Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA

Each occupation's median wage in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

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 · vs. national

1Registered Nurses$170,960
Bachelor's degree
$97,980 – $210,870+75.3%
2Medical Equipment Preparers$81,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,050 – $85,820+70.6%
3Education Administrators, Postsecondary$172,410
Master's degree
$109,620 – $286,700+64.8%
4Respiratory Therapists$134,880
Associate's degree
$100,040 – $161,250+63.9%
5First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$172,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$125,410 – $198,920+62.8%
6Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$129,920
Associate's degree
$62,650 – $164,890+62.2%
7Public Safety Telecommunicators$85,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,290 – $114,740+62.0%
8Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$122,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$79,830 – $152,340+61.4%
9Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$72,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,270 – $96,570+59.5%
10Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists$122,170
Bachelor's degree
$75,500 – $189,820+59.1%
11Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$94,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,650 – $119,090+56.7%
12Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$99,260
Bachelor's degree
$62,070 – $126,150+55.2%
13Surgical Technologists$100,130
Postsecondary nondegree award
$65,260 – $130,480+54.9%
14Teachers and Instructors, All Other$101,050
Bachelor's degree
$44,890 – $117,420+52.8%
15Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$157,630
Master's degree
$83,100 – $197,630+48.9%
16Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$142,150
Associate's degree
$87,190 – $175,320+47.2%
17Museum Technicians and Conservators$75,100
Bachelor's degree
$48,230 – $93,400+46.0%
18Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$59,900
Bachelor's degree
$43,150 – $59,900+43.7%
19Fundraising Managers$179,130
Bachelor's degree
$93,990 – $286,510+42.8%
20Cooks, Fast Food$43,630
No formal educational credential
$36,930 – $44,590+41.2%
21Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$182,840
Bachelor's degree
$91,950 – $307,330+40.4%
22Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants$77,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,340 – $79,920+40.0%
23Library Assistants, Clerical$51,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,940 – $63,620+39.3%
24Fast Food and Counter Workers$43,400
No formal educational credential
$35,120 – $46,930+39.1%
25File Clerks$60,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,220 – $74,170+38.8%
26Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan$63,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,420 – $83,790+38.7%
27Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other$70,570
Bachelor's degree
$37,350 – $136,570+38.7%
28Correctional Officers and Jailers$80,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,050 – $101,500+37.3%
29Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$98,810
Bachelor's degree
$63,010 – $129,100+37.2%
30Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$101,060
Bachelor's degree
$63,140 – $126,090+36.1%
31Dietitians and Nutritionists$103,760
Bachelor's degree
$75,770 – $126,920+35.8%
32Computer Network Support Specialists$102,980
Associate's degree
$43,030 – $146,810+35.1%
33Helpers--Carpenters$59,090
No formal educational credential
$52,980 – $59,090+35.0%
34Labor Relations Specialists$128,320
Bachelor's degree
$79,900 – $194,410+34.5%
35Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers$136,120
Bachelor's degree
$98,590 – $195,190+33.6%
36Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$91,090
Master's degree
$53,660 – $137,360+33.4%
37Dental Hygienists$130,600
Associate's degree
$106,880 – $145,600+33.1%
38Veterinary Technologists and Technicians$62,810
Associate's degree
$49,650 – $75,120+32.6%
39Computer Programmers$132,850
Bachelor's degree
$85,920 – $166,430+32.3%
40Phlebotomists$59,800
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,670 – $95,820+32.2%
41Construction and Building Inspectors$98,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,850 – $133,260+32.1%
42Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$83,100
Bachelor's degree
$54,890 – $100,240+32.1%
43Healthcare Social Workers$89,430
Master's degree
$56,510 – $139,050+31.7%
44Solar Photovoltaic Installers$69,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,690 – $102,230+30.9%
45Tax Preparers$71,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,530 – $93,730+30.7%
46Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$83,030
Postsecondary nondegree award
$62,450 – $108,250+30.0%
47Occupational Therapists$130,420
Master's degree
$97,900 – $157,390+30.0%
48Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$134,060
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,320 – $200,290+29.6%
49First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers$63,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,270 – $79,940+29.5%
50Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$47,430
Some college, no degree
$38,080 – $60,190+29.0%

