Paycheck Atlas

Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors salary in Santa Cruz, CA

The median educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA earns $74,990 a year, 17% above the US median. After tax that is roughly $4,695 a month.

10th percentile
$62,600
25th percentile
$74,990
Median percentile
$74,990
75th percentile
$93,700
90th percentile
$131,190

Based on 550 employed. Data period: BLS OEWS May 2025. Percentiles show the spread of pay, not experience; reading the 25th percentile as "entry level" is only an approximation.

What you keep

$56,336 take-home a year
Gross pay$74,990
Federal income tax−$7,668
Social Security + Medicare−$5,737
California income tax (approx.)−$5,249
Monthly take-home$4,695
Every two weeks$2,167

Does it go far here?

$68,237Median pay in Santa Cruz, CA is worth this at average US prices (local price level 109.9 vs 100).
48%of take-home pay goes to the median rent ($2,264 a month, Census ACS).

Top-paying jobs in Santa Cruz, CA

JobMedian pay
Registered Nurses$170,960
Software Developers$156,910
Sales Managers$117,090
General and Operations Managers$105,360
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$99,260
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$98,810
Accountants and Auditors$84,920
Business Operations Specialists, All Other$84,010

All educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors salaries · Take-home pay in California