Tutors pay range in Santa Cruz
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,490 a year or less, while the top 10% make $59,150 or more. The middle half of tutors in Santa Cruz earn between $38,400 and $50,590.
- $36K10th
- $38K25th
- $42KMedian
- $51K75th
- $59K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $46,180 | $3,848 | $22.20 |
| Median | $42,290 | $3,524 | $20.33 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $38,400 | $3,200 | $18.46 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $50,590 | $4,216 | $24.32 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Tutors pay in Santa Cruz vs. California and the U.S.
Tutors in Santa Cruz earn 6% less than the California average ($48,960) and 4% less than the U.S. average ($48,050). At the median the gap is -2% against the U.S. median of $43,350.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | $46,180 | $42,290 | $36,490 | $59,150 | 180 |
| California | $48,960 | $45,100 | $35,550 | $63,790 | 45,370 |
| United States | $48,050 | $43,350 | $29,430 | $75,990 | 175,070 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Tutors salary after taxes in Santa Cruz
On the average salary of $46,180, a single filer in Santa Cruz takes home about $38,303 a year, or $3,192 a month and $1,473 every two weeks. Taxes take 17% 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 tutors? 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 $46,180 buys what about $42,022 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Cruz ($54,730). A typical home costs $1,157,157, or 25.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Tutors salary in other California cities
Santa Cruz ranks 16th of 22 California metro areas for this job; San Diego pays the most ($55,710).
- San Diego$55,710
- San Jose$55,040
- San Francisco$54,740
- El Centro$50,430
- Santa Rosa$49,370
- Oxnard$49,150
- Vallejo$48,960
- Merced$48,370
- Los Angeles$48,030
- Santa Cruz$46,180
Highest-paying cities for tutors
Casper, WY pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($101,050).
- Casper, WY$101,050
- Waterloo, IA$76,550
- Lexington Park, MD$74,760
- Amherst, MA$71,850
- Providence, RI$69,510
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Tutors salary in Santa Cruz: questions
How much do tutors make an hour in Santa Cruz?
$22.20 an hour on average, and $20.33 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level tutors salary in Santa Cruz?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,490 a year and the 25th percentile is $38,400, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the tutors take-home pay in Santa Cruz?
About $38,303 a year ($3,192 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $46,180. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do tutors earn more in Santa Cruz than elsewhere?
The average here is 4% less than the U.S. average for this job ($48,050).
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 25-3041; area Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA (42100). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.9%.
- 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 1.65, this job is 1.6 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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