Producers and Directors pay range in Santa Cruz
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $46,770 a year or less, while the top 10% make $159,500 or more. The middle half of producers and directors in Santa Cruz earn between $56,570 and $106,310.
- $47K10th
- $57K25th
- $78KMedian
- $106K75th
- $160K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $89,930 | $7,494 | $43.24 |
| Median | $77,530 | $6,461 | $37.27 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $56,570 | $4,714 | $27.20 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $106,310 | $8,859 | $51.11 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Producers and Directors pay in Santa Cruz vs. California and the U.S.
Producers and directors in Santa Cruz earn 42% less than the California average ($155,750) and 21% less than the U.S. average ($113,300). At the median the gap is -14% against the U.S. median of $90,360.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | $89,930 | $77,530 | $46,770 | $159,500 | 80 |
| California | $155,750 | $129,790 | $63,570 | $306,850 | 34,110 |
| United States | $113,300 | $90,360 | $45,780 | $198,540 | 143,120 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Producers and Directors salary after taxes in Santa Cruz
On the average salary of $89,930, a single filer in Santa Cruz takes home about $67,824 a year, or $5,652 a month and $2,609 every two weeks. Taxes take 25% 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 producers and directors? 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 $89,930 buys what about $81,832 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 12.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Producers and Directors salary in other California cities
Santa Cruz ranks 11th of 12 California metro areas for this job; Los Angeles pays the most ($159,390).
- Los Angeles$159,390
- San Francisco$157,900
- Riverside$124,950
- San Diego$122,920
- Salinas$115,510
- Redding$111,960
- Vallejo$101,070
- Bakersfield$99,360
- Fresno$93,610
- Santa Cruz$89,930
Highest-paying cities for producers and directors
Los Angeles, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($159,390).
- Los Angeles, CA$159,390
- San Francisco, CA$157,900
- New York, NY$137,130
- Riverside, CA$124,950
- San Diego, CA$122,920
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Producers and Directors salary in Santa Cruz: questions
How much do producers and directors make an hour in Santa Cruz?
$43.24 an hour on average, and $37.27 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level producers and directors salary in Santa Cruz?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $46,770 a year and the 25th percentile is $56,570, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the producers and directors take-home pay in Santa Cruz?
About $67,824 a year ($5,652 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $89,930. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do producers and directors earn more in Santa Cruz than elsewhere?
The average here is 21% less than the U.S. average for this job ($113,300).
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 27-2012; area Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA (42100). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 9.6%.
- 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 0.87, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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