Office Clerks, General Salary in Santa Cruz, CA
Office Clerks, General in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area earn a median $41,040 a year — 9% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $33,991 take-home, or $2,833 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median office clerks, general salary in Santa Cruz, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,745
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,544
- Medicare (1.45%)$595
- California income tax$631
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$534
- Take-home pay$33,991
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.00% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Office Clerks, General pay by experience in Santa Cruz, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $36,500 | $17.55 | $30,584 | $2,549 |
| 25th percentile | $36,500 | $17.55 | $30,584 | $2,549 |
| Median (50th) | $41,040 | $19.73 | $33,991 | $2,833 |
| 75th percentile | $56,450 | $27.14 | $45,367 | $3,781 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $66,560 | $32.00 | $52,677 | $4,390 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $41,040 buys in Santa Cruz, CA
Prices in Santa Cruz, CA are 9.9% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.64× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median office clerks, general's $33,991 take-home pay has the buying power of $30,930 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Santa Cruz, CA has 2.1× the national concentration of office clerks, general jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for office clerks, general, adjusted for cost of living
Santa Cruz, CA ranks #153 of 157 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fargo, ND | $49,060 | $41,600 | $45,779 |
| 2 | Duluth, MN | $46,820 | $38,114 | $42,936 |
| 3 | San Jose, CA | $58,840 | $47,113 | $42,666 |
| 4 | Des Moines, IA | $46,540 | $38,458 | $41,939 |
| 5 | Denver, CO | $53,990 | $43,894 | $41,495 |
| 6 | Reno, NV | $49,230 | $41,736 | $41,317 |
| 7 | Santa Maria, CA | $55,620 | $44,761 | $41,141 |
| 8 | Kansas City, MO | $45,640 | $37,644 | $40,677 |
| 153 | Santa Cruz, CA | $41,040 | $33,991 | $30,930 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 157 metros →
About the job: office clerks, general
Perform duties too varied and diverse to be classified in any specific office clerical occupation, requiring knowledge of office systems and procedures. Clerical duties may be assigned in accordance with the office procedures of individual establishments and may include a combination of answering telephones, bookkeeping, typing or word processing, office machine operation, and filing.
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- -6.0% (declining)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Office Clerks, General salaries elsewhere in California
- San Jose, CA — $58,840
- Santa Maria, CA — $55,620
- Santa Rosa, CA — $51,780
- Visalia, CA — $46,190
- Stockton, CA — $48,500
- Sacramento, CA — $48,940
- Vallejo, CA — $49,780
- Fresno, CA — $46,070
Frequently asked questions
How much does a office clerks, general make in Santa Cruz, CA?
The median office clerks, general salary in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area is $41,040 a year, or about $19.73 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $36,500 and $56,450.
What is a office clerks, general’s take-home pay in Santa Cruz, CA?
On the median $41,040 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $33,991 a year ($2,833 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,164 in California taxes in 2026.
Is Santa Cruz, CA a good place to work as a office clerks, general?
Pay here is 9% below the national median of $45,010. Local prices are 9.9% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $30,930 would in a typical U.S. city. Santa Cruz, CA ranks #153 of 157 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a office clerks, general afford rent in Santa Cruz, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Santa Cruz, CA is $3,298 a month ($4,214 for two bedrooms) — 116% of a median office clerks, general’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.