Audio and Video Technicians pay range in Santa Cruz
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,280 a year or less, while the top 10% make $94,680 or more. The middle half of audio and video technicians in Santa Cruz earn between $45,440 and $71,010.
- $38K10th
- $45K25th
- $57KMedian
- $71K75th
- $95K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $62,040 | $5,170 | $29.83 |
| Median | $56,790 | $4,732 | $27.30 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $45,440 | $3,787 | $21.85 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $71,010 | $5,918 | $34.14 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Audio and Video Technicians pay in Santa Cruz vs. California and the U.S.
Audio and video technicians in Santa Cruz earn 15% less than the California average ($73,150) and 4% less than the U.S. average ($64,630). At the median the gap is -2% against the U.S. median of $58,100.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | $62,040 | $56,790 | $38,280 | $94,680 | 40 |
| California | $73,150 | $64,620 | $39,950 | $120,690 | 9,280 |
| United States | $64,630 | $58,100 | $37,990 | $100,650 | 70,230 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Audio and Video Technicians salary after taxes in Santa Cruz
On the average salary of $62,040, a single filer in Santa Cruz takes home about $50,114 a year, or $4,176 a month and $1,927 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% 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 audio and video technicians? 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 $62,040 buys what about $56,453 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Cruz ($54,730). A typical home costs $1,157,157, or 18.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Audio and Video Technicians salary in other California cities
Santa Cruz ranks 10th of 18 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($82,250).
- San Francisco$82,250
- San Jose$81,730
- Los Angeles$74,760
- Santa Maria$70,170
- Salinas$66,950
- Stockton$63,190
- Santa Rosa$62,500
- Sacramento$62,100
- San Diego$62,070
- Santa Cruz$62,040
Highest-paying cities for audio and video technicians
Boston, MA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($82,310).
- Boston, MA$82,310
- San Francisco, CA$82,250
- San Jose, CA$81,730
- Seattle, WA$79,730
- Atlantic City, NJ$78,560
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Audio and Video Technicians salary in Santa Cruz: questions
How much do audio and video technicians make an hour in Santa Cruz?
$29.83 an hour on average, and $27.30 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level audio and video technicians salary in Santa Cruz?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,280 a year and the 25th percentile is $45,440, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the audio and video technicians take-home pay in Santa Cruz?
About $50,114 a year ($4,176 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $62,040. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do audio and video technicians earn more in Santa Cruz than elsewhere?
The average here is 4% less than the U.S. average for this job ($64,630).
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 27-4011; area Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA (42100). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.6%.
- 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 0.80, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.80).
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