Dishwasher salary in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
Dishwashers in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area earn a median of $37,380 a year ($17.97 an hour), based on BLS data for 510 workers.
Pay ranges from $35,790 for the lowest-paid 10% to $44,520 for the top 10%. That is 7% higher than the national median of $34,810. Pay here is 1% lower than the California statewide median of $37,870. There are 5.2 dishwashers per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 1.7× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $38,790, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for dishwashers in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $35,790 | $17.21 |
| 25th percentile | $36,640 | $17.62 |
| Median | $37,380 | $17.97 |
| 75th percentile | $38,800 | $18.66 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $44,520 | $21.40 |
| Average (mean) | $38,790 | $18.65 |
Half of dishwashers 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 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,557.50 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,437.69 |
| Weekly | $718.85 |
| 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 $37,380 salary, see how much house you can afford in California at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Dishwasher salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $43,960 | 3,940 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $42,100 | 9,530 |
| Napa, CA | $39,930 | 590 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $38,810 | 1,160 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $38,530 | 7,790 |
| Vallejo, CA | $37,910 | 530 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $37,580 | 27,520 |
| Salinas, CA | $37,350 | 970 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $37,290 | 1,150 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $36,930 | 4,030 |
| Modesto, CA | $36,810 | 600 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $36,760 | 850 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $36,710 | 6,710 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $36,670 | 1,480 |
| Yuba City, CA | $36,220 | 190 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $35,980 | 790 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $35,720 | 1,030 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $35,560 | 120 |
| Merced, CA | $35,210 | 170 |
| Chico, CA | $35,150 | 290 |
| Fresno, CA | $35,110 | 1,550 |
| El Centro, CA | $34,990 | 160 |
| Redding, CA | $34,900 | 270 |
| Visalia, CA | $34,750 | 480 |
Highest-paying states for dishwashers
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $40,080 |
| District of Columbia | $38,670 |
| California | $37,870 |
| Colorado | $37,840 |
| Hawaii | $37,740 |
| Massachusetts | $37,190 |
| Illinois | $36,180 |
| Oregon | $36,040 |
| Vermont | $36,010 |
| New Jersey | $35,900 |
See Dishwasher pay in every state or the California statewide figures.
Related jobs in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $35,640 | $17.14 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $36,050 | $17.33 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $43,400 | $20.87 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $35,930 | $17.27 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $44,560 | $21.42 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $48,220 | $23.18 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $39,110 | $18.80 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | $43,630 | $20.98 |
| Bartender | $36,100 | $17.36 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $46,850 | $22.53 |
| Cooks, Short Order | $39,140 | $18.82 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $59,190 | $28.46 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $37,860 | $18.20 |
More: Food Preparation and Serving 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 35-9021. 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 dishwasher make in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
The median salary for dishwashers in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area is $37,380 a year, or $17.97 an hour. Pay ranges from $35,790 for the lowest-paid 10% to $44,520 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid dishwashers make in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
The top 10% of dishwashers in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area earn at least $44,520 a year. The top 25% earn $38,800 or more.
What is the starting pay for dishwashers in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $35,790 a year, and a quarter of dishwashers earn $36,640 or less.
How many dishwashers work in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
About 510 dishwashers are employed in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area, not counting the self-employed.