Light Truck Drivers pay range in Santa Cruz
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,570 a year or less, while the top 10% make $63,750 or more. The middle half of light truck drivers in Santa Cruz earn between $41,690 and $52,670.
- $39K10th
- $42K25th
- $49KMedian
- $53K75th
- $64K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $50,310 | $4,192 | $24.19 |
| Median | $48,740 | $4,062 | $23.43 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $41,690 | $3,474 | $20.04 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $52,670 | $4,389 | $25.32 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Light Truck Drivers pay in Santa Cruz vs. California and the U.S.
Light truck drivers in Santa Cruz earn 6% less than the California average ($53,310) and 3% more than the U.S. average ($48,770). At the median the gap is +9% against the U.S. median of $44,860.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | $50,310 | $48,740 | $38,570 | $63,750 | 590 |
| California | $53,310 | $46,790 | $36,750 | $93,280 | 111,950 |
| United States | $48,770 | $44,860 | $30,800 | $80,310 | 983,300 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Light Truck Drivers salary after taxes in Santa Cruz
On the average salary of $50,310, a single filer in Santa Cruz takes home about $41,393 a year, or $3,449 a month and $1,592 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% 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 light truck drivers? 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 $50,310 buys what about $45,780 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Cruz ($54,730). A typical home costs $1,157,157, or 23.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Light Truck Drivers salary in other California cities
Santa Cruz ranks 16th of 25 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($58,770).
- San Francisco$58,770
- San Jose$57,840
- Santa Rosa$56,640
- Merced$56,460
- Visalia$54,820
- Yuba City$54,500
- Los Angeles$54,000
- Salinas$52,220
- Stockton$52,170
- Santa Cruz$50,310
Highest-paying cities for light truck drivers
Anchorage, AK pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($64,130).
- Anchorage, AK$64,130
- Memphis, TN$59,140
- San Francisco, CA$58,770
- Decatur, IL$57,850
- San Jose, CA$57,840
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Light Truck Drivers salary in Santa Cruz: questions
How much do light truck drivers make an hour in Santa Cruz?
$24.19 an hour on average, and $23.43 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level light truck drivers salary in Santa Cruz?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,570 a year and the 25th percentile is $41,690, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the light truck drivers take-home pay in Santa Cruz?
About $41,393 a year ($3,449 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $50,310. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do light truck drivers earn more in Santa Cruz than elsewhere?
The average here is 3% more than the U.S. average for this job ($48,770).
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 53-3033; area Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA (42100). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.1%.
- 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 0.95, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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