Librarian salary in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
The median annual wage for librarians and media collections specialists in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA was $91,090 in May 2025, with an average of $96,420. About 40 people work in this occupation there.
That is 33% above the national median of $68,270. Compared with all occupations in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA (median $54,730), librarians earn 66% more. Its location quotient of 0.42 means the job is less common here than nationally.
Pay varies widely: the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $53,660, while the top 10% earned more than $137,360. Many librarians are self-employed, and BLS wage surveys cover employees only, so freelance income can differ.
Pay distribution
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $53,660 | $25.80 |
| 25th | $66,820 | $32.13 |
| Median | $91,090 | $43.80 |
| 75th | $132,790 | $63.84 |
| 90th | $137,360 | $66.04 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Estimates exclude self-employed workers; "—" means the estimate was not released.