $70.17/hr |
| 22 | Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | Science | $145K | $69.55/hr |
| 23 | First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers | Public Safety | $145K | $69.48/hr |
| 24 | Training and Development Managers | Management | $141K | $67.87/hr |
| 25 | Optometrists | Healthcare | $140K | $67.1/hr |
Affordability snapshot: Santa Cruz-Watsonville
Cost of living vs. national average+9.9% more expensive
Studio apartment (FMR)$/mo
1-bedroom apartment (FMR)$/mo
2-bedroom apartment (FMR)$4,214/mo
3-bedroom apartment (FMR)$/mo
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After federal and state taxes