Cost Estimators pay range in Santa Cruz
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $52,520 a year or less, while the top 10% make $160,220 or more. The middle half of cost estimators in Santa Cruz earn between $63,540 and $130,730.
- $53K10th
- $64K25th
- $80KMedian
- $131K75th
- $160K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $97,200 | $8,100 | $46.73 |
| Median | $80,170 | $6,681 | $38.54 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $63,540 | $5,295 | $30.55 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $130,730 | $10,894 | $62.85 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cost Estimators pay in Santa Cruz vs. California and the U.S.
Cost estimators in Santa Cruz earn about the same as the California average ($94,780) and 14% more than the U.S. average ($85,390). At the median the gap is +2% against the U.S. median of $78,740.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | $97,200 | $80,170 | $52,520 | $160,220 | 150 |
| California | $94,780 | $85,460 | $51,750 | $150,790 | 26,020 |
| United States | $85,390 | $78,740 | $48,530 | $130,820 | 224,220 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Cost Estimators salary after taxes in Santa Cruz
On the average salary of $97,200, a single filer in Santa Cruz takes home about $72,263 a year, or $6,022 a month and $2,779 every two weeks. Taxes take 26% 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 cost estimators? 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 $97,200 buys what about $88,447 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Cruz ($54,730). A typical home costs $1,157,157, or 11.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Cost Estimators salary in other California cities
Santa Cruz ranks 4th of 24 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($109,520).
- San Francisco$109,520
- San Jose$108,990
- Santa Rosa$101,290
- Santa Cruz$97,200
- San Diego$95,670
- Sacramento$95,520
- Fresno$94,070
- Napa$93,830
- Vallejo$93,660
- Salinas$93,330
Highest-paying cities for cost estimators
San Francisco, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($109,520).
- San Francisco, CA$109,520
- San Jose, CA$108,990
- Boston, MA$108,390
- Amherst, MA$102,520
- Santa Rosa, CA$101,290
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Cost Estimators salary in Santa Cruz: questions
How much do cost estimators make an hour in Santa Cruz?
$46.73 an hour on average, and $38.54 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cost estimators salary in Santa Cruz?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $52,520 a year and the 25th percentile is $63,540, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cost estimators take-home pay in Santa Cruz?
About $72,263 a year ($6,022 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $97,200. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do cost estimators earn more in Santa Cruz than elsewhere?
The average here is 14% more than the U.S. average for this job ($85,390).
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 13-1051; area Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA (42100). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 10.5%.
- 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 1.06, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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