Financial Risk Specialists pay range in Santa Cruz
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $86,320 a year or less, while the top 10% make $135,620 or more. The middle half of financial risk specialists in Santa Cruz earn between $87,360 and $135,480.
- $86K10th
- $87K25th
- $101KMedian
- $135K75th
- $136K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $108,490 | $9,041 | $52.16 |
| Median | $101,280 | $8,440 | $48.69 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $87,360 | $7,280 | $42.00 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $135,480 | $11,290 | $65.13 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Financial Risk Specialists pay in Santa Cruz vs. California and the U.S.
Financial risk specialists in Santa Cruz earn 21% less than the California average ($137,030) and 13% less than the U.S. average ($124,420). At the median the gap is -14% against the U.S. median of $117,330.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | $108,490 | $101,280 | $86,320 | $135,620 | 40 |
| California | $137,030 | $129,110 | $76,610 | $208,360 | 5,740 |
| United States | $124,420 | $117,330 | $64,820 | $196,110 | 63,850 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Financial Risk Specialists salary after taxes in Santa Cruz
On the average salary of $108,490, a single filer in Santa Cruz takes home about $79,155 a year, or $6,596 a month and $3,044 every two weeks. Taxes take 27% 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 financial risk specialists? 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 $108,490 buys what about $98,721 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Cruz ($54,730). A typical home costs $1,157,157, or 10.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Financial Risk Specialists salary in other California cities
Santa Cruz ranks 6th of 9 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($162,550).
- San Jose$162,550
- San Francisco$159,040
- Sacramento$127,920
- San Diego$126,310
- Los Angeles$123,400
- Santa Cruz$108,490
- Riverside$104,540
- Oxnard$101,580
- Fresno$99,680
Highest-paying cities for financial risk specialists
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($162,550).
- San Jose, CA$162,550
- San Francisco, CA$159,040
- New York, NY$155,130
- Bridgeport, CT$146,120
- Charlotte, NC$144,270
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Financial Risk Specialists salary in Santa Cruz: questions
How much do financial risk specialists make an hour in Santa Cruz?
$52.16 an hour on average, and $48.69 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level financial risk specialists salary in Santa Cruz?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $86,320 a year and the 25th percentile is $87,360, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the financial risk specialists take-home pay in Santa Cruz?
About $79,155 a year ($6,596 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $108,490. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do financial risk specialists earn more in Santa Cruz than elsewhere?
The average here is 13% less than the U.S. average for this job ($124,420).
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 13-2054; area Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA (42100). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 8.3%.
- 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 0.92, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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