Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary Salary
In Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA, education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries earn $157,630 at the median. The range runs from $83K at the entry level to $198K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 109.9), so that salary is closer to $143,430 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $4,214/month, about 45.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $158K 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 education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries
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What this looks like in Santa Cruz-Watsonville
Santa Cruz-Watsonville sits well above the national pay line for education administrators, kindergarten through secondary, local pay runs about 49% higher than the U.S. median of $106K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $4,214/month, which is 47% 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. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries in metros near Santa Cruz-Watsonville, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $162K | $142K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $161K | $139K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $161K | $152K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $163K | $146K |
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 education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries (10th percentile) start around $83K. Mid-career wages sit at $158K. Top earners bring in $198K or more, a $115K spread from bottom to top.
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $167K | +57% | 6,470 |
| California | $160K | +51% | 31,370 |
| Connecticut | $156K | +48% | 4,610 |
| New York | $139K | +31% | 19,210 |
| District of Columbia | $137K | +30% | 1,930 |
| New Jersey | $137K | +30% | 11,450 |
| Delaware | $133K | +25% | 1,100 |
| Maryland | $132K | +24% | 7,200 |
| Oregon | $130K | +23% | 4,160 |
| Utah | $129K | +22% | 2,940 |
| Massachusetts | $128K | +21% | 10,570 |
| Minnesota | $127K | +20% | 4,120 |
| Hawaii | $127K | +20% | 1,910 |
| Alaska | $126K | +19% | 890 |
| Rhode Island | $120K | +13% | 1,160 |
| Pennsylvania | $119K | +12% | 14,460 |
| Wisconsin | $117K | +11% | 4,030 |
| Illinois | $113K | +7% | 14,850 |
| Nebraska | $111K | +4% | 1,860 |
| Colorado | $111K | +4% | 5,760 |
| Nevada | $109K | +3% | 2,490 |
| North Dakota | $108K | +2% | 810 |
| New Mexico | $108K | +2% | 2,290 |
| Virginia | $106K | +0% | 8,470 |
| Wyoming | $105K | -0% | 410 |
| Vermont | $105K | -0% | 1,000 |
| New Hampshire | $105K | -1% | 1,590 |
| Iowa | $104K | -2% | 3,310 |
| Michigan | $104K | -2% | 9,610 |
| Georgia | $103K | -2% | 7,530 |
| Maine | $103K | -3% | 1,710 |
| South Carolina | $102K | -3% | 5,000 |
| Idaho | $101K | -5% | 1,830 |
| Kansas | $101K | -5% | 2,520 |
| Missouri | $100K | -5% | 7,120 |
| Kentucky | $100K | -6% | 4,940 |
| Ohio | $100K | -6% | 12,480 |
| Indiana | $99K | -7% | 6,990 |
| Tennessee | $98K | -8% | 6,180 |
| Arizona | $97K | -8% | 5,270 |
| Alabama | $97K | -8% | 3,020 |
| Florida | $96K | -9% | 16,960 |
| Montana | $96K | -10% | 930 |
| Texas | $94K | -11% | 37,140 |
| South Dakota | $88K | -17% | 680 |
| Oklahoma | $87K | -18% | 4,320 |
| Arkansas | $86K | -18% | 2,760 |
| Louisiana | $83K | -21% | 5,080 |
| North Carolina | $83K | -21% | 11,220 |
| Mississippi | $83K | -22% | 3,170 |
| West Virginia | $81K | -24% | 1,480 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track education administrators, kindergarten through secondary salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a education administrators, kindergarten through secondary afford a 2BR apartment alone in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $158K, rent takes 47% 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 $2,700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries typically earn — is $83K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,986/month. At HUD’s $4,214/month FMR, rent would take 85% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is education administrators, kindergarten through secondary a high-paying job in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
Local pay is 49% above the national median — $158K here vs. $106K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 10% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Santa Cruz-Watsonville compare to the national average for education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries?
Santa Cruz-Watsonville pays $158K median vs. the U.S. average of $106K — that’s +49%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 109.9), the purchasing-power equivalent is $143K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries make in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
The median is $157,630 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $83,100, and experienced education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries can clear $197,630. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $158K enough to live in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,975/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $4,214/month, which eats 47% 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 education administrators, kindergarten through secondary 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 education administrators, kindergarten through secondary salary is worth about $143,430 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries 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.