Personal Financial Advisors Salary in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
The median pay for a personal financial advisors in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA is $126,530/year ($60.83/hour), per BLS data. Entry-level positions start around $65K. BLS does not publish top-end wages for this occupation because they exceed the reportable ceiling. Prices run high here (RPP 109.9), so that salary is closer to $115,132 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $4,214/month — about 56.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $127K 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 personal financial advisors
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
Entry-level personal financial advisors (10th percentile) start around $65K. Mid-career wages sit at $127K. Top earners bring in N/A or more.
Personal Financial Advisors pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $168K | +64% | 28,820 |
| Idaho | $136K | +34% | 930 |
| California | $129K | +26% | 34,070 |
| Delaware | $128K | +25% | 600 |
| New Jersey | $124K | +21% | 6,830 |
| South Dakota | $123K | +21% | 500 |
| Maryland | $123K | +20% | 5,560 |
| Wisconsin | $116K | +13% | 5,240 |
| Washington | $112K | +10% | 6,510 |
| Connecticut | $107K | +5% | 3,990 |
| Illinois | $104K | +2% | 10,410 |
| Pennsylvania | $103K | +1% | 12,370 |
| Indiana | $102K | -0% | 5,370 |
| Massachusetts | $101K | -1% | 7,410 |
| Rhode Island | $101K | -1% | 1,290 |
| District of Columbia | $101K | -1% | 650 |
| Kansas | $101K | -1% | 3,130 |
| Virginia | $100K | -2% | 5,560 |
| North Dakota | $99K | -3% | 480 |
| South Carolina | $99K | -3% | 2,070 |
| Michigan | $99K | -3% | 6,030 |
| Georgia | $98K | -4% | 7,540 |
| Montana | $97K | -5% | 480 |
| Minnesota | $94K | -8% | 6,360 |
| Tennessee | $89K | -12% | 4,350 |
| Florida | $88K | -14% | 21,230 |
| Arizona | $85K | -17% | 7,190 |
| Missouri | $84K | -18% | 4,860 |
| New Hampshire | $83K | -19% | 1,710 |
| Texas | $82K | -20% | 17,570 |
| Ohio | $82K | -20% | 10,210 |
| Nevada | $82K | -20% | 1,430 |
| Iowa | $82K | -20% | 2,400 |
| Vermont | $81K | -20% | 480 |
| Oregon | $80K | -21% | 2,120 |
| Alabama | $80K | -22% | 2,320 |
| Kentucky | $79K | -23% | 1,870 |
| Louisiana | $78K | -23% | 1,280 |
| West Virginia | $78K | -24% | 730 |
| New Mexico | $78K | -24% | 570 |
| Hawaii | $76K | -26% | 610 |
| Arkansas | $75K | -26% | 1,250 |
| Nebraska | $74K | -28% | 1,670 |
| Oklahoma | $73K | -29% | 1,340 |
| Utah | $67K | -34% | 2,620 |
| Mississippi | $65K | -36% | 870 |
Showing 1–10 of 46 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track personal financial advisors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Santa Cruz-Watsonville numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do personal financial advisors make in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
The median is $126,530 a year, that works out to about $61 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $64,540, and experienced personal financial advisors can clear N/A. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $127K enough to live in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,444/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $4,214/month, which eats 56.6% 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 personal financial advisors 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 personal financial advisors salary is worth about $115,132 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do personal financial advisors 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.