Project Management Specialists pay range in Santa Cruz
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $55,040 a year or less, while the top 10% make $167,690 or more. The middle half of project management specialists in Santa Cruz earn between $78,500 and $134,180.
- $55K10th
- $78K25th
- $107KMedian
- $134K75th
- $168K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $111,910 | $9,326 | $53.80 |
| Median | $106,780 | $8,898 | $51.34 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $78,500 | $6,542 | $37.74 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $134,180 | $11,182 | $64.51 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Project Management Specialists pay in Santa Cruz vs. California and the U.S.
Project management specialists in Santa Cruz earn 10% less than the California average ($124,430) and about the same as the U.S. average ($110,740). At the median the gap is +4% against the U.S. median of $102,320.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | $111,910 | $106,780 | $55,040 | $167,690 | 440 |
| California | $124,430 | $120,910 | $69,180 | $188,560 | 114,380 |
| United States | $110,740 | $102,320 | $61,580 | $167,970 | 1,066,670 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Project Management Specialists salary after taxes in Santa Cruz
On the average salary of $111,910, a single filer in Santa Cruz takes home about $81,243 a year, or $6,770 a month and $3,125 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 project management 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 $111,910 buys what about $101,833 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Cruz ($54,730). A typical home costs $1,157,157, or 10.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Project Management Specialists salary in other California cities
Santa Cruz ranks 14th of 25 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($146,170).
- San Jose$146,170
- San Francisco$140,820
- Sacramento$124,130
- San Diego$120,130
- Los Angeles$120,110
- Napa$118,940
- San Luis Obispo$118,060
- Hanford$117,270
- Santa Rosa$115,250
- Santa Cruz$111,910
Highest-paying cities for project management specialists
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($146,170).
- San Jose, CA$146,170
- San Francisco, CA$140,820
- Seattle, WA$133,590
- New York, NY$131,730
- Washington, DC$129,050
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Project Management Specialists salary in Santa Cruz: questions
How much do project management specialists make an hour in Santa Cruz?
$53.80 an hour on average, and $51.34 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level project management specialists salary in Santa Cruz?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $55,040 a year and the 25th percentile is $78,500, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the project management specialists take-home pay in Santa Cruz?
About $81,243 a year ($6,770 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $111,910. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do project management specialists earn more in Santa Cruz than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as the U.S. average for this job ($110,740).
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 13-1082; area Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA (42100). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.2%.
- 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 0.65, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.65).
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