Editors pay range in Santa Cruz
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $39,260 a year or less, while the top 10% make $117,720 or more. The middle half of editors in Santa Cruz earn between $42,020 and $93,120.
- $39K10th
- $42K25th
- $78KMedian
- $93K75th
- $118K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $73,750 | $6,146 | $35.46 |
| Median | $77,890 | $6,491 | $37.45 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $42,020 | $3,502 | $20.20 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $93,120 | $7,760 | $44.77 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Editors pay in Santa Cruz vs. California and the U.S.
Editors in Santa Cruz earn 34% less than the California average ($111,810) and 18% less than the U.S. average ($90,060). At the median the gap is -0% against the U.S. median of $77,920.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | $73,750 | $77,890 | $39,260 | $117,720 | 30 |
| California | $111,810 | $98,030 | $52,510 | $173,590 | 14,830 |
| United States | $90,060 | $77,920 | $41,250 | $153,700 | 91,690 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Editors salary after taxes in Santa Cruz
On the average salary of $73,750, a single filer in Santa Cruz takes home about $57,886 a year, or $4,824 a month and $2,226 every two weeks. Taxes take 22% 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 editors? 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 $73,750 buys what about $67,109 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.4 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Cruz ($54,730). A typical home costs $1,157,157, or 15.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Editors salary in other California cities
Santa Cruz ranks 15th of 15 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($120,530).
- San Jose$120,530
- Los Angeles$119,300
- San Francisco$114,540
- Santa Rosa$95,580
- Sacramento$88,410
- Oxnard$86,840
- San Diego$84,000
- San Luis Obispo$82,570
- Fresno$78,580
- Santa Cruz$73,750
Highest-paying cities for editors
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($120,530).
- San Jose, CA$120,530
- Los Angeles, CA$119,300
- New York, NY$119,160
- San Francisco, CA$114,540
- Waterbury, CT$110,240
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Editors salary in Santa Cruz: questions
How much do editors make an hour in Santa Cruz?
$35.46 an hour on average, and $37.45 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level editors salary in Santa Cruz?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $39,260 a year and the 25th percentile is $42,020, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the editors take-home pay in Santa Cruz?
About $57,886 a year ($4,824 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $73,750. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do editors earn more in Santa Cruz than elsewhere?
The average here is 18% less than the U.S. average for this job ($90,060).
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 27-3041; area Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA (42100). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 10.4%.
- 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 0.53, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.53).
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