Computer User Support Specialist salary in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
Computer User Support Specialists in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area earn a median of $75,720 a year ($36.41 an hour), based on BLS data for 210 workers.
Pay ranges from $49,490 for the lowest-paid 10% to $113,500 for the top 10%. That is 22% higher than the national median of $61,860. Pay here is 5% lower than the California statewide median of $79,570. There are 2.2 computer user support specialists per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.47). The average (mean) salary is $78,680, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for computer user support specialists in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $49,490 | $23.79 |
| 25th percentile | $61,780 | $29.70 |
| Median | $75,720 | $36.41 |
| 75th percentile | $95,260 | $45.80 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $113,500 | $54.57 |
| Average (mean) | $78,680 | $37.83 |
Half of computer user support specialists earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $6,310 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $3,155 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,912.31 |
| Weekly | $1,456.15 |
| Hourly | $36.41 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Computer User Support Specialist salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $106,040 | 13,820 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $93,590 | 5,790 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $89,440 | 10,770 |
| Vallejo, CA | $81,280 | 330 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $80,520 | 960 |
| Napa, CA | $79,050 | 160 |
| Yuba City, CA | $78,420 | 160 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $76,900 | 520 |
| El Centro, CA | $75,460 | 130 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $75,070 | 20,660 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $74,020 | 5,260 |
| Salinas, CA | $73,540 | 340 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $72,140 | 3,540 |
| Redding, CA | $71,940 | 160 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $71,770 | 280 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $71,620 | 860 |
| Merced, CA | $69,610 | 110 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $69,070 | 550 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $66,540 | 90 |
| Modesto, CA | $66,390 | 360 |
| Visalia, CA | $63,590 | 330 |
| Fresno, CA | $63,370 | 1,190 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $62,980 | 780 |
| Chico, CA | $62,300 | 200 |
Highest-paying states for computer user support specialists
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $80,950 |
| California | $79,570 |
| Washington | $75,220 |
| Massachusetts | $75,070 |
| New York | $72,560 |
| Colorado | $71,900 |
| Connecticut | $70,210 |
| Wyoming | $65,100 |
| Virginia | $65,040 |
| Maryland | $64,750 |
See Computer User Support Specialist pay in every state or the California statewide figures.
Related jobs in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Software Developer | $156,910 | $75.44 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | $124,450 | $59.83 |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | $107,990 | $51.92 |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrators | $118,810 | $57.12 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | $133,970 | $64.41 |
| Computer Programmer | $132,850 | $63.87 |
| Web and Digital Interface Designers | $114,220 | $54.91 |
| Computer Network Support Specialist | $102,980 | $49.51 |
| Database Administrator | $102,510 | $49.28 |
| Web Developer | $81,350 | $39.11 |
| Data Scientist | $130,980 | $62.97 |
| Operations Research Analyst | $104,680 | $50.33 |
More: Computer and Mathematical Occupations · all salaries in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 15-1232. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a computer user support specialist make in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
The median salary for computer user support specialists in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area is $75,720 a year, or $36.41 an hour. Pay ranges from $49,490 for the lowest-paid 10% to $113,500 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid computer user support specialists make in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
The top 10% of computer user support specialists in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area earn at least $113,500 a year. The top 25% earn $95,260 or more.
What is the starting pay for computer user support specialists in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $49,490 a year, and a quarter of computer user support specialists earn $61,780 or less.
How many computer user support specialists work in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
About 210 computer user support specialists are employed in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area, not counting the self-employed.