Pharmacists pay range in Santa Cruz
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $131,330 a year or less, while the top 10% make $220,760 or more. The middle half of pharmacists in Santa Cruz earn between $139,170 and $185,430.
- $131K10th
- $139K25th
- $162KMedian
- $185K75th
- $221K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $162,700 | $13,558 | $78.22 |
| Median | $161,940 | $13,495 | $77.86 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $139,170 | $11,598 | $66.91 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $185,430 | $15,452 | $89.15 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Pharmacists pay in Santa Cruz vs. California and the U.S.
Pharmacists in Santa Cruz earn about the same as the California average ($162,340) and 15% more than the U.S. average ($140,920). At the median the gap is +15% against the U.S. median of $140,910.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | $162,700 | $161,940 | $131,330 | $220,760 | 170 |
| California | $162,340 | $164,610 | $90,560 | $213,820 | 34,030 |
| United States | $140,920 | $140,910 | $99,290 | $174,230 | 321,970 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Pharmacists salary after taxes in Santa Cruz
On the average salary of $162,700, a single filer in Santa Cruz takes home about $111,432 a year, or $9,286 a month and $4,286 every two weeks. Taxes take 32% 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 pharmacists? 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 $162,700 buys what about $148,049 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 3.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Cruz ($54,730). A typical home costs $1,157,157, or 7.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Pharmacists salary in other California cities
Santa Cruz ranks 12th of 25 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($190,370).
- San Jose$190,370
- Napa$186,750
- San Francisco$184,540
- Santa Rosa$175,910
- Sacramento$169,660
- Vallejo$169,600
- San Luis Obispo$168,490
- San Diego$167,490
- Salinas$164,590
- Santa Cruz$162,700
Highest-paying cities for pharmacists
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($190,370).
- San Jose, CA$190,370
- Napa, CA$186,750
- San Francisco, CA$184,540
- Florence, SC$184,250
- Santa Rosa, CA$175,910
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Pharmacists salary in Santa Cruz: questions
How much do pharmacists make an hour in Santa Cruz?
$78.22 an hour on average, and $77.86 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level pharmacists salary in Santa Cruz?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $131,330 a year and the 25th percentile is $139,170, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the pharmacists take-home pay in Santa Cruz?
About $111,432 a year ($9,286 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $162,700. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do pharmacists earn more in Santa Cruz than elsewhere?
The average here is 15% more than the U.S. average for this job ($140,920).
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 29-1051; area Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA (42100). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.5%.
- 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 0.85, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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