Chief Executives pay range in Santa Cruz
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $90,040 a year or less, while the top 10% make $442,310 or more. The middle half of chief executives in Santa Cruz earn between $133,610 and $316,600.
- $90K10th
- $134K25th
- $209KMedian
- $317K75th
- $442K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $246,710 | $20,559 | $118.61 |
| Median | $209,080 | $17,423 | $100.52 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $133,610 | $11,134 | $64.24 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $316,600 | $26,383 | $152.21 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Chief Executives pay in Santa Cruz vs. California and the U.S.
Chief executives in Santa Cruz earn 10% less than the California average ($272,920) and 9% less than the U.S. average ($269,630). At the median the gap is -2% against the U.S. median of $213,990.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | $246,710 | $209,080 | $90,040 | $442,310 | 220 |
| California | $272,920 | $218,600 | $85,790 | $486,830 | 34,700 |
| United States | $269,630 | $213,990 | $75,700 | $507,730 | 204,350 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Chief Executives salary after taxes in Santa Cruz
On the average salary of $246,710, a single filer in Santa Cruz takes home about $162,170 a year, or $13,514 a month and $6,237 every two weeks. Taxes take 34% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Santa Cruz a good place for chief executives? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Santa Cruz area are 10% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 109.9), so the average $246,710 buys what about $224,494 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 3.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Cruz ($54,730). A typical home costs $1,157,157, or 4.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Chief Executives salary in other California cities
Santa Cruz ranks 9th of 24 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($320,210).
- San Francisco$320,210
- Los Angeles$302,780
- San Diego$281,170
- Napa$275,720
- Oxnard$253,100
- Santa Rosa$252,630
- Salinas$250,760
- Modesto$250,390
- Santa Cruz$246,710
- Stockton$243,950
Highest-paying cities for chief executives
Medford, OR pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($503,650).
- Medford, OR$503,650
- Midland, MI$493,680
- Bridgeport, CT$447,290
- Durham, NC$425,580
- Portland, OR$420,320
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Chief Executives salary in Santa Cruz: questions
How much do chief executives make an hour in Santa Cruz?
$118.61 an hour on average, and $100.52 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level chief executives salary in Santa Cruz?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $90,040 a year and the 25th percentile is $133,610, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the chief executives take-home pay in Santa Cruz?
About $162,170 a year ($13,514 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $246,710. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do chief executives earn more in Santa Cruz than elsewhere?
The average here is 9% less than the U.S. average for this job ($269,630).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 11-1011; area Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA (42100). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.0%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.71, this job is 1.7 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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