Cashier salary in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
Cashiers in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area earn a median of $37,390 a year ($17.97 an hour), based on BLS data for 2,530 workers.
Pay ranges from $35,720 for the lowest-paid 10% to $51,570 for the top 10%. That is 14% higher than the national median of $32,880. Pay here is 1% higher than the California statewide median of $37,100. There are 26 cashiers per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 1.3× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $40,710, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for cashiers in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $35,720 | $17.17 |
| 25th percentile | $36,430 | $17.51 |
| Median | $37,390 | $17.97 |
| 75th percentile | $42,940 | $20.64 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $51,570 | $24.80 |
| Average (mean) | $40,710 | $19.57 |
Half of cashiers 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 | $3,115.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,557.92 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,438.08 |
| Weekly | $719.04 |
| Hourly | $17.97 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $37,390 salary, see how much house you can afford in California at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Cashier salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $42,960 | 16,530 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $41,270 | 38,250 |
| Napa, CA | $38,500 | 1,540 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $38,440 | 5,030 |
| Vallejo, CA | $37,810 | 3,630 |
| Salinas, CA | $37,080 | 4,020 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $37,020 | 30,420 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $36,980 | 109,940 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $36,790 | 19,910 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $36,600 | 4,170 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $36,550 | 3,010 |
| Modesto, CA | $36,490 | 4,890 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $36,340 | 5,900 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $36,150 | 7,620 |
| Yuba City, CA | $35,790 | 1,410 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $35,700 | 35,730 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $35,420 | 1,130 |
| Merced, CA | $35,340 | 2,250 |
| Fresno, CA | $35,270 | 9,780 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $35,220 | 8,350 |
| Chico, CA | $35,210 | 2,090 |
| El Centro, CA | $35,090 | 1,960 |
| Redding, CA | $34,900 | 1,920 |
| Visalia, CA | $34,770 | 4,110 |
Highest-paying states for cashiers
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $38,880 |
| Washington | $38,720 |
| California | $37,100 |
| Colorado | $36,870 |
| Hawaii | $36,780 |
| Alaska | $36,130 |
| Vermont | $35,720 |
| Connecticut | $35,550 |
| Massachusetts | $35,520 |
| New York | $35,500 |
See Cashier pay in every state or the California statewide figures.
Related jobs in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Retail Salesperson | $38,620 | $18.57 |
| Counter and Rental Clerks | $41,600 | $20.00 |
| Parts Salesperson | $44,870 | $21.57 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | $52,240 | $25.12 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | $75,310 | $36.21 |
| Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | $65,600 | $31.54 |
| Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents | $74,380 | $35.76 |
| Insurance Sales Agent | $63,300 | $30.43 |
| Sales and Related Workers, All Other | $61,920 | $29.77 |
| Demonstrators and Product Promoters | $43,480 | $20.91 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers | $78,590 | $37.79 |
| Real Estate Sales Agent | $51,530 | $24.78 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | $131,520 | $63.23 |
More: Sales and Related 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 41-2011. 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 cashier make in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
The median salary for cashiers in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area is $37,390 a year, or $17.97 an hour. Pay ranges from $35,720 for the lowest-paid 10% to $51,570 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid cashiers make in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
The top 10% of cashiers in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area earn at least $51,570 a year. The top 25% earn $42,940 or more.
What is the starting pay for cashiers in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $35,720 a year, and a quarter of cashiers earn $36,430 or less.
How many cashiers work in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
About 2,530 cashiers are employed in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area, not counting the self-employed.