Rehabilitation Counselors pay range in Santa Cruz
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,110 a year or less, while the top 10% make $61,010 or more. The middle half of rehabilitation counselors in Santa Cruz earn between $37,110 and $51,080.
- $37K10th
- $37K25th
- $48KMedian
- $51K75th
- $61K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $47,090 | $3,924 | $22.64 |
| Median | $48,070 | $4,006 | $23.11 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $37,110 | $3,092 | $17.84 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $51,080 | $4,257 | $24.56 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Rehabilitation Counselors pay in Santa Cruz vs. California and the U.S.
Rehabilitation counselors in Santa Cruz earn 3% less than the California average ($48,570) and 9% less than the U.S. average ($51,820). At the median the gap is +3% against the U.S. median of $46,850.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | $47,090 | $48,070 | $37,110 | $61,010 | 130 |
| California | $48,570 | $44,480 | $35,940 | $69,260 | 13,690 |
| United States | $51,820 | $46,850 | $35,060 | $77,170 | 94,740 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Rehabilitation Counselors salary after taxes in Santa Cruz
On the average salary of $47,090, a single filer in Santa Cruz takes home about $38,998 a year, or $3,250 a month and $1,500 every two weeks. Taxes take 17% 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 rehabilitation counselors? 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 $47,090 buys what about $42,850 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Cruz ($54,730). A typical home costs $1,157,157, or 24.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Rehabilitation Counselors salary in other California cities
Santa Cruz ranks 10th of 24 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($64,670).
- San Jose$64,670
- San Francisco$57,510
- Santa Rosa$54,280
- Napa$50,710
- Vallejo$50,690
- Riverside$49,710
- Oxnard$48,450
- San Diego$47,840
- Santa Maria$47,280
- Santa Cruz$47,090
Highest-paying cities for rehabilitation counselors
New Orleans, LA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($80,030).
- New Orleans, LA$80,030
- Killeen, TX$75,610
- Olympia, WA$74,560
- Portland, ME$71,280
- Longview, WA$71,080
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Rehabilitation Counselors salary in Santa Cruz: questions
How much do rehabilitation counselors make an hour in Santa Cruz?
$22.64 an hour on average, and $23.11 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level rehabilitation counselors salary in Santa Cruz?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,110 a year and the 25th percentile is $37,110, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the rehabilitation counselors take-home pay in Santa Cruz?
About $38,998 a year ($3,250 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $47,090. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do rehabilitation counselors earn more in Santa Cruz than elsewhere?
The average here is 9% less than the U.S. average for this job ($51,820).
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 21-1015; area Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA (42100). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.8%.
- 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 2.22, this job is 2.2 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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