Museum Technicians and Conservators pay range in Santa Cruz
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,230 a year or less, while the top 10% make $93,400 or more. The middle half of museum technicians and conservators in Santa Cruz earn between $58,790 and $75,100.
- $48K10th
- $59K25th
- $75KMedian
- $75K75th
- $93K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $69,180 | $5,765 | $33.26 |
| Median | $75,100 | $6,258 | $36.11 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $58,790 | $4,899 | $28.26 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $75,100 | $6,258 | $36.11 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Museum Technicians and Conservators pay in Santa Cruz vs. California and the U.S.
Museum technicians and conservators in Santa Cruz earn 8% more than the California average ($64,000) and 21% more than the U.S. average ($57,410). At the median the gap is +46% against the U.S. median of $51,440.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | $69,180 | $75,100 | $48,230 | $93,400 | 30 |
| California | $64,000 | $61,550 | $39,660 | $86,200 | 1,610 |
| United States | $57,410 | $51,440 | $33,780 | $87,530 | 12,310 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Museum Technicians and Conservators salary after taxes in Santa Cruz
On the average salary of $69,180, a single filer in Santa Cruz takes home about $55,036 a year, or $4,586 a month and $2,117 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% 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 museum technicians and conservators? 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 $69,180 buys what about $62,950 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.4 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Cruz ($54,730). A typical home costs $1,157,157, or 16.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Museum Technicians and Conservators salary in other California cities
Santa Cruz ranks 2nd of 9 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($74,400).
- San Francisco$74,400
- Santa Cruz$69,180
- Riverside$67,070
- San Jose$64,200
- Los Angeles$63,560
- Sacramento$59,710
- Santa Maria$58,660
- San Diego$56,350
- Fresno$44,580
All Museum Technicians and Conservators salaries in California
Highest-paying cities for museum technicians and conservators
Washington, DC pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($82,630).
- Washington, DC$82,630
- New York, NY$76,720
- San Francisco, CA$74,400
- Albany, NY$70,470
- Santa Cruz, CA$69,180
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Museum Technicians and Conservators salary in Santa Cruz: questions
How much do museum technicians and conservators make an hour in Santa Cruz?
$33.26 an hour on average, and $36.11 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level museum technicians and conservators salary in Santa Cruz?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,230 a year and the 25th percentile is $58,790, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the museum technicians and conservators take-home pay in Santa Cruz?
About $55,036 a year ($4,586 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $69,180. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do museum technicians and conservators earn more in Santa Cruz than elsewhere?
The average here is 21% more than the U.S. average for this job ($57,410).
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 25-4013; 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 4.00, this job is 4.0 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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