Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers Salary
The median pay for a geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA is $136,120/year ($65.44/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $99K at the entry level to $195K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 109.9), so that salary is closer to $123,858 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $4,214/month, about 52.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $136K 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 geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers
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What this looks like in Santa Cruz-Watsonville
Santa Cruz-Watsonville sits well above the national pay line for geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers, local pay runs about 34% higher than the U.S. median of $102K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $4,214/month, which is 53.2% 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 geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers in metros near Santa Cruz-Watsonville, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $95K | $83K |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $120K | $112K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $122K | $106K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $105K | $94K |
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 geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers (10th percentile) start around $99K. Mid-career wages sit at $136K. Top earners bring in $195K or more, a $97K spread from bottom to top.
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | $145K | +42% | 4,900 |
| Rhode Island | $121K | +19% | N/A |
| Oklahoma | $120K | +18% | 770 |
| Colorado | $114K | +12% | 1,480 |
| Mississippi | $112K | +10% | 250 |
| Maryland | $111K | +8% | 390 |
| Massachusetts | $108K | +6% | 420 |
| Alaska | $107K | +5% | 430 |
| California | $107K | +4% | 3,350 |
| Hawaii | $106K | +4% | 110 |
| Washington | $105K | +3% | 840 |
| New Hampshire | $101K | -1% | N/A |
| Nevada | $100K | -2% | 520 |
| Oregon | $98K | -4% | 380 |
| Illinois | $97K | -5% | 410 |
| North Carolina | $95K | -7% | 570 |
| Florida | $95K | -7% | 660 |
| Delaware | $94K | -8% | 110 |
| Louisiana | $92K | -10% | 440 |
| Idaho | $91K | -11% | 130 |
| Utah | $90K | -12% | 300 |
| Alabama | $89K | -13% | 110 |
| New Mexico | $89K | -13% | 160 |
| New Jersey | $89K | -13% | 300 |
| Virginia | $88K | -13% | 300 |
| Vermont | $87K | -15% | N/A |
| Maine | $87K | -15% | 70 |
| New York | $86K | -15% | 600 |
| South Carolina | $86K | -16% | 230 |
| Nebraska | $86K | -16% | 110 |
| Arizona | $85K | -16% | 550 |
| Pennsylvania | $84K | -17% | 910 |
| North Dakota | $84K | -18% | 100 |
| Missouri | $83K | -18% | 260 |
| Ohio | $81K | -20% | 410 |
| Michigan | $81K | -21% | 320 |
| Minnesota | $81K | -21% | 240 |
| Kansas | $80K | -21% | 190 |
| Wisconsin | $79K | -23% | 110 |
| Tennessee | $78K | -24% | 230 |
| Kentucky | $78K | -24% | 170 |
| West Virginia | $76K | -25% | 90 |
| Montana | $76K | -26% | 210 |
| Wyoming | $75K | -27% | 220 |
| Iowa | $74K | -27% | 40 |
| Georgia | $74K | -27% | 340 |
| South Dakota | $71K | -30% | 80 |
| Indiana | $68K | -33% | 270 |
| Arkansas | $68K | -33% | 70 |
| Connecticut | $62K | -39% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers 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 geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $136K, rent takes 53.2% 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 $2,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers typically earn — is $99K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,915/month. At HUD’s $4,214/month FMR, rent would take 71% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographer a high-paying job in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
Local pay is 34% above the national median — $136K here vs. $102K 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 geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers?
Santa Cruz-Watsonville pays $136K median vs. the U.S. average of $102K — that’s +34%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 109.9), the purchasing-power equivalent is $124K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers make in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
The median is $136,120 a year, that works out to about $65 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $98,590, and experienced geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers can clear $195,190. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $136K enough to live in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,916/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $4,214/month, which eats 53.2% 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 geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers 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 geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers salary is worth about $123,858 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers 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.