Paycheck Atlas

Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop salary in Santa Cruz, CA

The median hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA earns $36,050 a year, 16% above the US median. After tax that is roughly $2,385 a month.

10th percentile
$34,540
25th percentile
$35,400
Median percentile
$36,050
75th percentile
$37,660
90th percentile
$44,500

Based on 280 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

$28,623 take-home a year
Gross pay$36,050
Federal income tax−$2,146
Social Security + Medicare−$2,758
California income tax (approx.)−$2,524
Monthly take-home$2,385
Every two weeks$1,101

Does it go far here?

$32,804Median pay in Santa Cruz, CA is worth this at average US prices (local price level 109.9 vs 100).
95%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 hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop salaries · Take-home pay in California