Industrial Engineer salary in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
Industrial Engineers in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area earn a median of $131,740 a year ($63.34 an hour), based on BLS data for 120 workers.
Pay ranges from $84,710 for the lowest-paid 10% to $172,180 for the top 10%. That is 29% higher than the national median of $102,440. Pay here is 6% higher than the California statewide median of $124,600. There are 1.2 industrial engineers per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.53). The average (mean) salary is $131,440, close to the median.
Pay range for industrial engineers in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $84,710 | $40.73 |
| 25th percentile | $107,110 | $51.50 |
| Median | $131,740 | $63.34 |
| 75th percentile | $163,210 | $78.47 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $172,180 | $82.78 |
| Average (mean) | $131,440 | $63.19 |
Half of industrial engineers 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 | $10,978.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $5,489.17 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $5,066.92 |
| Weekly | $2,533.46 |
| Hourly | $63.34 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $131,740 salary, see how much house you can afford in California at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Industrial Engineer salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $136,950 | 4,800 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $132,230 | 5,470 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $121,660 | 230 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $119,790 | 380 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $119,050 | 3,990 |
| Vallejo, CA | $113,630 | 190 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $113,040 | 11,460 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $110,190 | 910 |
| Napa, CA | $106,380 | 30 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $104,700 | 280 |
| Visalia, CA | $101,860 | 80 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $101,700 | 1,580 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $101,630 | 610 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $101,280 | 280 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $100,380 | 110 |
| Chico, CA | $99,350 | 40 |
| El Centro, CA | $99,330 | 30 |
| Modesto, CA | $98,560 | 150 |
| Fresno, CA | $97,650 | 260 |
| Salinas, CA | $95,100 | 60 |
| Merced, CA | $91,490 | 40 |
Highest-paying states for industrial engineers
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $156,510 |
| Washington | $129,050 |
| Oregon | $128,290 |
| New Mexico | $128,090 |
| California | $124,600 |
| Hawaii | $123,800 |
| Louisiana | $122,920 |
| Wyoming | $122,070 |
| Delaware | $120,190 |
| Maryland | $119,930 |
See Industrial Engineer pay in every state or the California statewide figures.
Related jobs in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Civil Engineer | $118,050 | $56.76 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $132,920 | $63.91 |
| Engineers, All Other | $141,150 | $67.86 |
| Electrical Engineer | $133,560 | $64.21 |
| Computer Hardware Engineer | $169,370 | $81.43 |
| Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | $182,840 | $87.90 |
| Environmental Engineer | $130,270 | $62.63 |
| Architects, Except Landscape and Naval | $105,750 | $50.84 |
| Architectural and Civil Drafters | $67,930 | $32.66 |
More: Architecture and Engineering 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 17-2112. 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 industrial engineer make in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
The median salary for industrial engineers in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area is $131,740 a year, or $63.34 an hour. Pay ranges from $84,710 for the lowest-paid 10% to $172,180 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid industrial engineers make in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
The top 10% of industrial engineers in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area earn at least $172,180 a year. The top 25% earn $163,210 or more.
What is the starting pay for industrial engineers in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $84,710 a year, and a quarter of industrial engineers earn $107,110 or less.
How many industrial engineers work in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
About 120 industrial engineers are employed in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area, not counting the self-employed.