Public Relations Specialists pay range in Santa Cruz
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $49,020 a year or less, while the top 10% make $128,700 or more. The middle half of public relations specialists in Santa Cruz earn between $64,080 and $104,620.
- $49K10th
- $64K25th
- $83KMedian
- $105K75th
- $129K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $88,000 | $7,333 | $42.31 |
| Median | $83,180 | $6,932 | $39.99 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $64,080 | $5,340 | $30.81 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $104,620 | $8,718 | $50.30 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Public Relations Specialists pay in Santa Cruz vs. California and the U.S.
Public relations specialists in Santa Cruz earn 9% less than the California average ($97,140) and 5% more than the U.S. average ($84,120). At the median the gap is +11% against the U.S. median of $74,750.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | $88,000 | $83,180 | $49,020 | $128,700 | 180 |
| California | $97,140 | $85,030 | $49,550 | $160,520 | 32,710 |
| United States | $84,120 | $74,750 | $44,110 | $135,150 | 283,380 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Public Relations Specialists salary after taxes in Santa Cruz
On the average salary of $88,000, a single filer in Santa Cruz takes home about $66,646 a year, or $5,554 a month and $2,563 every two weeks. Taxes take 24% 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 public relations 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 $88,000 buys what about $80,076 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Cruz ($54,730). A typical home costs $1,157,157, or 13.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Public Relations Specialists salary in other California cities
Santa Cruz ranks 12th of 24 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($126,870).
- San Jose$126,870
- San Francisco$114,310
- Napa$98,950
- El Centro$96,000
- Sacramento$95,120
- San Diego$93,200
- Vallejo$91,520
- Oxnard$91,410
- Los Angeles$89,790
- Santa Cruz$88,000
Highest-paying cities for public relations specialists
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($126,870).
- San Jose, CA$126,870
- Washington, DC$116,930
- San Francisco, CA$114,310
- Lexington Park, MD$107,990
- Kennewick, WA$102,230
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Public Relations Specialists salary in Santa Cruz: questions
How much do public relations specialists make an hour in Santa Cruz?
$42.31 an hour on average, and $39.99 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level public relations specialists salary in Santa Cruz?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $49,020 a year and the 25th percentile is $64,080, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the public relations specialists take-home pay in Santa Cruz?
About $66,646 a year ($5,554 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $88,000. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do public relations specialists earn more in Santa Cruz than elsewhere?
The average here is 5% more than the U.S. average for this job ($84,120).
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 27-3031; area Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA (42100). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.9%.
- 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 1.01, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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