Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers pay range in Santa Cruz
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,130 a year or less, while the top 10% make $45,900 or more. The middle half of laundry and dry-cleaning workers in Santa Cruz earn between $36,950 and $41,080.
- $36K10th
- $37K25th
- $38KMedian
- $41K75th
- $46K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $40,230 | $3,352 | $19.34 |
| Median | $37,910 | $3,159 | $18.23 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $36,950 | $3,079 | $17.76 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $41,080 | $3,423 | $19.75 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers pay in Santa Cruz vs. California and the U.S.
Laundry and dry-cleaning workers in Santa Cruz earn about the same as the California average ($39,750) and 15% more than the U.S. average ($34,920). At the median the gap is +9% against the U.S. median of $34,890.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | $40,230 | $37,910 | $36,130 | $45,900 | 110 |
| California | $39,750 | $37,790 | $35,450 | $46,240 | 21,940 |
| United States | $34,920 | $34,890 | $27,440 | $43,190 | 198,040 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers salary after taxes in Santa Cruz
On the average salary of $40,230, a single filer in Santa Cruz takes home about $33,760 a year, or $2,813 a month and $1,298 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% 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 laundry and dry-cleaning workers? 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 $40,230 buys what about $36,607 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Cruz ($54,730). A typical home costs $1,157,157, or 28.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers salary in other California cities
Santa Cruz ranks 7th of 21 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($45,310).
- San Jose$45,310
- San Francisco$44,360
- Napa$43,190
- Santa Rosa$41,560
- Vallejo$40,690
- Salinas$40,300
- Santa Cruz$40,230
- Santa Maria$39,920
- San Diego$39,830
- Los Angeles$39,240
Highest-paying cities for laundry and dry-cleaning workers
Denver, CO pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($49,790).
- Denver, CO$49,790
- San Jose, CA$45,310
- San Francisco, CA$44,360
- Napa, CA$43,190
- Seattle, WA$43,040
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Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers salary in Santa Cruz: questions
How much do laundry and dry-cleaning workers make an hour in Santa Cruz?
$19.34 an hour on average, and $18.23 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level laundry and dry-cleaning workers salary in Santa Cruz?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,130 a year and the 25th percentile is $36,950, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the laundry and dry-cleaning workers take-home pay in Santa Cruz?
About $33,760 a year ($2,813 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $40,230. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do laundry and dry-cleaning workers earn more in Santa Cruz than elsewhere?
The average here is 15% more than the U.S. average for this job ($34,920).
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 51-6011; area Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA (42100). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.1%.
- 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 0.88, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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