Court, Municipal, and License Clerks Salary in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
Court, Municipal, and License Clerks in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA make a median of $72,270 a year, or about $34.75 an hour. The range runs from $56K at the entry level to $88K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 109.9), so that salary is closer to $65,760 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $4,214/month — about 89.3% of take-home, which is tight.
AffordMap analysis of BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (latest release, May 2024)
So what does $72K get you in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
About court, municipal, and license clerks
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
Entry-level court, municipal, and license clerks (10th percentile) start around $56K. Mid-career wages sit at $72K.Top earners bring in $88K or more - a $32K spread from bottom to top.
Court, Municipal, and License Clerks pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $62K | +31% | 3,370 |
| California | $62K | +31% | 13,630 |
| Connecticut | $61K | +27% | 1,390 |
| Massachusetts | $60K | +26% | 2,470 |
| Oregon | $59K | +23% | 1,790 |
| Rhode Island | $59K | +23% | 770 |
| Maryland | $56K | +18% | 2,000 |
| Alaska | $56K | +17% | 470 |
| Nevada | $55K | +16% | 1,180 |
| Minnesota | $55K | +16% | 6,030 |
| New York | $54K | +14% | 11,580 |
| Wisconsin | $54K | +12% | N/A |
| Hawaii | $53K | +10% | 510 |
| North Dakota | $52K | +9% | 470 |
| New Jersey | $52K | +9% | 5,550 |
Track court, municipal, and license clerks salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Santa Cruz-Watsonville numbers change.
Related careers in Office & Admin
Frequently asked questions
How much do court, municipal, and license clerks make in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
The median is $72,270 a year - that works out to about $34.75 an hour. The range is wide: entry-level workers start around $56,080, and experienced court, municipal, and license clerks can clear $87,790. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $72K enough to live in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,696/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $4,214/month (HUD Fair Market Rent), which eats 89.7% 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 court, municipal, and license clerks 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 court, municipal, and license clerks salary is worth about $65,760 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do court, municipal, and license clerks 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.