Electronics Engineers, Except Computer Salary
In Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA, electronics engineers, except computers earn $182,840 at the median, or about $87.9 an hour. The range runs from $92K at the entry level to $307K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 109.9), so that salary is closer to $166,369 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $4,214/month, about 40.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $183K 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 electronics engineers, except computers
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What this looks like in Santa Cruz-Watsonville
Santa Cruz-Watsonville sits well above the national pay line for electronics engineers, except computer, local pay runs about 40% higher than the U.S. median of $130K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $4,214/month, which is 41.1% 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 electronics engineers, except computers in metros near Santa Cruz-Watsonville, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $194K | $176K |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $141K | $124K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $156K | $140K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $162K | $141K |
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 electronics engineers, except computers (10th percentile) start around $92K. Mid-career wages sit at $183K. Top earners bring in $307K or more, a $215K spread from bottom to top.
Electronics Engineers, Except Computer pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Electronics Engineers, Except Computer salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $161K | +23% | 20,830 |
| New Jersey | $159K | +22% | 1,820 |
| District of Columbia | $157K | +21% | 400 |
| Maryland | $156K | +20% | 3,390 |
| Massachusetts | $138K | +6% | 5,910 |
| New Mexico | $137K | +5% | 1,110 |
| Rhode Island | $136K | +5% | 970 |
| Texas | $132K | +2% | 9,520 |
| Washington | $130K | +0% | 1,950 |
| Illinois | $129K | -1% | 960 |
| Utah | $128K | -1% | 1,570 |
| Maine | $127K | -2% | N/A |
| Michigan | $127K | -2% | 2,960 |
| Colorado | $127K | -2% | 6,080 |
| Hawaii | $127K | -3% | 310 |
| Oregon | $124K | -4% | 1,730 |
| Georgia | $123K | -6% | 2,630 |
| Tennessee | $123K | -6% | 740 |
| Pennsylvania | $121K | -7% | 1,440 |
| Alabama | $121K | -7% | 1,940 |
| West Virginia | $120K | -8% | 90 |
| Virginia | $120K | -8% | 3,280 |
| New York | $119K | -8% | 2,220 |
| Ohio | $119K | -9% | 3,240 |
| Arizona | $118K | -9% | 2,100 |
| Missouri | $118K | -10% | 740 |
| Florida | $117K | -10% | 5,280 |
| Nevada | $116K | -11% | 360 |
| North Carolina | $116K | -11% | 2,090 |
| South Carolina | $114K | -13% | 1,030 |
| Mississippi | $112K | -14% | 160 |
| Minnesota | $112K | -14% | 1,200 |
| Indiana | $112K | -14% | 1,420 |
| Arkansas | $110K | -16% | 150 |
| Oklahoma | $109K | -16% | 1,410 |
| Alaska | $107K | -18% | 180 |
| Connecticut | $106K | -19% | 1,130 |
| New Hampshire | $105K | -19% | 320 |
| North Dakota | $105K | -19% | 50 |
| Kansas | $104K | -20% | 770 |
| Idaho | $103K | -21% | 500 |
| Kentucky | $102K | -22% | 860 |
| Louisiana | $100K | -23% | 450 |
| Wyoming | $96K | -26% | 110 |
| Wisconsin | $94K | -28% | 360 |
| Montana | $93K | -28% | 140 |
| Nebraska | $91K | -30% | 250 |
| Vermont | $86K | -34% | 70 |
| South Dakota | $84K | -35% | 190 |
| Iowa | $81K | -38% | 350 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track electronics engineers, except computer 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 electronics engineers, except computer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $183K, rent takes 41.1% 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 $3,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for electronics engineers, except computers in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new electronics engineers, except computers typically earn — is $92K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,517/month. At HUD’s $4,214/month FMR, rent would take 76% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is electronics engineers, except computer a high-paying job in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
Local pay is 40% above the national median — $183K here vs. $130K 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 electronics engineers, except computers?
Santa Cruz-Watsonville pays $183K median vs. the U.S. average of $130K — that’s +40%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 109.9), the purchasing-power equivalent is $166K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do electronics engineers, except computers make in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
The median is $182,840 a year, that works out to about $88 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $91,950, and experienced electronics engineers, except computers can clear $307,330. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $183K enough to live in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $10,250/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $4,214/month, which eats 41.1% 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 electronics engineers, except computer 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 electronics engineers, except computer salary is worth about $166,369 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do electronics engineers, except computers 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.