Biological Scientists, All Other Salary
In Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA, biological scientists, all others earn $98,400 at the median, or about $47.31 an hour. The range runs from $59K at the entry level to $159K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 109.9), so that salary is closer to $89,536 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $4,214/month, about 68.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $98K 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 biological scientists, all others
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What this looks like in Santa Cruz-Watsonville
Biological scientists, all other pay in Santa Cruz-Watsonville tracks closely to the national median, $98K locally vs. $99K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $4,214/month, which is 69.9% 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 biological scientists, all others in metros near Santa Cruz-Watsonville, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield-Delano | $94K | $93K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $138K | $120K |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $96K | $85K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $108K | $97K |
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 biological scientists, all others (10th percentile) start around $59K. Mid-career wages sit at $98K. Top earners bring in $159K or more, a $100K spread from bottom to top.
Biological Scientists, All Other pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Biological Scientists, All Other salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $122K | +23% | 4,970 |
| California | $114K | +15% | 11,880 |
| Delaware | $113K | +15% | N/A |
| Connecticut | $112K | +13% | 170 |
| Washington | $108K | +9% | 2,620 |
| Massachusetts | $107K | +8% | 2,930 |
| Alaska | $107K | +8% | 370 |
| New Jersey | $105K | +6% | 540 |
| Maine | $105K | +6% | 340 |
| New York | $104K | +5% | 2,520 |
| Rhode Island | $102K | +3% | 100 |
| Pennsylvania | $101K | +2% | 1,810 |
| North Carolina | $100K | +1% | 2,780 |
| Georgia | $97K | -2% | 1,230 |
| Virginia | $96K | -3% | 1,650 |
| Hawaii | $96K | -3% | 370 |
| Ohio | $96K | -3% | 610 |
| Colorado | $94K | -5% | 850 |
| Utah | $93K | -6% | 590 |
| South Carolina | $92K | -7% | 240 |
| Wyoming | $92K | -7% | 170 |
| Montana | $92K | -7% | 550 |
| Mississippi | $91K | -8% | 320 |
| Arizona | $90K | -9% | 760 |
| Alabama | $87K | -12% | 340 |
| Oregon | $86K | -13% | 700 |
| West Virginia | $85K | -14% | 230 |
| District of Columbia | $85K | -14% | 850 |
| Indiana | $85K | -15% | 640 |
| New Mexico | $84K | -15% | 420 |
| Florida | $84K | -15% | 1,920 |
| New Hampshire | $84K | -15% | 310 |
| Idaho | $83K | -16% | 430 |
| Nebraska | $83K | -16% | 240 |
| Iowa | $83K | -16% | 550 |
| Illinois | $83K | -16% | 1,300 |
| Michigan | $82K | -18% | 860 |
| Texas | $81K | -18% | 2,480 |
| Tennessee | $81K | -19% | 420 |
| Oklahoma | $80K | -19% | 300 |
| Kentucky | $79K | -20% | 260 |
| Wisconsin | $78K | -21% | 740 |
| Vermont | $78K | -21% | 90 |
| Minnesota | $76K | -23% | 750 |
| Arkansas | $76K | -23% | 360 |
| Kansas | $76K | -23% | 760 |
| Nevada | $74K | -25% | 410 |
| South Dakota | $74K | -25% | 170 |
| Louisiana | $70K | -30% | 580 |
| Missouri | $63K | -36% | 1,120 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track biological scientists, all other 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 biological scientists, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $98K, rent takes 69.9% 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 $1,800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for biological scientists, all others in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new biological scientists, all others typically earn — is $59K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,563/month. At HUD’s $4,214/month FMR, rent would take 118% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is biological scientists, all other a high-paying job in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $98K locally vs. $99K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Santa Cruz-Watsonville compare to the national average for biological scientists, all others?
Santa Cruz-Watsonville pays $98K median vs. the U.S. average of $99K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 109.9), the purchasing-power equivalent is $90K — below the national median.
How much do biological scientists, all others make in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
The median is $98,400 a year, that works out to about $47 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $59,380, and experienced biological scientists, all others can clear $159,070. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $98K enough to live in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,027/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $4,214/month, which eats 69.9% 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 biological scientists, all other 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 biological scientists, all other salary is worth about $89,536 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do biological scientists, all others 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.