Top Paying Jobs in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA has 100 tracked occupation categories totaling 18,790 jobs. The highest-paying occupations include General Internal Medicine Physicians ($430,970), Physicians, All Other ($305,610), Family Medicine Physicians ($291,880). The cost of living index is 109.9 (national average = 100). Median 2-bedroom rent is $4,214/month.
$134K
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 81 | Special Education Teachers, Secondary School | Education | $101K | N/A |
| 82 | Teachers and Instructors, All Other | Education | $101K | N/A |
| 83 | Surgical Technologists | Healthcare | $100K | $48.14/hr |
| 84 | Financial and Investment Analysts | Business & Finance | $100K | $47.99/hr |
| 85 | Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | Education | $99K | N/A |
| 86 | Instructional Coordinators | Education | $99K | $47.71/hr |
| 87 | Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | Education | $99K | N/A |
| 88 | Construction and Building Inspectors | Construction & Trades | $99K | $47.44/hr |
| 89 | Biological Scientists, All Other | Science | $98K | $47.31/hr |
| 90 | Chemists | Science | $96K | $46.08/hr |
Affordability snapshot: Santa Cruz-Watsonville
Cost of living vs. national average+9.9% more expensive
2-bedroom apartment (FMR)$4,214/mo
Planning a move? Compare costs with other locations:
Compare Santa Cruz-Watsonville to other cities
Side-by-side salary and cost of living comparison
Remote work salary calculator
See what your salary is worth in Santa Cruz-Watsonville
Calculate take-home pay in Santa Cruz-Watsonville
After federal and state taxes
Can you afford a 2-bedroom in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
Salary thresholds by HUD rent data
What salary do you need to live comfortably in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
Monthly budget breakdown with HUD and BLS data