How much does a software developer make in Santa Cruz?
$156,900a year
Median yearly pay for software developers in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area. That is $75.44 an hour or $13,080 a month.
- Hourly
- $75.44
- Vs. national median
- +15%
- Rank among cities
- 13 of 377
- Jobs in the area
- 540
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $92,520Median: $156,900Highest 10%: $209,300
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $92,520 | $44.48 | |
| 25th | $124,200 | $59.72 | |
| Median | $156,900 | $75.44 | |
| 75th | $175,700 | $84.48 | |
| 90th | $209,300 | $100.61 |
Other cities in California
Median yearly pay for software developers.
| San Jose, CA | $213,100 |
| San Francisco, CA | $186,600 |
| San Diego, CA | $163,300 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $160,900 |
| Oxnard, CA | $159,400 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $158,300 |
| Napa, CA | $153,100 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $148,600 |
| Sacramento, CA | $139,600 |
| Stockton, CA | $138,600 |
| Vallejo, CA | $136,900 |
| Salinas, CA | $135,200 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $135,000 |
| Riverside, CA | $133,300 |
| Merced, CA | $132,100 |
| Yuba City, CA | $132,100 |
| Chico, CA | $131,400 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $130,300 |
| Redding, CA | $129,200 |
| Fresno, CA | $129,100 |
| Visalia, CA | $126,200 |
| El Centro, CA | $125,900 |
| Modesto, CA | $119,800 |
Related jobs in Santa Cruz
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Software Quality Assurance Analyst and Tester | $134,000 |
| Computer Programmer | $132,900 |
| Data Scientist | $131,000 |
| 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 software developer make an hour in Santa Cruz?
The median hourly pay in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area is $75.44 ($156,900 a year).
Do software developers make more in Santa Cruz than the national average?
Yes: $156,900 against $136,000 nationally, 15% more.
How does Santa Cruz compare with the rest of California?
The median in California is $174,400, so Santa Cruz pays 10% less.
Where does Santa Cruz rank for software developer pay?
13 of 377 metro areas with data.
How much does a software developer make starting out in Santa Cruz?
The lowest-paid 10% make $92,520 or less a year; the top 10% make $209,300 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.