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	vs. national
1	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$170,960	$97,980 – $210,870	+75.3%
2	Medical Equipment PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,370	$38,050 – $85,820	+70.6%
3	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$172,410	$109,620 – $286,700	+64.8%
4	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$134,880	$100,040 – $161,250	+63.9%
5	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$172,590	$125,410 – $198,920	+62.8%
6	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$129,920	$62,650 – $164,890	+62.2%
7	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$85,950	$62,290 – $114,740	+62.0%
8	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$122,970	$79,830 – $152,340	+61.4%
9	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,830	$41,270 – $96,570	+59.5%
10	Zoologists and Wildlife BiologistsBachelor's degree	$122,170	$75,500 – $189,820	+59.1%
11	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$94,060	$60,650 – $119,090	+56.7%
12	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$99,260	$62,070 – $126,150	+55.2%
13	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$100,130	$65,260 – $130,480	+54.9%
14	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$101,050	$44,890 – $117,420	+52.8%
15	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$157,630	$83,100 – $197,630	+48.9%
16	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$142,150	$87,190 – $175,320	+47.2%
17	Museum Technicians and ConservatorsBachelor's degree	$75,100	$48,230 – $93,400	+46.0%
18	Substitute Teachers, Short-TermBachelor's degree	$59,900	$43,150 – $59,900	+43.7%
19	Fundraising ManagersBachelor's degree	$179,130	$93,990 – $286,510	+42.8%
20	Cooks, Fast FoodNo formal educational credential	$43,630	$36,930 – $44,590	+41.2%
21	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$182,840	$91,950 – $307,330	+40.4%
22	Legal Secretaries and Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,780	$49,340 – $79,920	+40.0%
23	Library Assistants, ClericalHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,410	$35,940 – $63,620	+39.3%
24	Fast Food and Counter WorkersNo formal educational credential	$43,400	$35,120 – $46,930	+39.1%
25	File ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,530	$37,220 – $74,170	+38.8%
26	Interviewers, Except Eligibility and LoanHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,690	$45,420 – $83,790	+38.7%
27	Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$70,570	$37,350 – $136,570	+38.7%
28	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,950	$60,050 – $101,500	+37.3%
29	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$98,810	$63,010 – $129,100	+37.2%
30	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$101,060	$63,140 – $126,090	+36.1%
31	Dietitians and NutritionistsBachelor's degree	$103,760	$75,770 – $126,920	+35.8%
32	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$102,980	$43,030 – $146,810	+35.1%
33	Helpers--CarpentersNo formal educational credential	$59,090	$52,980 – $59,090	+35.0%
34	Labor Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$128,320	$79,900 – $194,410	+34.5%
35	Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and GeographersBachelor's degree	$136,120	$98,590 – $195,190	+33.6%
36	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$91,090	$53,660 – $137,360	+33.4%
37	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$130,600	$106,880 – $145,600	+33.1%
38	Veterinary Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$62,810	$49,650 – $75,120	+32.6%
39	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$132,850	$85,920 – $166,430	+32.3%
40	PhlebotomistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$59,800	$47,670 – $95,820	+32.2%
41	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$98,680	$47,850 – $133,260	+32.1%
42	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$83,100	$54,890 – $100,240	+32.1%
43	Healthcare Social WorkersMaster's degree	$89,430	$56,510 – $139,050	+31.7%
44	Solar Photovoltaic InstallersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,550	$50,690 – $102,230	+30.9%
45	Tax PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,800	$43,530 – $93,730	+30.7%
46	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$83,030	$62,450 – $108,250	+30.0%
47	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$130,420	$97,900 – $157,390	+30.0%
48	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$134,060	$79,320 – $200,290	+29.6%
49	First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,600	$39,270 – $79,940	+29.5%
50	Teaching Assistants, Except PostsecondarySome college, no degree	$47,430	$38,080 – $60,190	+29.0%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA

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