Cashiers pay range in Santa Cruz
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,720 a year or less, while the top 10% make $51,570 or more. The middle half of cashiers in Santa Cruz earn between $36,430 and $42,940.
- $36K10th
- $36K25th
- $37KMedian
- $43K75th
- $52K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $40,710 | $3,392 | $19.57 |
| Median | $37,390 | $3,116 | $17.98 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $36,430 | $3,036 | $17.51 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $42,940 | $3,578 | $20.64 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cashiers pay in Santa Cruz vs. California and the U.S.
Cashiers in Santa Cruz earn about the same as the California average ($40,060) and 23% more than the U.S. average ($33,180). At the median the gap is +14% against the U.S. median of $32,880.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | $40,710 | $37,390 | $35,720 | $51,570 | 2,530 |
| California | $40,060 | $37,100 | $34,760 | $48,950 | 336,110 |
| United States | $33,180 | $32,880 | $24,530 | $40,410 | 3,089,410 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Cashiers salary after taxes in Santa Cruz
On the average salary of $40,710, a single filer in Santa Cruz takes home about $34,126 a year, or $2,844 a month and $1,313 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% 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 cashiers? 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 $40,710 buys what about $37,044 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Cruz ($54,730). A typical home costs $1,157,157, or 28.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Cashiers salary in other California cities
Santa Cruz ranks 6th of 25 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($45,090).
- San Jose$45,090
- San Francisco$43,260
- Santa Rosa$41,880
- Napa$41,240
- Vallejo$40,940
- Santa Cruz$40,710
- Salinas$40,040
- San Diego$39,820
- Santa Maria$39,780
- San Luis Obispo$39,740
Highest-paying cities for cashiers
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($45,090).
- San Jose, CA$45,090
- Seattle, WA$44,720
- San Francisco, CA$43,260
- Kahului, HI$42,430
- Santa Rosa, CA$41,880
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Cashiers salary in Santa Cruz: questions
How much do cashiers make an hour in Santa Cruz?
$19.57 an hour on average, and $17.97 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cashiers salary in Santa Cruz?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,720 a year and the 25th percentile is $36,430, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cashiers take-home pay in Santa Cruz?
About $34,126 a year ($2,844 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $40,710. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do cashiers earn more in Santa Cruz than elsewhere?
The average here is 23% more than the U.S. average for this job ($33,180).
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 41-2011; area Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA (42100). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.9%.
- 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 1.29, this job is 1.3 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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