Data Scientist salary in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
Data Scientists in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area earn a median of $130,980 a year ($62.97 an hour), based on BLS data for 80 workers.
Pay ranges from $75,070 for the lowest-paid 10% to $211,050 for the top 10%. That is 9% higher than the national median of $120,230. Pay here is 7% lower than the California statewide median of $141,590. There are 0.86 data scientists per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.51). The average (mean) salary is $132,800, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for data scientists in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $75,070 | $36.09 |
| 25th percentile | $92,010 | $44.24 |
| Median | $130,980 | $62.97 |
| 75th percentile | $161,850 | $77.81 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $211,050 | $101.47 |
| Average (mean) | $132,800 | $63.85 |
Half of data scientists 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 | $10,915 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $5,457.50 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $5,037.69 |
| Weekly | $2,518.85 |
| Hourly | $62.97 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Data Scientist salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $185,080 | 6,060 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $170,110 | 10,460 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $130,990 | 2,830 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $129,740 | 9,850 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $126,360 | 460 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $119,930 | 130 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $114,830 | 60 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $113,990 | 190 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $112,910 | 1,000 |
| Modesto, CA | $104,990 | 80 |
| Vallejo, CA | $104,530 | 70 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $103,700 | 2,710 |
| Napa, CA | $101,830 | 30 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $101,370 | 100 |
| Fresno, CA | $101,250 | 220 |
| Salinas, CA | $99,850 | 90 |
| Visalia, CA | $97,870 | 40 |
| Redding, CA | $96,960 | 60 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $92,200 | 200 |
Highest-paying states for data scientists
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $163,350 |
| California | $141,590 |
| Maryland | $136,370 |
| New Jersey | $135,280 |
| Massachusetts | $131,750 |
| New York | $130,460 |
| Minnesota | $128,800 |
| Vermont | $127,070 |
| District of Columbia | $126,490 |
| Virginia | $126,430 |
See Data Scientist pay in every state or the California statewide figures.
Related jobs in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Operations Research Analyst | $104,680 | $50.33 |
| Software Developer | $156,910 | $75.44 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | $124,450 | $59.83 |
| Computer User Support Specialist | $75,720 | $36.41 |
| 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 |
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 15-2051. 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 data scientist make in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
The median salary for data scientists in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area is $130,980 a year, or $62.97 an hour. Pay ranges from $75,070 for the lowest-paid 10% to $211,050 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid data scientists make in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
The top 10% of data scientists in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area earn at least $211,050 a year. The top 25% earn $161,850 or more.
What is the starting pay for data scientists in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $75,070 a year, and a quarter of data scientists earn $92,010 or less.
How many data scientists work in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
About 80 data scientists are employed in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area, not counting the self-employed.