Anthropologists and Archeologists Salary
The median pay for a anthropologists and archeologists in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA is $66,040/year ($31.75/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $54K at the entry level to $95K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 109.9), so that salary is closer to $60,091 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $4,214/month, about 97.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $66K get you in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Santa Cruz-Watsonville’s Regional Price Parity (109.9). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About anthropologists and archeologists
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What this looks like in Santa Cruz-Watsonville
Anthropologists and archeologists pay in Santa Cruz-Watsonville tracks closely to the national median, $66K locally vs. $71K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $4,214/month, which is 96.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 10% above the national average (BEA RPP 109.9), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for anthropologists and archeologists in metros near Santa Cruz-Watsonville, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $65K | $57K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $75K | $65K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $66K | $59K |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $80K | $75K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
Entry-level anthropologists and archeologists (10th percentile) start around $54K. Mid-career wages sit at $66K. Top earners bring in $95K or more, a $42K spread from bottom to top.
Anthropologists and Archeologists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Anthropologists and Archeologists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $121K | +71% | 80 |
| Nebraska | $95K | +34% | 40 |
| Connecticut | $91K | +29% | N/A |
| Alaska | $90K | +27% | 130 |
| Idaho | $89K | +25% | 170 |
| Oregon | $85K | +20% | 240 |
| Hawaii | $85K | +19% | 210 |
| Virginia | $80K | +13% | 320 |
| Pennsylvania | $80K | +13% | 130 |
| Montana | $79K | +12% | 80 |
| Wyoming | $76K | +8% | 80 |
| Alabama | $76K | +7% | 170 |
| Washington | $75K | +6% | 260 |
| Utah | $74K | +4% | 120 |
| North Carolina | $73K | +3% | 200 |
| California | $72K | +2% | 2,060 |
| Kentucky | $72K | +2% | 70 |
| Oklahoma | $72K | +1% | 90 |
| Colorado | $69K | -3% | 250 |
| New Mexico | $68K | -4% | 230 |
| Texas | $68K | -4% | 430 |
| Iowa | $67K | -5% | 40 |
| New York | $67K | -5% | 120 |
| Missouri | $67K | -5% | 80 |
| New Jersey | $66K | -6% | 140 |
| Minnesota | $66K | -7% | 140 |
| Arizona | $65K | -8% | 500 |
| Michigan | $65K | -9% | N/A |
| Nevada | $64K | -9% | 230 |
| North Dakota | $64K | -10% | N/A |
| Indiana | $64K | -10% | 70 |
| South Dakota | $63K | -11% | 40 |
| South Carolina | $63K | -11% | 50 |
| Wisconsin | $63K | -11% | 40 |
| Arkansas | $62K | -12% | 60 |
| New Hampshire | $61K | -14% | 40 |
| Tennessee | $60K | -15% | 160 |
| Illinois | $60K | -16% | 140 |
| Florida | $59K | -16% | 620 |
| Ohio | $59K | -16% | 70 |
| Georgia | $59K | -17% | 150 |
| West Virginia | $54K | -23% | 50 |
| Maryland | $54K | -23% | 220 |
| Louisiana | $48K | -33% | 110 |
| Kansas | $42K | -41% | 60 |
Showing 1–10 of 45 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track anthropologists and archeologists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Santa Cruz-Watsonville numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a anthropologists and archeologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $66K, rent takes 96.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $4,214/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for anthropologists and archeologists in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new anthropologists and archeologists typically earn — is $54K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,226/month. At HUD’s $4,214/month FMR, rent would take 131% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is anthropologists and archeologist a high-paying job in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $66K locally vs. $71K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Santa Cruz-Watsonville compare to the national average for anthropologists and archeologists?
Santa Cruz-Watsonville pays $66K median vs. the U.S. average of $71K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 109.9), the purchasing-power equivalent is $60K — below the national median.
How much do anthropologists and archeologists make in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
The median is $66,040 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $53,770, and experienced anthropologists and archeologists can clear $95,270. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $66K enough to live in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,372/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $4,214/month, which eats 96.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a anthropologists and archeologists salary go in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
Santa Cruz-Watsonville has a Regional Price Parity of 109.9 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median anthropologists and archeologists salary is worth about $60,091 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do anthropologists and archeologists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.