High paying entry level jobs in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA

These occupations in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ask for no prior experience in a related job and no on-the-job training period: you are expected to be productive on arrival. That is precisely why most of them want a specific qualification instead — the credential does the work the experience would have. Read the line under each title for what that qualification is; several here are doctorates. If you need something you can start without one, use the no-experience list.

Cost of living: prices in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA run 9.9% above the national average (2024), so a Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA salary is worth about 0.91× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA

OccupationMedian, Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA · Employed

1Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$182,840
Bachelor's degree
$91,950 – $307,33030
2Dentists, General$175,950
Doctoral or professional degree
$106,520 – $225,46090
3Registered Nurses$170,960
Bachelor's degree
$97,980 – $210,8701,750
4Computer Hardware Engineers$169,370
Bachelor's degree
$89,080 – $214,60080
5Nurse Practitioners$167,190
Master's degree
$126,540 – $218,680190
6Veterinarians$164,820
Doctoral or professional degree
$68,430 – $298,830130
7Lawyers$164,790
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,990 – $315,190350
8Pharmacists$161,940
Doctoral or professional degree
$131,330 – $220,760170
9Physician Assistants$159,030
Master's degree
$126,690 – $208,760120
10Software Developers$156,910
Bachelor's degree
$92,520 – $209,260540
11Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$142,150
Associate's degree
$87,190 – $175,32040
12Engineers, All Other$141,150
Bachelor's degree
$100,260 – $207,370150
13Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers$136,120
Bachelor's degree
$98,590 – $195,19050
14Respiratory Therapists$134,880
Associate's degree
$100,040 – $161,25070
15Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$134,060
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,320 – $200,290150
16Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$133,970
Bachelor's degree
$75,100 – $175,960100
17Electrical Engineers$133,560
Bachelor's degree
$103,910 – $203,82090
18Mechanical Engineers$132,920
Bachelor's degree
$94,180 – $211,260190
19Computer Programmers$132,850
Bachelor's degree
$85,920 – $166,43090
20Industrial Engineers$131,740
Bachelor's degree
$84,710 – $172,180120
21Data Scientists$130,980
Bachelor's degree
$75,070 – $211,05080
22Dental Hygienists$130,600
Associate's degree
$106,880 – $145,600220
23Occupational Therapists$130,420
Master's degree
$97,900 – $157,390100
24Environmental Engineers$130,270
Bachelor's degree
$77,020 – $208,76030
25Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$129,920
Associate's degree
$62,650 – $164,890110
26Physical Therapists$124,790
Doctoral or professional degree
$91,980 – $158,340160
27Computer Systems Analysts$124,450
Bachelor's degree
$81,960 – $164,660490
28Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists$122,170
Bachelor's degree
$75,500 – $189,82030
29Optometrists$122,150
Doctoral or professional degree
$82,970 – $164,84050
30Network and Computer Systems Administrators$118,810
Bachelor's degree
$79,280 – $159,870140
31Civil Engineers$118,050
Bachelor's degree
$76,460 – $166,580210
32Web and Digital Interface Designers$114,220
Bachelor's degree
$67,940 – $194,68060
33Urban and Regional Planners$112,270
Master's degree
$85,180 – $163,710100
34Computer Occupations, All Other$107,990
Bachelor's degree
$54,450 – $195,190180
35Project Management Specialists$106,780
Bachelor's degree
$55,040 – $167,690440
36Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$106,430
Bachelor's degree
$66,110 – $148,56070
37Operations Research Analysts$104,680
Bachelor's degree
$60,120 – $153,29050
38Logisticians$104,320
Bachelor's degree
$65,660 – $158,110110
39Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$103,610
Bachelor's degree
$67,930 – $161,91090
40Database Administrators$102,510
Bachelor's degree
$62,200 – $155,68040
41Financial Risk Specialists$101,280
Bachelor's degree
$86,320 – $135,62040
42Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$101,060
Bachelor's degree
$63,140 – $126,09070
43Teachers and Instructors, All Other$101,050
Bachelor's degree
$44,890 – $117,420210
44Surgical Technologists$100,130
Postsecondary nondegree award
$65,260 – $130,48080
45Financial and Investment Analysts$99,820
Bachelor's degree
$74,140 – $132,070150
46Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$99,260
Bachelor's degree
$62,070 – $126,1501,000
47Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$98,810
Bachelor's degree
$63,010 – $129,100560
48Biological Scientists, All Other$98,400
Bachelor's degree
$59,380 – $159,07060
49Chemists$95,840
Bachelor's degree
$61,560 – $135,81070
50Acupuncturists$91,350
Master's degree
$45,630 – $93,75050

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianSanta Cruz-Watsonville, CA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$182,840	$91,950 – $307,330	30
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$175,950	$106,520 – $225,460	90
3	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$170,960	$97,980 – $210,870	1,750
4	Computer Hardware EngineersBachelor's degree	$169,370	$89,080 – $214,600	80
5	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$167,190	$126,540 – $218,680	190
6	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$164,820	$68,430 – $298,830	130
7	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$164,790	$59,990 – $315,190	350
8	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$161,940	$131,330 – $220,760	170
9	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$159,030	$126,690 – $208,760	120
10	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$156,910	$92,520 – $209,260	540
11	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$142,150	$87,190 – $175,320	40
12	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$141,150	$100,260 – $207,370	150
13	Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and GeographersBachelor's degree	$136,120	$98,590 – $195,190	50
14	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$134,880	$100,040 – $161,250	70
15	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$134,060	$79,320 – $200,290	150
16	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$133,970	$75,100 – $175,960	100
17	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$133,560	$103,910 – $203,820	90
18	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$132,920	$94,180 – $211,260	190
19	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$132,850	$85,920 – $166,430	90
20	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$131,740	$84,710 – $172,180	120
21	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$130,980	$75,070 – $211,050	80
22	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$130,600	$106,880 – $145,600	220
23	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$130,420	$97,900 – $157,390	100
24	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$130,270	$77,020 – $208,760	30
25	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$129,920	$62,650 – $164,890	110
26	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$124,790	$91,980 – $158,340	160
27	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$124,450	$81,960 – $164,660	490
28	Zoologists and Wildlife BiologistsBachelor's degree	$122,170	$75,500 – $189,820	30
29	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$122,150	$82,970 – $164,840	50
30	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$118,810	$79,280 – $159,870	140
31	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$118,050	$76,460 – $166,580	210
32	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$114,220	$67,940 – $194,680	60
33	Urban and Regional PlannersMaster's degree	$112,270	$85,180 – $163,710	100
34	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$107,990	$54,450 – $195,190	180
35	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$106,780	$55,040 – $167,690	440
36	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$106,430	$66,110 – $148,560	70
37	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$104,680	$60,120 – $153,290	50
38	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$104,320	$65,660 – $158,110	110
39	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$103,610	$67,930 – $161,910	90
40	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$102,510	$62,200 – $155,680	40
41	Financial Risk SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$101,280	$86,320 – $135,620	40
42	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$101,060	$63,140 – $126,090	70
43	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$101,050	$44,890 – $117,420	210
44	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$100,130	$65,260 – $130,480	80
45	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$99,820	$74,140 – $132,070	150
46	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$99,260	$62,070 – $126,150	1,000
47	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$98,810	$63,010 – $129,100	560
48	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$98,400	$59,380 – $159,070	60
49	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$95,840	$61,560 – $135,810	70
50	AcupuncturistsMaster's degree	$91,350	$45,630 – $93,750	50

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

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The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA

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