High paying jobs in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA. The percentile range matters more than the median on its own: it shows what the bottom and top of each field actually earn, which a single average hides.

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

1Physicians, All Other$305,610
Doctoral or professional degree
$86,680 – $454,440190
2Chief Executives$209,080
Bachelor's degree
$90,040 – $442,310220
3Architectural and Engineering Managers$206,880
Bachelor's degree
$127,890 – $283,38080
4Natural Sciences Managers$202,380
Bachelor's degree
$125,550 – $303,55080
5Computer and Information Systems Managers$198,770
Bachelor's degree
$126,980 – $306,260260
6Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$182,840
Bachelor's degree
$91,950 – $307,33030
7Fundraising Managers$179,130
Bachelor's degree
$93,990 – $286,51030
8Dentists, General$175,950
Doctoral or professional degree
$106,520 – $225,46090
9First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$172,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$125,410 – $198,92070
10Education Administrators, Postsecondary$172,410
Master's degree
$109,620 – $286,70050
11Registered Nurses$170,960
Bachelor's degree
$97,980 – $210,8701,750
12Managers, All Other$170,650
Bachelor's degree
$86,110 – $268,950350
13Computer Hardware Engineers$169,370
Bachelor's degree
$89,080 – $214,60080
14Marketing Managers$168,980
Bachelor's degree
$83,540 – $292,680150
15Nurse Practitioners$167,190
Master's degree
$126,540 – $218,680190
16Financial Managers$165,800
Bachelor's degree
$97,410 – $312,850400
17Veterinarians$164,820
Doctoral or professional degree
$68,430 – $298,830130
18Lawyers$164,790
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,990 – $315,190350
19Human Resources Managers$164,570
Bachelor's degree
$85,150 – $272,610130
20Pharmacists$161,940
Doctoral or professional degree
$131,330 – $220,760170
21Physician Assistants$159,030
Master's degree
$126,690 – $208,760120
22Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$157,630
Master's degree
$83,100 – $197,630230
23Software Developers$156,910
Bachelor's degree
$92,520 – $209,260540
24Training and Development Managers$150,820
Bachelor's degree
$100,180 – $212,68040
25Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$142,150
Associate's degree
$87,190 – $175,32040
26Engineers, All Other$141,150
Bachelor's degree
$100,260 – $207,370150
27Medical and Health Services Managers$138,640
Bachelor's degree
$76,570 – $237,750460
28Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers$136,120
Bachelor's degree
$98,590 – $195,19050
29Respiratory Therapists$134,880
Associate's degree
$100,040 – $161,25070
30Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$134,060
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,320 – $200,290150
31Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$133,970
Bachelor's degree
$75,100 – $175,960100
32Industrial Production Managers$133,890
Bachelor's degree
$74,320 – $204,740120
33Electrical Engineers$133,560
Bachelor's degree
$103,910 – $203,82090
34Mechanical Engineers$132,920
Bachelor's degree
$94,180 – $211,260190
35Computer Programmers$132,850
Bachelor's degree
$85,920 – $166,43090
36Industrial Engineers$131,740
Bachelor's degree
$84,710 – $172,180120
37Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$131,520
Bachelor's degree
$59,990 – $260,22050
38Data Scientists$130,980
Bachelor's degree
$75,070 – $211,05080
39Dental Hygienists$130,600
Associate's degree
$106,880 – $145,600220
40Occupational Therapists$130,420
Master's degree
$97,900 – $157,390100
41Environmental Engineers$130,270
Bachelor's degree
$77,020 – $208,76030
42Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$129,920
Associate's degree
$62,650 – $164,890110
43Construction Managers$128,730
Bachelor's degree
$85,080 – $174,870150
44Labor Relations Specialists$128,320
Bachelor's degree
$79,900 – $194,41040
45Public Relations Managers$128,280
Bachelor's degree
$77,180 – $214,72040
46Art Directors$126,410
Bachelor's degree
$91,510 – $243,16040
47Physical Therapists$124,790
Doctoral or professional degree
$91,980 – $158,340160
48Computer Systems Analysts$124,450
Bachelor's degree
$81,960 – $164,660490
49Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$122,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$79,830 – $152,340400
50Personal Financial Advisors$122,170
Bachelor's degree
$56,990 – $271,79080

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	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$305,610	$86,680 – $454,440	190
2	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$209,080	$90,040 – $442,310	220
3	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$206,880	$127,890 – $283,380	80
4	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$202,380	$125,550 – $303,550	80
5	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$198,770	$126,980 – $306,260	260
6	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$182,840	$91,950 – $307,330	30
7	Fundraising ManagersBachelor's degree	$179,130	$93,990 – $286,510	30
8	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$175,950	$106,520 – $225,460	90
9	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$172,590	$125,410 – $198,920	70
10	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$172,410	$109,620 – $286,700	50
11	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$170,960	$97,980 – $210,870	1,750
12	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$170,650	$86,110 – $268,950	350
13	Computer Hardware EngineersBachelor's degree	$169,370	$89,080 – $214,600	80
14	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$168,980	$83,540 – $292,680	150
15	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$167,190	$126,540 – $218,680	190
16	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$165,800	$97,410 – $312,850	400
17	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$164,820	$68,430 – $298,830	130
18	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$164,790	$59,990 – $315,190	350
19	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$164,570	$85,150 – $272,610	130
20	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$161,940	$131,330 – $220,760	170
21	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$159,030	$126,690 – $208,760	120
22	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$157,630	$83,100 – $197,630	230
23	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$156,910	$92,520 – $209,260	540
24	Training and Development ManagersBachelor's degree	$150,820	$100,180 – $212,680	40
25	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$142,150	$87,190 – $175,320	40
26	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$141,150	$100,260 – $207,370	150
27	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$138,640	$76,570 – $237,750	460
28	Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and GeographersBachelor's degree	$136,120	$98,590 – $195,190	50
29	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$134,880	$100,040 – $161,250	70
30	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$134,060	$79,320 – $200,290	150
31	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$133,970	$75,100 – $175,960	100
32	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$133,890	$74,320 – $204,740	120
33	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$133,560	$103,910 – $203,820	90
34	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$132,920	$94,180 – $211,260	190
35	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$132,850	$85,920 – $166,430	90
36	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$131,740	$84,710 – $172,180	120
37	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$131,520	$59,990 – $260,220	50
38	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$130,980	$75,070 – $211,050	80
39	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$130,600	$106,880 – $145,600	220
40	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$130,420	$97,900 – $157,390	100
41	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$130,270	$77,020 – $208,760	30
42	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$129,920	$62,650 – $164,890	110
43	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$128,730	$85,080 – $174,870	150
44	Labor Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$128,320	$79,900 – $194,410	40
45	Public Relations ManagersBachelor's degree	$128,280	$77,180 – $214,720	40
46	Art DirectorsBachelor's degree	$126,410	$91,510 – $243,160	40
47	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$124,790	$91,980 – $158,340	160
48	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$124,450	$81,960 – $164,660	490
49	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$122,970	$79,830 – $152,340	400
50	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$122,170	$56,990 – $271,790	80

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 jobs in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA

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