Compliance Officers pay range in Santa Cruz
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $50,540 a year or less, while the top 10% make $153,500 or more. The middle half of compliance officers in Santa Cruz earn between $65,810 and $124,410.
- $51K10th
- $66K25th
- $87KMedian
- $124K75th
- $154K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $99,250 | $8,271 | $47.72 |
| Median | $86,510 | $7,209 | $41.59 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $65,810 | $5,484 | $31.64 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $124,410 | $10,368 | $59.81 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Compliance Officers pay in Santa Cruz vs. California and the U.S.
Compliance officers in Santa Cruz earn 3% less than the California average ($102,490) and 12% more than the U.S. average ($88,400). At the median the gap is +7% against the U.S. median of $80,730.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | $99,250 | $86,510 | $50,540 | $153,500 | 200 |
| California | $102,490 | $96,980 | $57,530 | $158,280 | 49,880 |
| United States | $88,400 | $80,730 | $48,220 | $133,720 | 417,070 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Compliance Officers salary after taxes in Santa Cruz
On the average salary of $99,250, a single filer in Santa Cruz takes home about $73,514 a year, or $6,126 a month and $2,827 every two weeks. Taxes take 26% 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 compliance officers? 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 $99,250 buys what about $90,313 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Cruz ($54,730). A typical home costs $1,157,157, or 11.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Compliance Officers salary in other California cities
Santa Cruz ranks 6th of 25 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($128,490).
- San Jose$128,490
- San Francisco$122,140
- San Diego$101,860
- El Centro$101,630
- Sacramento$99,500
- Santa Cruz$99,250
- San Luis Obispo$99,070
- Los Angeles$98,740
- Oxnard$98,200
- Santa Rosa$96,580
Highest-paying cities for compliance officers
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($128,490).
- San Jose, CA$128,490
- San Francisco, CA$122,140
- Boston, MA$110,840
- Ann Arbor, MI$109,320
- Idaho Falls, ID$106,100
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Compliance Officers salary in Santa Cruz: questions
How much do compliance officers make an hour in Santa Cruz?
$47.72 an hour on average, and $41.59 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level compliance officers salary in Santa Cruz?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $50,540 a year and the 25th percentile is $65,810, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the compliance officers take-home pay in Santa Cruz?
About $73,514 a year ($6,126 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $99,250. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do compliance officers earn more in Santa Cruz than elsewhere?
The average here is 12% more than the U.S. average for this job ($88,400).
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 13-1041; area Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA (42100). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.7%.
- 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 0.76, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.76).
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