Benchmark Salary Information
Rankings for Santa Cruz-Watsonville
Compared to California
Santa Cruz-Watsonville Social Workers earn an average of $69,210 or $33.28 per hour which is 6% more than the California average salary of $64,940.
| Average | Santa Cruz-Watsonville | California | % Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wage | $33.28 | $31.22 | 6.60% |
| Annual Salary | $69,210 | $64,940 | 6.58% |
Compared to the U.S.
Santa Cruz-Watsonville Social Workers earn an average of $69,210 or $33.28 per hour which is 26% more than the U.S. average salary of $54,880.
| Average | Santa Cruz-Watsonville | U.S. | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wage | $33.28 | $26.39 | 26.11% |
| Annual Salary | $69,210 | $54,880 | 26.11% |
Salary Adjusted for Cost-of-Living
When adjusted for cost-of-living, Social Workers in Santa Cruz-Watsonville earns an average annual salary of $63,252 which compares to the California average annual salary of $64,940. per year.
Cost-of-living in Santa Cruz-Watsonville is 9% higher than the California average, which means Santa Cruz-Watsonville residents have an overall higher cost for food, housing, utilities and transportation compared to California average.
| Location | Average Annual Wage | Cost of Living | Adjusted COL Wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $69,210 | 109.42% | $63,252 |
| California | $64,940 | 110.38% | $58,833 |
| U.S. | $54,880 | – | $54,880 |
Salary Ranges for Education and Experience
In Santa Cruz-Watsonville, 50% of Social Workers earn between $49,870 and $97,410 a year, depending on factors such as level of education, experience, location and place of employment.
About 10% of Social Workers earn more than $97,480, which is a rate for highly skilled, experienced and educated Social Workers.
Approximately 10% of Social Workers earn under $39,000, a rate generally reserved for less experienced or entry level Social Workers.
| Percent | Experience | Employed | Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | Less than a Year | 29 | Under $39,000 |
| 15% | 2 – 4 years | 44 | $39,000 – $49,870 |
| 25% | 5 – 9 years | 72 | $49,870 – $64,090 |
| 25% | 10 – 14 years | 72 | $64,090 – $97,410 |
| 15% | 15 – 20 years | 44 | $64,090 – $97,480 |
| 10% | 20+ years | 29 | Above $97,480 |
Salary Compared to Related Professions
With an average annual salary of $69,210, Santa Cruz-Watsonville Social Workers tend to earn less than Clinical and Counseling Psychologists ($101,310), School Psychologists ($95,160), and Health Care Social Workers ($80,990).
However, Social Workers tend to earn more than Substance Abuse Counselors ($54,150), and Marriage and Family Therapists ($68,060).
| Title | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | $101,310 |
| School Psychologists | $95,160 |
| Health Care Social Workers | $80,990 |
| Social Workers | $69,210 |
| Marriage and Family Therapists | $68,060 |
| Substance Abuse Counselors | $54,150 |
FAQ for Santa Cruz-Watsonville Social Workers
Additional Salary Reports for Social Workers in California cities and Metros and U.S. States.
Official Data Sources for Social Workers: Salary Data | Projected Employment | Cost of Living Data