Construction Laborers pay range in Santa Cruz
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $45,160 a year or less, while the top 10% make $81,750 or more. The middle half of construction laborers in Santa Cruz earn between $47,470 and $74,880.
- $45K10th
- $47K25th
- $58KMedian
- $75K75th
- $82K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $61,940 | $5,162 | $29.78 |
| Median | $58,500 | $4,875 | $28.12 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $47,470 | $3,956 | $22.82 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $74,880 | $6,240 | $36.00 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Construction Laborers pay in Santa Cruz vs. California and the U.S.
Construction laborers in Santa Cruz earn 5% less than the California average ($64,870) and 19% more than the U.S. average ($52,030). At the median the gap is +24% against the U.S. median of $47,120.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | $61,940 | $58,500 | $45,160 | $81,750 | 520 |
| California | $64,870 | $60,270 | $40,950 | $93,620 | 88,240 |
| United States | $52,030 | $47,120 | $35,090 | $78,090 | 1,096,780 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Construction Laborers salary after taxes in Santa Cruz
On the average salary of $61,940, a single filer in Santa Cruz takes home about $50,040 a year, or $4,170 a month and $1,925 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% 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 construction laborers? 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 $61,940 buys what about $56,362 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Cruz ($54,730). A typical home costs $1,157,157, or 18.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Construction Laborers salary in other California cities
Santa Cruz ranks 14th of 25 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($73,640).
- San Francisco$73,640
- San Jose$69,780
- Salinas$66,620
- Vallejo$66,400
- Santa Rosa$65,600
- Riverside$65,580
- Hanford$64,650
- San Luis Obispo$64,150
- Sacramento$64,070
- Santa Cruz$61,940
Highest-paying cities for construction laborers
Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($78,590).
- Kahului, HI$78,590
- Vineland, NJ$74,200
- San Francisco, CA$73,640
- Trenton, NJ$73,100
- Boston, MA$71,350
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Construction Laborers salary in Santa Cruz: questions
How much do construction laborers make an hour in Santa Cruz?
$29.78 an hour on average, and $28.13 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level construction laborers salary in Santa Cruz?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $45,160 a year and the 25th percentile is $47,470, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the construction laborers take-home pay in Santa Cruz?
About $50,040 a year ($4,170 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $61,940. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do construction laborers earn more in Santa Cruz than elsewhere?
The average here is 19% more than the U.S. average for this job ($52,030).
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 47-2061; area Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA (42100). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.8%.
- 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 0.74, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.74).
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