Architectural and Engineering Managers pay range in Santa Cruz
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $127,890 a year or less, while the top 10% make $283,380 or more. The middle half of architectural and engineering managers in Santa Cruz earn between $147,180 and $230,430.
- $128K10th
- $147K25th
- $207KMedian
- $230K75th
- $283K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $199,890 | $16,658 | $96.10 |
| Median | $206,880 | $17,240 | $99.46 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $147,180 | $12,265 | $70.76 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $230,430 | $19,202 | $110.78 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Architectural and Engineering Managers salary after taxes in Santa Cruz
On the average salary of $199,890, a single filer in Santa Cruz takes home about $134,347 a year, or $11,196 a month and $5,167 every two weeks. Taxes take 33% 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 architectural and engineering managers? 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 $199,890 buys what about $181,890 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 3.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Cruz ($54,730). A typical home costs $1,157,157, or 5.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Architectural and Engineering Managers salary in other California cities
Santa Cruz ranks 7th of 21 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($252,690).
- San Jose$252,690
- San Francisco$236,870
- San Diego$202,110
- Santa Rosa$201,640
- San Luis Obispo$201,490
- Santa Maria$201,470
- Santa Cruz$199,890
- Los Angeles$197,390
- Sacramento$195,990
- Oxnard$193,510
All Architectural and Engineering Managers salaries in California
Highest-paying cities for architectural and engineering managers
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($252,690).
- San Jose, CA$252,690
- San Francisco, CA$236,870
- Albuquerque, NM$214,950
- Naples, FL$209,110
- Midland, TX$205,810
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Architectural and Engineering Managers salary in Santa Cruz: questions
How much do architectural and engineering managers make an hour in Santa Cruz?
$96.10 an hour on average, and $99.46 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level architectural and engineering managers salary in Santa Cruz?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $127,890 a year and the 25th percentile is $147,180, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the architectural and engineering managers take-home pay in Santa Cruz?
About $134,347 a year ($11,196 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $199,890. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do architectural and engineering managers earn more in Santa Cruz than elsewhere?
The average here is 9% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($183,163).
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 11-9041; area Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA (42100). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.1%.
- 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 0.54, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.54).
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