How much does a special education teacher make in Santa Cruz?
$75,710a year
Median yearly pay for special education teachers in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area. That is $36.40 an hour or $6,309 a month.
- Hourly
- $36.40
- Vs. national median
- -1%
- Rank among cities
- 50 of 107
- Jobs in the area
- 130
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $45,320Median: $75,710Highest 10%: $118,600
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $45,320 | $21.79 | |
| 25th | $45,320 | $21.79 | |
| Median | $75,710 | $36.40 | |
| 75th | $102,600 | $49.32 | |
| 90th | $118,600 | $57.04 |
Other cities in California
Median yearly pay for special education teachers.
| Salinas, CA | $112,900 |
| Vallejo, CA | $110,000 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $109,600 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $107,400 |
| Visalia, CA | $107,200 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $106,700 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $106,500 |
| San Diego, CA | $102,900 |
| Riverside, CA | $101,900 |
| Modesto, CA | $101,000 |
| Yuba City, CA | $100,000 |
| Merced, CA | $96,560 |
| Fresno, CA | $95,120 |
| San Francisco, CA | $95,120 |
| Oxnard, CA | $94,880 |
| Sacramento, CA | $88,810 |
| San Jose, CA | $87,430 |
| Stockton, CA | $76,780 |
Related jobs in Santa Cruz
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Special Education Teacher | $101,100 |
| Teacher and Instructor | $101,100 |
| Elementary School Teacher | $99,260 |
| Instructional Coordinator | $99,230 |
| Secondary School Teacher | $98,810 |
| Career/Technical Education Teacher | $80,100 |
| Middle School Teacher | $79,490 |
| Educational Instruction and Library Worker | $70,570 |
| Substitute Teacher | $59,900 |
| Self-Enrichment Teacher | $49,120 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a special education teacher make an hour in Santa Cruz?
The median hourly pay in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area is $36.40 ($75,710 a year).
Do special education teachers make more in Santa Cruz than the national average?
No: $75,710 against $76,580 nationally, 1% less.
How does Santa Cruz compare with the rest of California?
The median in California is $103,100, so Santa Cruz pays 27% less.
Where does Santa Cruz rank for special education teacher pay?
50 of 107 metro areas with data.
How much does a special education teacher make starting out in Santa Cruz?
The lowest-paid 10% make $45,320 or less a year; the top 10% make $118,600 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.