Home Health and Personal Care Aides pay range in Santa Cruz
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $34,320 a year or less, while the top 10% make $45,560 or more. The middle half of home health and personal care aides in Santa Cruz earn between $34,320 and $40,650.
- $34K10th
- $34K25th
- $34KMedian
- $41K75th
- $46K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $37,720 | $3,143 | $18.13 |
| Median | $34,320 | $2,860 | $16.50 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $34,320 | $2,860 | $16.50 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $40,650 | $3,388 | $19.54 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Home Health and Personal Care Aides pay in Santa Cruz vs. California and the U.S.
Home health and personal care aides in Santa Cruz earn 4% more than the California average ($36,420) and 4% more than the U.S. average ($36,120). At the median the gap is -4% against the U.S. median of $35,800.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | $37,720 | $34,320 | $34,320 | $45,560 | 4,470 |
| California | $36,420 | $34,320 | $34,320 | $39,260 | 970,150 |
| United States | $36,120 | $35,800 | $27,040 | $45,040 | 4,305,810 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Home Health and Personal Care Aides salary after taxes in Santa Cruz
On the average salary of $37,720, a single filer in Santa Cruz takes home about $31,844 a year, or $2,654 a month and $1,225 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Santa Cruz a good place for home health and personal care aides? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Santa Cruz area are 10% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 109.9), so the average $37,720 buys what about $34,323 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Cruz ($54,730). A typical home costs $1,157,157, or 30.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Home Health and Personal Care Aides salary in other California cities
Santa Cruz ranks 5th of 25 California metro areas for this job; Napa pays the most ($40,520).
- Napa$40,520
- San Jose$39,360
- San Francisco$38,810
- Santa Rosa$38,400
- Santa Cruz$37,720
- Vallejo$37,200
- Oxnard$37,190
- Santa Maria$36,960
- San Diego$36,830
- San Luis Obispo$36,720
All Home Health and Personal Care Aides salaries in California
Highest-paying cities for home health and personal care aides
Grants Pass, OR pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($51,080).
- Grants Pass, OR$51,080
- Seattle, WA$49,500
- Bremerton, WA$48,030
- Wenatchee, WA$47,200
- Kennewick, WA$47,170
Does this match what you are paid?
Anonymous, no account. Results update as visitors answer.
Share your pay anonymously
Home Health and Personal Care Aides salary in Santa Cruz: questions
How much do home health and personal care aides make an hour in Santa Cruz?
$18.14 an hour on average, and $16.50 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level home health and personal care aides salary in Santa Cruz?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $34,320 a year and the 25th percentile is $34,320, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the home health and personal care aides take-home pay in Santa Cruz?
About $31,844 a year ($2,654 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $37,720. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do home health and personal care aides earn more in Santa Cruz than elsewhere?
The average here is 4% more than the U.S. average for this job ($36,120).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 31-1120; area Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA (42100). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.8%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.64, this job is 1.6 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.