Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education Salary
The median pay for a secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA is $98,810/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $63K at the entry level to $129K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 109.9), so that salary is closer to $89,909 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $4,214/month, about 67.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $99K 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 secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical educations
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Santa Cruz-Watsonville
Santa Cruz-Watsonville sits well above the national pay line for secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, local pay runs about 37% higher than the U.S. median of $72K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $4,214/month, which is 69.7% 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 secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical educations in metros near Santa Cruz-Watsonville, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $101K | $89K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $100K | $94K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $103K | $89K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $103K | $92K |
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 secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical educations (10th percentile) start around $63K. Mid-career wages sit at $99K. Top earners bring in $129K or more, a $66K spread from bottom to top.
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $103K | +43% | 14,880 |
| California | $101K | +41% | 99,230 |
| New York | $97K | +35% | 70,660 |
| Massachusetts | $95K | +32% | 28,460 |
| Rhode Island | $93K | +29% | 4,910 |
| District of Columbia | $83K | +15% | 2,800 |
| New Jersey | $82K | +14% | 38,140 |
| Connecticut | $81K | +12% | 14,800 |
| Illinois | $80K | +11% | 44,670 |
| Alaska | $80K | +11% | 2,790 |
| Oregon | $80K | +10% | 11,730 |
| Ohio | $79K | +9% | 49,540 |
| Pennsylvania | $79K | +9% | 52,240 |
| Maryland | $79K | +9% | 16,640 |
| Delaware | $78K | +8% | 5,360 |
| New Hampshire | $77K | +7% | 5,860 |
| Minnesota | $76K | +6% | 16,020 |
| Utah | $76K | +6% | 11,030 |
| Vermont | $76K | +6% | 2,450 |
| New Mexico | $76K | +5% | 8,120 |
| Georgia | $75K | +5% | 25,730 |
| Hawaii | $74K | +3% | 5,590 |
| Colorado | $73K | +1% | 18,310 |
| Virginia | $72K | +0% | 31,100 |
| Michigan | $66K | -8% | 25,540 |
| Nevada | $66K | -9% | 8,920 |
| Maine | $65K | -10% | 5,540 |
| Texas | $64K | -12% | 111,660 |
| Nebraska | $63K | -12% | 7,170 |
| Wisconsin | $63K | -13% | 15,910 |
| Wyoming | $63K | -13% | 1,600 |
| South Carolina | $63K | -13% | 16,080 |
| Alabama | $62K | -14% | 15,880 |
| Indiana | $62K | -14% | 20,430 |
| Tennessee | $62K | -14% | 21,230 |
| Idaho | $62K | -14% | 6,570 |
| Kentucky | $62K | -15% | 12,780 |
| North Dakota | $61K | -15% | 3,070 |
| Iowa | $61K | -15% | 12,310 |
| Montana | $61K | -15% | 3,670 |
| Florida | $60K | -16% | 49,810 |
| Kansas | $60K | -17% | 10,860 |
| Louisiana | $60K | -17% | 15,210 |
| Arkansas | $60K | -17% | 12,890 |
| Missouri | $59K | -18% | 24,380 |
| Arizona | $58K | -19% | 21,190 |
| North Carolina | $58K | -20% | 28,620 |
| West Virginia | $57K | -21% | 3,590 |
| South Dakota | $51K | -29% | 3,360 |
| Mississippi | $51K | -29% | 10,400 |
| Oklahoma | $49K | -32% | 15,480 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Santa Cruz-Watsonville numbers change.
Related careers in Education
Frequently asked questions
Can a secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education afford a 2BR apartment alone in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $99K, rent takes 69.7% 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 $1,800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical educations in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical educations typically earn — is $63K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,781/month. At HUD’s $4,214/month FMR, rent would take 111% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education a high-paying job in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
Local pay is 37% above the national median — $99K here vs. $72K 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 secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical educations?
Santa Cruz-Watsonville pays $99K median vs. the U.S. average of $72K — that’s +37%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 109.9), the purchasing-power equivalent is $90K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical educations make in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
The median is $98,810 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $63,010, and experienced secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical educations can clear $129,100. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $99K enough to live in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,048/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $4,214/month, which eats 69.7% 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 secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education 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 secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education salary is worth about $89,909 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical educations 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.