How much does a data scientist make in Santa Cruz?
$131,000a year
Median yearly pay for data scientists in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area. That is $62.97 an hour or $10,920 a month.
- Hourly
- $62.97
- Vs. national median
- +9%
- Rank among cities
- 20 of 282
- Jobs in the area
- 80
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $75,070Median: $131,000Highest 10%: $211,100
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $75,070 | $36.09 | |
| 25th | $92,010 | $44.24 | |
| Median | $131,000 | $62.97 | |
| 75th | $161,900 | $77.81 | |
| 90th | $211,100 | $101.47 |
Other cities in California
Median yearly pay for data scientists.
| San Jose, CA | $185,100 |
| San Francisco, CA | $170,100 |
| San Diego, CA | $131,000 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $129,700 |
| Oxnard, CA | $126,400 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $119,900 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $114,800 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $114,000 |
| Riverside, CA | $112,900 |
| Modesto, CA | $105,000 |
| Vallejo, CA | $104,500 |
| Sacramento, CA | $103,700 |
| Stockton, CA | $101,400 |
| Fresno, CA | $101,300 |
| Salinas, CA | $99,850 |
| Redding, CA | $96,960 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $92,200 |
Related jobs in Santa Cruz
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Software Developer | $156,900 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analyst and Tester | $134,000 |
| Computer Programmer | $132,900 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | $124,500 |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrator | $118,800 |
| Web and Digital Interface Designer | $114,200 |
| Computer Occupation | $108,000 |
| Operations Research Analyst | $104,700 |
| Computer Network Support Specialist | $103,000 |
| Computer User Support Specialist | $75,720 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a data scientist make an hour in Santa Cruz?
The median hourly pay in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area is $62.97 ($131,000 a year).
Do data scientists make more in Santa Cruz than the national average?
Yes: $131,000 against $120,200 nationally, 9% more.
How does Santa Cruz compare with the rest of California?
The median in California is $141,600, so Santa Cruz pays 7% less.
Where does Santa Cruz rank for data scientist pay?
20 of 282 metro areas with data.
How much does a data scientist make starting out in Santa Cruz?
The lowest-paid 10% make $75,070 or less a year; the top 10% make $211,100 or more.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.