Physician Assistant Salary in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA (2026)
Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology
Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine
Dynamic statutory tax calculations based on IRS Publication 15-T and state statutory schedules.
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA Physician Assistant Wage Distribution
Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders
HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index
Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.
Hourly Wage to Annual & Overtime Matrix
Translating base hourly pay and 1.5× overtime into net take-home pay based on 2,080 annual work hours in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA.
Interstate MSA Relocation & State Tax Migration Comparator
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Combining state tax savings and annual rent variance when relocating from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.
Physician Assistant in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)
Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and California tax codes.
Key Economic & Compensation Takeaways
Statutory Withholding Architecture
Frequently Asked Questions
Wages sourced from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS). Rents calibrated to HUD Fair Market Rents. Tax schedules calibrated to IRS IRC Title 26, IRS Pub 15-T, and state statutory revenue codes.
- Federal Standard Deduction (Single) $16,100
- FICA OASDI Wage Base Cap $184,500
- Pre-Tax 401(k) Elective Deferral $24,500
- HSA Individual Annual Limit $4,400
Physician Assistant in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA: Market Snapshot
Physician Assistant roles in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA report a median annual wage of $159,030, 17.0% above the national median of $135,880. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $126,690 to $208,760, and HUD’s $3,390 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 25.6% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $50.95 per hour.
Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Physician Assistant
| Metropolitan area | Median annual wage | Vs this market |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $223,640 | +40.6% |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $198,070 | +24.5% |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $184,380 | +15.9% |
| Yuba City, CA | $183,460 | +15.4% |
| Vallejo, CA | $179,520 | +12.9% |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $172,750 | +8.6% |
| Napa, CA | $172,170 | +8.3% |
| Salinas, CA | $170,180 | +7.0% |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $170,060 | +6.9% |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $168,080 | +5.7% |
Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Chief Executives | $209,080 | $100.52/hr |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $206,880 | $99.46/hr |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $202,380 | $97.30/hr |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $198,770 | $95.56/hr |
| Fundraising Managers | $179,130 | $86.12/hr |
| Education Administrators, Postsecondary | $172,410 | $82.89/hr |
| Registered Nurse (RN) | $170,960 | $82.19/hr |
| Marketing Managers | $168,980 | $81.24/hr |
| Nurse Practitioner | $167,190 | $80.38/hr |
| Financial Manager | $165,800 | $79.71/hr |
Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 348 metropolitan areas publishing this occupation; HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents; EPI Family Budget Calculator. Taxes use 2026 federal and state rules. Data last updated .
Regional Labor Market & Career Mobility Network
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Related Healthcare Roles in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
Roles in related occupations with transferable skills and overlapping employer demand.
Other Metros for Physician Assistant
Regional metropolitan labor markets within commuter or relocation distance with local BLS wages and living costs.
Physician Assistant median pay in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA is $159,030 a year ($76.46/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD. Official 2026 economic data for Physician Assistant in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
The median annual wage is $159,030 ($76.46 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $126,690 and $208,760. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).
On the median wage of $159,030, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $107,495 a year ($8,958 a month) after $51,535 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 32.41%, using 2026 tax rules.