File Clerks pay range in Santa Cruz
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,220 a year or less, while the top 10% make $74,170 or more. The middle half of file clerks in Santa Cruz earn between $40,800 and $60,530.
- $37K10th
- $41K25th
- $61KMedian
- $61K75th
- $74K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $54,560 | $4,547 | $26.23 |
| Median | $60,530 | $5,044 | $29.10 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $40,800 | $3,400 | $19.62 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $60,530 | $5,044 | $29.10 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
File Clerks pay in Santa Cruz vs. California and the U.S.
File clerks in Santa Cruz earn about the same as the California average ($53,640) and 20% more than the U.S. average ($45,590). At the median the gap is +39% against the U.S. median of $43,600.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | $54,560 | $60,530 | $37,220 | $74,170 | 60 |
| California | $53,640 | $49,040 | $36,780 | $78,100 | 9,520 |
| United States | $45,590 | $43,600 | $31,200 | $63,490 | 73,440 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
File Clerks salary after taxes in Santa Cruz
On the average salary of $54,560, a single filer in Santa Cruz takes home about $44,553 a year, or $3,713 a month and $1,714 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% 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 file clerks? 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 $54,560 buys what about $49,647 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 21.2 years of this average salary before tax.
File Clerks salary in other California cities
Santa Cruz ranks 6th of 23 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($65,520).
- San Jose$65,520
- San Francisco$60,000
- Napa$58,830
- Salinas$56,620
- Vallejo$54,610
- Santa Cruz$54,560
- Hanford$54,120
- Stockton$53,620
- San Diego$53,530
- Sacramento$53,440
Highest-paying cities for file clerks
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($65,520).
- San Jose, CA$65,520
- San Francisco, CA$60,000
- Napa, CA$58,830
- Salinas, CA$56,620
- Chicago, IL$55,780
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File Clerks salary in Santa Cruz: questions
How much do file clerks make an hour in Santa Cruz?
$26.23 an hour on average, and $29.10 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level file clerks salary in Santa Cruz?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,220 a year and the 25th percentile is $40,800, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the file clerks take-home pay in Santa Cruz?
About $44,553 a year ($3,713 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $54,560. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do file clerks earn more in Santa Cruz than elsewhere?
The average here is 20% more than the U.S. average for this job ($45,590).
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 43-4071; area Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA (42100). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.1%.
- 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 1.38, this job is 1.4 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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