How much does an engineer make in Santa Cruz?
$141,200a year
Median yearly pay for engineers in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area. That is $67.86 an hour or $11,760 a month.
- Hourly
- $67.86
- Vs. national median
- +15%
- Rank among cities
- 13 of 248
- Jobs in the area
- 150
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $100,300Median: $141,200Highest 10%: $207,400
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $100,300 | $48.20 | |
| 25th | $128,900 | $61.96 | |
| Median | $141,200 | $67.86 | |
| 75th | $166,600 | $80.08 | |
| 90th | $207,400 | $99.70 |
Other cities in California
Median yearly pay for engineers.
| San Jose, CA | $169,700 |
| San Francisco, CA | $159,800 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $140,000 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $136,700 |
| San Diego, CA | $132,800 |
| Stockton, CA | $127,600 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $125,100 |
| Sacramento, CA | $124,200 |
| Oxnard, CA | $123,000 |
| Fresno, CA | $122,500 |
| Modesto, CA | $111,800 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $104,800 |
| Vallejo, CA | $102,400 |
| Riverside, CA | $100,100 |
| Salinas, CA | $98,950 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $97,210 |
Related jobs in Santa Cruz
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Computer Hardware Engineer | $169,400 |
| Electrical Engineer | $133,600 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $132,900 |
| Industrial Engineer | $131,700 |
| Civil Engineer | $118,100 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does an engineer make an hour in Santa Cruz?
The median hourly pay in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area is $67.86 ($141,200 a year).
Do engineers make more in Santa Cruz than the national average?
Yes: $141,200 against $122,900 nationally, 15% more.
How does Santa Cruz compare with the rest of California?
The median in California is $130,900, so Santa Cruz pays 8% more.
Where does Santa Cruz rank for engineer pay?
13 of 248 metro areas with data.
How much does an engineer make starting out in Santa Cruz?
The lowest-paid 10% make $100,300 or less a year; the top 10% make $207,400 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.