Special Education Teachers, All Other Salary
The median pay for a special education teachers, all other in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA is $75,710/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $119K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 109.9), so that salary is closer to $68,890 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $4,214/month, about 85.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $76K 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 special education teachers, all others
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What this looks like in Santa Cruz-Watsonville
Special education teachers, all other pay in Santa Cruz-Watsonville tracks closely to the national median, $76K locally vs. $77K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $4,214/month, which is 86.5% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for special education teachers, all others in metros near Santa Cruz-Watsonville, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $95K | $82K |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $110K | $97K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $102K | $96K |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $89K | $83K |
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 special education teachers, all others (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $76K. Top earners bring in $119K or more, a $73K spread from bottom to top.
Special Education Teachers, All Other pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Special Education Teachers, All Other salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $103K | +35% | 8,920 |
| New Mexico | $87K | +13% | 100 |
| Delaware | $85K | +11% | 50 |
| Oregon | $82K | +7% | 820 |
| Rhode Island | $80K | +5% | 110 |
| Colorado | $79K | +4% | 180 |
| Michigan | $79K | +3% | 3,320 |
| Massachusetts | $78K | +2% | 300 |
| Virginia | $77K | +1% | 540 |
| Washington | $77K | +0% | 170 |
| Pennsylvania | $77K | -0% | 450 |
| Georgia | $76K | -1% | 980 |
| Maryland | $76K | -1% | 3,020 |
| District of Columbia | $71K | -7% | 130 |
| New Jersey | $71K | -7% | 610 |
| Iowa | $71K | -7% | 340 |
| Minnesota | $69K | -9% | 180 |
| Florida | $69K | -10% | 900 |
| Utah | $68K | -11% | 100 |
| Wisconsin | $67K | -13% | 160 |
| New Hampshire | $67K | -13% | 160 |
| New York | $66K | -14% | 2,170 |
| Texas | $66K | -14% | 880 |
| North Carolina | $65K | -15% | N/A |
| Illinois | $65K | -15% | 2,560 |
| Nevada | $64K | -16% | 1,230 |
| Tennessee | $63K | -17% | 180 |
| Kentucky | $63K | -18% | 290 |
| Arkansas | $62K | -19% | 70 |
| North Dakota | $62K | -20% | 90 |
| Connecticut | $61K | -20% | 1,400 |
| Louisiana | $61K | -20% | 610 |
| Indiana | $61K | -20% | 80 |
| Nebraska | $60K | -22% | 60 |
| Arizona | $60K | -22% | N/A |
| Maine | $57K | -26% | N/A |
| Ohio | $51K | -33% | 580 |
| Missouri | $50K | -35% | 210 |
| Alabama | $50K | -35% | 110 |
| Vermont | $47K | -39% | 70 |
| Mississippi | $47K | -39% | 60 |
| West Virginia | $40K | -48% | 530 |
Showing 1–10 of 42 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track special education teachers, all other 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 special education teachers, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $76K, rent takes 86.5% 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 $1,500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for special education teachers, all others in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new special education teachers, all others typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,719/month. At HUD’s $4,214/month FMR, rent would take 155% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is special education teachers, all other a high-paying job in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $76K locally vs. $77K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Santa Cruz-Watsonville compare to the national average for special education teachers, all others?
Santa Cruz-Watsonville pays $76K median vs. the U.S. average of $77K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 109.9), the purchasing-power equivalent is $69K — below the national median.
How much do special education teachers, all others make in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
The median is $75,710 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,320, and experienced special education teachers, all others can clear $118,640. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $76K enough to live in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,872/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $4,214/month, which eats 86.5% 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 special education teachers, all other 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 special education teachers, all other salary is worth about $68,890 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do special education teachers, all others 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.