Substitute Teachers, Short-Term pay range in Santa Cruz
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $43,150 a year or less, while the top 10% make $59,900 or more. The middle half of substitute teachers, short-term in Santa Cruz earn between $59,900 and $59,900.
- $43K10th
- $60K25th
- $60KMedian
- $60K75th
- $60K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $58,810 | $4,901 | $28.27 |
| Median | $59,900 | $4,992 | $28.80 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $59,900 | $4,992 | $28.80 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $59,900 | $4,992 | $28.80 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term pay in Santa Cruz vs. California and the U.S.
Substitute teachers, short-term in Santa Cruz earn 7% less than the California average ($62,910) and 27% more than the U.S. average ($46,420). At the median the gap is +44% against the U.S. median of $41,670.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | $58,810 | $59,900 | $43,150 | $59,900 | 1,070 |
| California | $62,910 | $60,300 | $39,040 | $78,670 | 115,660 |
| United States | $46,420 | $41,670 | $28,560 | $65,790 | 524,770 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term salary after taxes in Santa Cruz
On the average salary of $58,810, a single filer in Santa Cruz takes home about $47,713 a year, or $3,976 a month and $1,835 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% 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 substitute teachers, short-term? 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 $58,810 buys what about $53,514 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Cruz ($54,730). A typical home costs $1,157,157, or 19.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term salary in other California cities
Santa Cruz ranks 21st of 25 California metro areas for this job; Napa pays the most ($72,780).
Highest-paying cities for substitute teachers, short-term
Anchorage, AK pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($85,170).
- Anchorage, AK$85,170
- Omaha, NE$76,970
- Napa, CA$72,780
- Fresno, CA$72,220
- Modesto, CA$70,990
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Substitute Teachers, Short-Term salary in Santa Cruz: questions
How much do substitute teachers, short-term make an hour in Santa Cruz?
$28.27 an hour on average, and $28.80 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level substitute teachers, short-term salary in Santa Cruz?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $43,150 a year and the 25th percentile is $59,900, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the substitute teachers, short-term take-home pay in Santa Cruz?
About $47,713 a year ($3,976 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $58,810. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do substitute teachers, short-term earn more in Santa Cruz than elsewhere?
The average here is 27% more than the U.S. average for this job ($46,420).
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 25-3031; area Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA (42100). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.8%.
- 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 3.22, this job is 3.2 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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